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I know I know, this is "the draft" for power forwards. (unless the PF is European and can be stashed in Europe to develop on someone else's dime and with available minutes.) Why am I pleading with Larry might you ask; it's simply a matter of a talent log jam weighed against other needs.

Capable of Playing Center next year for the Blue and gold are:
Troy, Jeff, Josh, Solomon, and Roy
Capable of Playing PF next year are:
Troy, Josh, Tyler, and Danny w/ an honorable mention to Jeff who has at times played PF.

We're all set with Young Prospects up front:
23 year olds Roy Hibbert(C) & Josh McRoberts(PF/C)
24 Year old Tyler Hansbrough(Pf)

If our need is at PF/C it's because we're set to release our Vets after the season and we aren't sold on our Young Players; If this is the case we should trade them for whatever value they have.

Our Needs at other positions should be addressed first; Trade Back and take Eric Bledsoe if you feel like he has any talent; he was a top 25 high school recruit at PG before John Wall showed up on campus. Trade Back and Select Xavier Henry if you think you can move Brandon rush for Value. Trade back and take Gordon Hayward to fill that Mike Dunleavy roll after this Season and pick up on some of that butler hype.

I'd trade the 10th pick anyways if talent doesn't fall OKC and Minnesota can't be looking to add that many more young parts...can they?

If we're ever going to get out of this current funk(not good enough to make the playoffs not bad enough to win the lotto) we have to get better or lose more, playing the young guys will certainly do one or the other.

I imagine OKC going for some playoff-season veterans this offseason. The best we can offer in that area is Foster, which would also fulfill their need for size. They can even straight-up absorb his contract. I would be willing to trade Foster for the highest pick they got.

Pacers should take the best player available, if it happens to be a big man, well...it happens to be a big man. Only position I might steer away from a 7 foot center, and that's because it's hard enough to develop one, let alone two at the same time.

PR07 wrote:Pacers should take the best player available, if it happens to be a big man, well...it happens to be a big man. Only position I might steer away from a 7 foot center, and that's because it's hard enough to develop one, let alone two at the same time.

This sums it up pretty well I think. BPA is a must in this draft.

Here's how I view Indiana's power forward situation:

Murphy: only under contract for one more season, and his game has significant holes in it anyway
Hansbrough: Unproven at the NBA level, and health is a question
Foster: career just about over
McRoberts: intriguing, but still a darkhorse
Granger: really should be playing on the wing

That tells me the Pacers are in the market for a power forward in the draft. Of course they're also in the market for a point guard. And a two guard. And anyone who can play some defense...

mizzoupacers wrote:Here's how I view Indiana's power forward situation:

Murphy: only under contract for one more season, and his game has significant holes in it anyway
Hansbrough: Unproven at the NBA level, and health is a question
Foster: career just about over
McRoberts: intriguing, but still a darkhorse
Granger: really should be playing on the wing

That tells me the Pacers are in the market for a power forward in the draft. Of course they're also in the market for a point guard. And a two guard. And anyone who can play some defense...

Anyone? Including Whiteside?

Anyone who can play some defense at the NBA level.

Gremz wrote:

mizzoupacers wrote:Here's how I view Indiana's power forward situation:

Murphy: only under contract for one more season, and his game has significant holes in it anyway
Hansbrough: Unproven at the NBA level, and health is a question
Foster: career just about over
McRoberts: intriguing, but still a darkhorse
Granger: really should be playing on the wing

That tells me the Pacers are in the market for a power forward in the draft. Of course they're also in the market for a point guard. And a two guard. And anyone who can play some defense...

Anyone? Including Whiteside?

I totally agree with mizzoupacers. Though it really looks like we're too crowded at the 4 and 5th spot with versatile players capable of switching positions, we're still undeniably weak at those positions, especially on the defensive end. And most of our bigs have expiring contracts so it's just right that we start investing on young big men.

I don't really like Whiteside with our 10th pick, but if we could trade down the 16-20th spot and he's still available, maybe we could get him, he's still raw but with his size, he can definitely help. And he would be a nice back-up to Hibbert. Larry Sanders is another good prospect at the mid-first round.
But the player i really hope we could get if we trade down is Udoh.

mizzoupacers wrote:Here's how I view Indiana's power forward situation:

Murphy: only under contract for one more season, and his game has significant holes in it anyway
Hansbrough: Unproven at the NBA level, and health is a question
Foster: career just about over
McRoberts: intriguing, but still a darkhorse
Granger: really should be playing on the wing

That tells me the Pacers are in the market for a power forward in the draft. Of course they're also in the market for a point guard. And a two guard. And anyone who can play some defense...

Dont forget Lorbek, who might/will come over in 2011..

Penciling McRoberts in May for major minutes is kinda like penciling in for another bottom 10 finish next year. This team needs to start making some strides in the right direction or they will have to blow this whole thing up again and start over.

