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Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:10 am**

“That’s the only goal,” O’Neal said. “Winning a championship is the only goal. There’s no guarantee in this league, everything has to go right to win. I know that personally. It’s not about money because if I sign, it will be for the minimum. I’ve made a ton of money in this league. The NBA has been very good to me and my family so it’s not about that. It’s about being healthy and being strong. And again this is by far the best I’ve felt in five years. Between the treatment in Germany and my coaches here, strength and conditioning coaches and basketball coaches, it’s been a really good relationship between the three. I’m looking forward to it we’ll see what happens.” HoopsWorld
FREE AGENCY, JERMAINE O'NEAL
“I’m not stupid, I don’t think I can go for 20 every night anymore, but I do believe I can go for 20 on any given night. It’s just about finding a position whether it’s coming off the bench or starting, whether its 15 minutes or 30 minutes, whatever the coaches ask you to do it’s just about having the opportunity to be yourself. I just want to get to the level that I know I’m physically right. HoopsWorld

Jermaine just had the orthokine knee surgery that seems to be revitalizing a lot of players careers. His shot blocking; physicality and leadership I feel could give Indy the type of edge (nasty as Popovich would call it) that it takes to win a championship off the bench. He's better than Hansborough; and willing to play for the vet minimum. He's a capable 5 but more of a 4 and additionally he had his best years as a Pacer; and it would be fitting to let him retire a Pacer. I think he can be a difference maker in short stretches; 10 to 15 min a game. Thoughts?

Hill/Augustin
George/Stephenson
Granger/Green
West/O'Neal/Plumlee
Hibbert/Mahinmi/Plumlee

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:00 am**

I see you've already omitted Hansbrough from the depth chart. I would be happy to have JO back to play as 3rd big man off the bench for 10-15 minutes a night, but not as the sole back-up 4; what happens when he invariably goes down at some point in the season?

It seems like he's been saying how good he feels every off-season for about 3 or 4 years, but he almost always breaks down. I understand the orthokine procedure is different, but Kobe didn't have the degenerative knees of JO.

It'd be great to see him in the blue and gold again though.

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:48 am**

no way. he was very divisive in the locker room when he was here last. no way do I want to risk that again. Walsh remembers too.

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 1:42 pm**

Wizop wrote:no way. he was very divisive in the locker room when he was here last. no way do I want to risk that again. Walsh remembers too.

I say bring him back. The only time I ever remember him being divisive is when he asked the team to trade him if Artest was going to be there. He was overpaid and always injured when he was here which is why I think most fans are turned off by the idea, but he's still one of my all time favorite Pacers.

IMO he can't be worse than Hansbrough as a backup to D West. His defensive presence and the fact that he has something to prove is worthy of the vet's minimum. Not to mention the fact that Roy would finally have someone to help him develop...so far the only person he's had is Jeff Foster :roll:

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:30 pm**

Roy works out with Tim Duncan in the summer. and JO was divisive every time he stepped on the court. that was a team that had factions and you could just watch players start to make the right pass and then stop and turn the other way when they realized who they had almost passed to. we have a team now. let's not risk breaking it.

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:52 pm**

Wizop wrote:Roy works out with Tim Duncan in the summer. and JO was divisive every time he stepped on the court. that was a team that had factions and you could just watch players start to make the right pass and then stop and turn the other way when they realized who they had almost passed to. we have a team now. let's not risk breaking it.

I forgot about Tim Duncan...but do you really think J.O. would demand the ball at this point in his career? All I'm saying is for the vet's minimum and for a team that could use another veteran he's a low risk/high reward(?) player.

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:42 pm**

Jermaine stopped being a viable NBA player about 2 yrs ago. Personally I'd rather have the Mavunga kid

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 5:26 pm**

After getting Mahinmi to back up Hibbert, and with our roster having 13 players already on it, I don't think O'Neal is a good choice. He always caused drama when we had him years ago, and I think he wants to be a role player; all we could give him is a spot at the end of the bench wearing a suit.

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:07 pm**

it wasn't just a matter of demanding the ball by JO and I can tell you that I have a well connected friend in Toronto who says he was a distraction there too. now its possible that KG straightened him out but I didn't see enough from him on the court in Boston to make it worth the risk he could have to our chemistry.

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:30 pm**

Wow guys I had no clue that he was that bad of a guy. I was just considering where the team is right now. And if the team has any intentions of trying to beat Miami; we need guys with an edge (nasty; mean). Guys who dont give up layups and dunks. O'Neal definitely fits this description. Theres no way Indy can win a championship with a team full of high character nice guys. The only complete teams that I can remember recently winning a championship is Detroit and San Antonio. They both have one thing in common and that is the defensive mentality (Smashmouth; no layup; no dunks). The Pacers as of right now dont have players like that. Hibbert is a great shot blocker and defensive anchor but a nice guy; West is not a great defender; Hansborough is not a great defender; that leaves Plumlee and Mahinmi. If I remember right; when the Pacers had O'Neal and Foster manning the front court; it caused teams to opt to shoot jump shots out of intimidation. I think O'Neal's attitude could help the team in developing more of a killer instinct; and a more stern attitude on defense.

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:42 pm**

I'm with Wiz on this. Jermaine is a player I'd have no desire to do any favors, the likelihood he would be there when you needed him is remote and we have a core of young guys who should be developed.

Jermaine hasn't performed for 6 years. And, yes it's become a right of summer for Jermaine sell the great condition he's in. Can't see the Pacers having an even remote interest.

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:01 pm**

Yup. We're maxed out right now in the front court.

Hibbert/Mahinmi/Plumlee
West/Hansbrough/Plumlee/Pendergraph

Obviously, Plumlee, Mahinmi, and Hansbrough will determine playing time in training camp/pre-season, but right now, we're full up. 6 bodies there at the two positions is pretty full.

