Time to go shopping by Mike Wells

[greenway84]

Time to go shopping by Mike Wells

The hill in the Eastern Conference continues to get steeper for the Pacers.

Washington, Atlanta and Detroit have already made significant moves to improve their roster.

You're not about to see president Larry Bird and general manager David Morway suddenly start hammering away on the panic button.

The Pacers say be patient, they have a three-year plan.

Full article here:
http://blogs.indystar.com/pacersinsider/archives/2009/07/time_to_go_shop.html

Talks about Jack possibly ending up in Atlanta, and talks about high interest in Jones amoung other former Nuggets.

[Dunthreevy]

I'd love to pick up Jones. He could fill Marquis' shoes, and then some on the defensive end of the court. Add in the fact that he's got a very good offensive game, without commanding a ton of shots, and I see that as the smartest free agent move we could make this summer.

[mizzoupacers]

I'm good with the three-year plan. The "fix it on the fly" approach is clearly inappropriate for the present roster.

Build patiently through the draft and keep a lid on the payroll until the bad contracts can all be cleared away. The Pacers could be in a really good position two years from now if our front office doesn't do anything stupid.

[PR07]

Why didn't we take a look at Jones when he was with the Mad Ants a year ago?

[Dunthreevy]

Why didn't we take a look at Jones when he was with the Mad Ants a year ago?

To be fair, we really weren't in need of another wing player at that time.

[fienX420]

You know, I'm not sold on the '3 year plan.' What is the plan? Wait 3 years for our 3 year contracts to expire? Then you have cap space? That's not a plan - that's just what happens. I get that in the meantime you try to pick up solid young players. But if the plan is to get cap space to spend on a free agent - that's something that pretty much has never happened in Indy. Who is even available when we'll have cap space? Bottom line is that I keep hearing about the '3 year plan' - I just haven't heard exactly what the plan is, when the 3 years started, when the 3 years ends, etc. What is the goal at the end of 3 years? Cap space? Playoffs? Championship? Reach the Conference finals? Be profitable? Move the team to French Lick? Have an all white team? Have a team comprised of only former NCAA champions? Bird gets a new contract? What?

[cdash]

You know, I'm not sold on the '3 year plan.' What is the plan? Wait 3 years for our 3 year contracts to expire? Then you have cap space? That's not a plan - that's just what happens. I get that in the meantime you try to pick up solid young players. But if the plan is to get cap space to spend on a free agent - that's something that pretty much has never happened in Indy. Who is even available when we'll have cap space? Bottom line is that I keep hearing about the '3 year plan' - I just haven't heard exactly what the plan is, when the 3 years started, when the 3 years ends, etc. What is the goal at the end of 3 years? Cap space? Playoffs? Championship? Reach the Conference finals? Be profitable? Move the team to French Lick? Have an all white team? Have a team comprised of only former NCAA champions? Bird gets a new contract? What?

This is year two of three of the plan. Have patience.

[fienX420]

So.. it is a mystery plan?

[IndyMac]

The plan is to assemble as much young talent as possible and develop them while we wait for those contracts to expire. We already have Granger, Rush, Hibbert, Hansbrough and possibly Jack. All of our veteran contracts run out in 2011; Ford, Murphy, Dunleavy, Foster, Tinsley. That's $45mil in cap space that you can't just make disappear. You could try to trade them for contracts that expire next year, but it's unlikely that a team would do that unless Indy included some of it's young players, which Bird has said he isn't going to do. He's also not going to trade our veterans for players that have even longer contracts. You have to have a foundation to build a championship team around first, and that's what they are working on now. Then, in 2011, when you have the cap space and flexibility, you go add in the missing pieces. So be patient, there's nothing we can do to become an elite team this year. We won't win a championship this year, but we can get in the playoffs and make some noise.