McBob looks good at times but is a backup at this point at best. We need to get Greg Monroe! I am for the best player available, and that Bledsoe kid is high on my list, I also like Patterson from Kentucky.

I'm going to be honest. Hansbrough intrigued me a lot. Looking at his advanced metrics, he was outrebounding just about everyone on the floor. His low FG% belied his efficiency on the floor. Oftentimes he'd get his own rebound. I think if we draft a PF, it's because we want inner ear insurance.

It would be a damn shame if Tyler can't come back from this, I don't think he was gonna be a star and clearly there were 3 or 4 guys we could have picked who would have been better for us, Lawson, Collison, Blair, Gibson but you know you take your chances and who's to say any of those guys wouldn't have gotten hurt too? Let's just hope Tyler recovers at somepoint and contributes. Let's just not toss $7 million a yr at him like we did Jonathon Bender.

This team desperately needs a playmaker somewhere in the backcourt. However, they should take the best talent on the board, regardless of position.

As I've said on any other thread where the idea has come up. Don't trade down to get Bledsoe. The likelihood of him being anywhere close to ready to play the point in the NBA is remote at best.

The Paces are not so talented at the 4 and 5 that you automatically pass on the best player available if he happens to play one of those positions. I will agree a pure 5 (like Cole Aldrich) doesn't make much sense since you could never play him and Hibbert together. Long term this team really needs a long, athletic, shot blocker, rebounder. That skill set would be an excellent complement to Hibbert and Hansbrough. I'm most intrigued by Larry Sanders.

8305 wrote:As I've said on any other thread where the idea has come up. Don't trade down to get Bledsoe. The likelihood of him being anywhere close to ready to play the point in the NBA is remote at best.

The Paces are not so talented at the 4 and 5 that you automatically pass on the best player available if he happens to play one of those positions. I will agree a pure 5 (like Cole Aldrich) doesn't make much sense since you could never play him and Hibbert together. Long term this team really needs a long, athletic, shot blocker, rebounder. That skill set would be an excellent complement to Hibbert and Hansbrough. I'm most intrigued by Larry Sanders.

Sure, i don't know if anybody here will argue with you there. But, that doesn't mean that because that is a need, that we MUST reach and fill that NEED with this draft pick. If Cousins, Favors, Aminu and Davis are all ranked 1 thru 4 on our PF wish list, and all 4 are gone by pick 10, it doesn't make sense to reach for the next best guy at that position. I have no idea who is on their wish list though. Don't aim to fill a position and get "sloppy thirds or fourths" when we can go out and get a elite player at a different position.

I still want to get back into the first round and draft Larry Sanders, like you suggested. His wingspan is ridic. I read somewhere that when he enters the NBA, he will have like a top 5 wingspan in the NBA. He's a bit of a project but i think he may end up being a good player down the road. I wouldn't pick Sanders in the lottery though.

I don't know or care what his "wingspan" is (didn't Ike Diogu have great "wingspan" too?) but Sanders is plenty athletic and I liked his game in college. I hope the Pacers give him a good long look.

Grang33r wrote:

8305 wrote:As I've said on any other thread where the idea has come up. Don't trade down to get Bledsoe. The likelihood of him being anywhere close to ready to play the point in the NBA is remote at best.

The Paces are not so talented at the 4 and 5 that you automatically pass on the best player available if he happens to play one of those positions. I will agree a pure 5 (like Cole Aldrich) doesn't make much sense since you could never play him and Hibbert together. Long term this team really needs a long, athletic, shot blocker, rebounder. That skill set would be an excellent complement to Hibbert and Hansbrough. I'm most intrigued by Larry Sanders.

Sure, i don't know if anybody here will argue with you there. But, that doesn't mean that because that is a need, that we MUST reach and fill that NEED with this draft pick. If Cousins, Favors, Aminu and Davis are all ranked 1 thru 4 on our PF wish list, and all 4 are gone by pick 10, it doesn't make sense to reach for the next best guy at that position. I have no idea who is on their wish list though. Don't aim to fill a position and get "sloppy thirds or fourths" when we can go out and get a elite player at a different position.

I still want to get back into the first round and draft Larry Sanders, like you suggested. His wingspan is ridic. I read somewhere that when he enters the NBA, he will have like a top 5 wingspan in the NBA. He's a bit of a project but i think he may end up being a good player down the road. I wouldn't pick Sanders in the lottery though.

I'm not convinced Sanders will be a reach at 10. Right now it looks like the other options at 10 will be Udoh, Patterson, Henry, Motiejunas, Whiteside, Orton (based on the Draft Express mock). Pretty good chance the BPA will be a 4. Is there a guy in the group who looks like an elite player who is hands down better than Sanders?