At this point, with 13 players under contract, I'd imagine we'd possibly look at a veteran pure SG, and possibly a combo SF/PF for the end of the bench, and to assure us additional depth in case a Hansbrough deal presents itself.

Posted: **Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:39 pm**

It wasn't just Artest who complained about JO (Harrington, Tinsley). I remember I was one of the few 1 percenters on here when I backed Ron Artest over JO. 23Artest23 was another. Imagine the package we could've gotten when JO was in his prime, compared to TJFord and the seventeenth pick. We're actually quite lucky that worked in our favor.

Agreed with Scoot that we're maxed out in the frontcourt, although I vehemently want to replace Pendergraph with somebody, anybody.

Ultimately, I want Lance to get first dibs as the primary b/u to George.

Posted: **Thu Jul 19, 2012 12:30 am**

Scoot McGroot wrote: I'd imagine we'd possibly look at a veteran pure SG

He might not be a veteran, but Marco Bellinelli would be a person of interest if Indiana is, in-fact, looking for a SG.

Posted: **Thu Jul 19, 2012 2:30 am**

Jake0890 wrote:
Scoot McGroot wrote: I'd imagine we'd possibly look at a veteran pure SG

He might not be a veteran, but Marco Bellinelli would be a person of interest if Indiana is, in-fact, looking for a SG.

Eh, he would qualify in this case as a veteran. In essence, I would imagine anyone other than a guy out of summer league who has no NBA experience.

Michael Redd has been mentioned as an example elsewhere. Belinelli would be nice, but he's restricted (I believe), and likely looking for more than what we'd be willing to pay.

Posted: **Thu Jul 19, 2012 2:45 am**

Scoot McGroot wrote:
Jake0890 wrote:
Scoot McGroot wrote: I'd imagine we'd possibly look at a veteran pure SG

He might not be a veteran, but Marco Bellinelli would be a person of interest if Indiana is, in-fact, looking for a SG.

Eh, he would qualify in this case as a veteran. In essence, I would imagine anyone other than a guy out of summer league who has no NBA experience.

Michael Redd has been mentioned as an example elsewhere. Belinelli would be nice, but he's restricted (I believe), and likely looking for more than what we'd be willing to pay.

He may be a RFA, but I doubt he'd be matched by the Hornets. As far as I know, the Hornets have made no attempts to resign him. I don't think the Hornets want another shooting guard after resigning Eric Gordon to a max contract and drafting Austin Rivers. It just doesn't seem likely.

And as for Bellinelli wanting more than we can offer, the later we get into free agency, the less teams have/want to spend. Few teams likely have interest in him at this point, which is why he is still on the market. And if any team is willing to spend more than 2.6 mill/year on him, they're nuts.

Posted: **Thu Jul 19, 2012 4:22 am**

Yup, but he still may want more than $2.6 million. Lots of teams still have their MLE left, and the market is simply drying up for quality players. Beli isn't great, but he's not awful.

Posted: **Thu Jul 19, 2012 9:17 pm**

Boneman2 wrote:It wasn't just Artest who complained about JO (Harrington, Tinsley). I remember I was one of the few 1 percenters on here when I backed Ron Artest over JO. 23Artest23 was another. Imagine the package we could've gotten when JO was in his prime, compared to TJFord and the seventeenth pick. We're actually quite lucky that worked in our favor.

Agreed with Scoot that we're maxed out in the frontcourt, although I vehemently want to replace Pendergraph with somebody, anybody.

Ultimately, I want Lance to get first dibs as the primary b/u to George.

I was thinking of that the other day we should have moved JO in 2004 after he came back from his brawl suspension or the next yr. And we could have moved Ronnie too before the 2005 season.

Wasnt there a 2007 deal on the table of Bynum and Odum or Kwame brown and a draft pick for JO? We wanted them to take Jamaal Tinsely too but they didn't?

Posted: **Thu Jul 19, 2012 9:26 pm**

basketballwacko2 wrote:
Boneman2 wrote:It wasn't just Artest who complained about JO (Harrington, Tinsley). I remember I was one of the few 1 percenters on here when I backed Ron Artest over JO. 23Artest23 was another. Imagine the package we could've gotten when JO was in his prime, compared to TJFord and the seventeenth pick. We're actually quite lucky that worked in our favor.

Agreed with Scoot that we're maxed out in the frontcourt, although I vehemently want to replace Pendergraph with somebody, anybody.

Ultimately, I want Lance to get first dibs as the primary b/u to George.

I was thinking of that the other day we should have moved JO in 2004 after he came back from his brawl suspension or the next yr. And we could have moved Ronnie too before the 2005 season.

Wasnt there a 2007 deal on the table of Bynum and Odum or Kwame brown and a draft pick for JO? We wanted them to take Jamaal Tinsely too but they didn't?

We wanted Bynum and Odom, but the offer was something like either Odom/draft pick or Bynum/Kwame, and we wanted Odom/Bynum/Draft pick.

Posted: **Thu Jul 19, 2012 9:58 pm**

According to ESPN Insider, O'Neal is working out with the Bucks today.

Milwaukee apparently is still looking to address its frontcourt.

Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld.com tweets today that the Bucks' brass is "taking a long look" at Jermaine O'Neal as he goes through a workout today.

The Lakers have also been linked to the veteran center, but if Milwaukee lands him it could be a sign that they're ready to move on from Larry Sanders. The No. 15 pick in 2010 has shown very little in his two seasons in Milwaukee, is struggling mightily in the Summer League, and may have fallen behind Ekpe Udoh and Drew Gooden in the depth at center. Samuel Dalembert is expected to start.

Will O'Neal be much of an upgrade over Sanders though?

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