Indy Star: No Buyouts

[cdash]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080722/SPORTS04/807220384/1088/SPORTS04

Bird was apparently talking to a radio station yesterday saying he doesnt believe in buyouts. I like his stance there, because I generally feel the same way. I hate the buyout trend in the NBA over the past few seasons and like that he seems to feel the same. Now, I'm not so sure I believe him, because it is entirely possible that he is just saying that so teams wont just sit on their thumbs and wait for us to buy these guys out.

[mizzoupacers]

Yeah, it's going to be interesting what they do with Tinsley (and maybe now Williams as well). I've been toying with the idea of starting a "guess who Tinsley gets traded for" contest on this board, but will hold off on that until I'm more certain that Tinsley will in fact get traded.

I guess if Tinsley can't be traded, then Bird will have to weigh the risks of keeping him associated with the Pacers (however distantly) vs. the hit we would take in buying him out (which could essentially mean paying him to play for another NBA team for three freakin' years). I think there is a definite risk that Tinsley could further embarrass the team off the court. If that happened you'd just have to hope that the public would understand that the Pacers are for all intents and purposes done with the guy, but just can't formally get rid of him due to the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Also, while Bird's comments are probably intended to dissuade potential trade partners from simply waiting for the Pacers to buy Tinsley out, it could be intended to turn up the heat on Tinsley as well to accept a lesser buyout. I'd imagine that the Pacers could make things fairly unpleasant for Tinsley if he refused a buyout. I'm sure, for example, that they could require him to show up for practices and games (even if there is no chance in hell that he will play in any of the games) in order to collect his paychecks--surely even in the NBA you are required to show up if you want to get paid, unless your employer excuses you from showing up. Also, Tinsley can probably pretty much forget about another NBA contract three years from now if the Pacers choose to put him in mothballs until then.

[Scoot McGroot]

Ah...the Little Big League theory of managing.

When the star pitcher starts throwing games and says, "Darn, I guess you better trade me", the 12 year old manager responds with, "No, we're going to play you every time in the rotation.......coach, what's the going rate for a starting pitcher that's lost his stuff?"

Sorry, first thing I thought of, though we wouldn't be playing Tinsley in our situation.





I think Bird's Tinsley move is really going to be lumped in together with his Bayless for Rush deal and is really going to make or break his career here with Indy. I can't imagine the Simon's want to pay Tinsley $21 million to play for someone else. Then again, I can't imagine anyone around the league looking to trade anything more than worse contracts for Tinsley.

[MillerTime101]

Haha thats a great example Scoot, and a great movie.

Im still optimistic we can get something back for Tinsley, he is a good young player, hopefully some GM will get desperate. I dont see any point in buying him out and paying his salary, mine aswell hold onto him during the season and maybe some teams PG gets injured or something.

Why did it come to this Jamal, why.

[dwpacer]

Well yesterday Eddie House resigned with Boston and today Telfair resigned with Minnesota and Marcus Williams got traded to Golden State.

So right now the PG market via trade and free agency is scary thin approaching worse.

Today's move indicates to me that Bird know he can trade Tinsley and that it will be only a matter of time for him to do so.

Javaris Crittendon trade should happen any day now, which should be the final desperate nail in the coffin for a lot of teams.

[Scoot McGroot]

I think the miniscule salaries that Eddie House and Telfair resigned for, and the small value that Marcus Williams garnered in a trade is more going to emphasize to teams that they can fill their backup PG needs at a much cheaper rate than Jamaal Tinsley would cost.


I still think Tinsley's only real options are possibly Miami, Cleveland, and Denver, but Cleveland doesn't have enough bad contracts to send us and the only bad one they have is Ben Wallace's huge 2 year deal.

We're not going to get Haslem from Miami for Tinsley. Blount or Banks, maybe. Haslem, no.

And lastly, the only hope for with Denver is to take on a bit of extra salary this year and take back either Nene or Kenyon Martin. We're not getting anything of value.



The only other darkhorse that strikes me in the Jamaal Tinsley "race" (where the winner loses) is Sacramento, and the only possibility is likely Kenny Thomas.

[basketballwacko2]

You know I was thinking about Cleveland as well but there's no way we're taking Wallace no matter what the deal holds. So i started thinking 3 team deal and I think I put this in the trade thread a few months back or something like it.

Pacers trade JT and Williams
Pacers get Joe Smith and Damon Jones

Cavs trade Wallace, Joe Smith and Jones
Cavs get Dampier, and Terry and Shawne

Mavs trade Terry and Dampier
Mavs get JT and Wallace.

Why for us, obviously JT is no more

Why for Cleveland, they get rid of Ben get a strong backup for Z, and a SG to help out Lebron. Dampiers and Terry's final years are not gauranteed, so Damp could be gone after 2009-10 and Terry the next year. And they get to keep their big exp. contacts Wally and Snow.

Why for dallas they need to make changes, JT could be a good backup to Kidd, and Wallace is still a good rebounder and body guard type for dirk and he expires in 2009-10.

[joew8302]

Call me crazy, but I honestly do believe there are teams out there interested in Jamal. I also agree that Bird sent this message out to alert those teams who are hopeful Jamal will be bought out and they could get him for cheap. This is his alert to start bidding or you will not get him. I do like Bird's philosophy in not buying him out though. That would be a real big hit. I don't think trading Jamal will be THAT difficult though, granted we will not get a whole lot in return, but their are suitors available.

[Wizop]

I think Larry is just saying we'll have him sit at home if we can't trade him. the trading deadline is February not August. I think Bird is on the right track. sitting him will send a message that you can't get him cheaply and if you want him you need to make an offer. if it takes until the trading deadline for someone to decide they need a point guard to be serious contenders, so be it.

[basketballwacko2]

Yeah if we can't trade him tell him to go home use a roster spot and wait till the deadline, team can have him cheap in a trade but we don't want to pay him to play for someone else.