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What do you think of the idea of bringing JO back next season like Minn did with KG? Let him be the mentor to PG and others and bring one of the greatest pacers back for the farewell tour

I loved JO man...

Bird has been talking about getting a young backup big and I think O'Neal obviously doesn't fit that description.

if JO can be still be effective, and provide solid quality big man minutes as backup, im all for it.

justinian wrote:What do you think of the idea of bringing JO back next season like Minn did with KG? Let him be the mentor to PG and others and bring one of the greatest pacers back for the farewell tour

JO's never been a mentor. And he was a good Pacer. Not one of the greatest. And if he is, he's really at the bottom of the list of the greatest.

Otherwise, he has no interest in Indy anymore. I also think his relationship with Bird is not only non-existent, but burnt completely.

He also has little to nothing in the tank. He's in serious rehab for his dead knees, and if he ever does play again, it will be in a short season in a playoff run. Ultimately, he wouldn't play here with Roy/Ian.

I thought Lavoy Allen was gonna be our young backup big man.

It'd be a neat return home, but JO isn't at the level of a KG in terms of a big boon to come back. And with KG, he's expressed interest in owning/running the Wolves, so it makes sense he's around a little while before he does that. Plus, between JO's production falling off, his attitude by the end, and the brawl, I think there isn't much of a Prodigal Son story left there.

Plus, even though JO has still expressed his affinity for the franchise, I doubt he'd want to come back. He's almost 37 and if he wasn't even willing to jump back in for a contender like Dallas or GS, I doubt he'd do it a year later.

Granger is the only active player who would be welcomed back with that much enthusiasm.


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if he wants a one day contract to retire in the Flo/Jo's, fine. otherwise I do not want him in the locker room. he was the anti-West.

Wizop wrote:if he wants a one day contract to retire in the Flo/Jo's, fine. otherwise I do not want him in the locker room. he was the anti-West.

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That's actually the most apt description I can think of.

how much do pacers nation regard JO? It seems like the pacers fandom doesn"t really hold him too highly as one of the franchise bests

justinian wrote:how much do pacers nation regard JO? It seems like the pacers fandom doesn"t really hold him too highly as one of the franchise bests

He was really good for a decent run. It's just that Indy fans tend to remember the franchise history well, so you have calls for Freddie Lewis, Don Buse, Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, George McGinnis, and even Clark Kellogg, before Reggie, and not even Including Slick.

He was really good, but never loved.