[CircleCitysportsfan]

2011 Free Agents

Josh Smith Atlanta Unrestricted F.A.
J.R. Giddens Boston Restricted F.A.
DeSagana Diop Charlotte Unrestricted F.A.
Gerald Wallace Charlotte Unrestricted F.A.
Daniel Gibson Cleveland Unrestricted F.A.
Maurice Williams Cleveland Unrestricted F.A.
Matt Carroll Dallas Unrestricted F.A.
Richard Hamilton Detroit Unrestricted F.A.
Jason Maxiell Detroit Unrestricted F.A.
Stephen Jackson Golden State Unrestricted F.A.
Corey Maggette Golden State Unrestricted F.A.
Baron Davis L.A. Clippers Unrestricted F.A.
Andrew Bynum L.A. Lakers Unrestricted F.A.
Luke Walton L.A. Lakers Unrestricted F.A.
James Jones Miami Unrestricted F.A.
Ryan Gomes Minnesota Unrestricted F.A.
Al Jefferson Minnesota Unrestricted F.A.
Devin Harris New Jersey Unrestricted F.A.
Chris Paul New Orleans Unrestricted F.A.
Dwight Howard Orlando Unrestricted F.A.
Rashard Lewis Orlando Unrestricted F.A.
Jameer Nelson Orlando Unrestricted F.A.
Elton Brand Philadelphia Unrestricted F.A.
Louis Williams Philadelphia Unrestricted F.A.
Martell Webster Portland Unrestricted F.A.
Kevin Martin Sacramento Unrestricted F.A.
Andres Nocioni Sacramento Unrestricted F.A.
Beno Udrih Sacramento Unrestricted F.A.
Jose Calderon Toronto Unrestricted F.A.
Deron Williams Utah Unrestricted F.A.

[Wizop]

I hope the plan isn't to be big hitters in 2011. I want a plan more like the Colts where you draft well, pay the ones that work out, and fill the roster with young guys. I don't want us in the high priced free agent market. you don't need to build an all star 15 man roster. you need to build an 8 man rotation with 2 or 3 capable subs for foul trouble an injuries. looking at rotation players we hope to have Jack, Rush, Granger, Hansborough and Hibbert with Foster, Murphy, TJ, and a wing who will eventually be Mike.

so I see the plan as continuing to look for a point guard in the draft and to patiently wait for Hansborough and Hibbert to displace Foster and Murphy.

[freeman]

I can't wait for Tinsley's contract to expire.
Assuming Dunleavy stays til 2011, he wouldn't get an extension with the Pacers.
Ford could be dealt for younger players, draft picks, etc. and i don't see him staying til 2011.
Foster could be retiring after his contract expires, by then he'll be 34.
Murphy, it would be too early to decide. It all depends on the development of T Psycho and the product of the 2010 draft, IMO. Murphy could be a real good asset, if he could settle for a cheaper contract, i think we could consider re-signing him.
Looking ahead at the 2010 draft, we might have a shot on strong big men like Monroe, Varnado, Aldrich, Ed Davis, Brackins, Motiejunas, etc. or a superb pg in John Wall. Add a couple of them to the young core of Granger, Rush, Hibbert, and Hansbrough and i think we could be serious contenders in the eastern conference.
Honestly, though the 3-year plan could be agonizing, as it pretty much translates to a 3-year "experimental" season, i'm optimistic we're really in the right way developing not just solid players, but a solid team.

[IndyMac]

CircleCitysportsfan,

I don't know where you got this list of 2011 free agents, but it is NOT ACCURATE. I not sure about all of them, but I think this is a list of 2013 free agents.

[IndyMac]

Okay, so I think I figured out the problem. You got this from RealGM's list of free agents. For some reason they think it's 2007. The current free agents are listed under 2007. So the actual list of 2011 free agents are listed under 2009. How they screwed up something so simple, I have no idea. It's a pretty blatant error.

[Boneman2]

Pacer fans are spoiled because our last rebuild was seamless, DW made some flawless decisions (-JB). The moment we traded JO, we started rebuilding, so that would make this upcoming season year 2.

[Gremz]

I still believe that we won't be big free agency players during this plan. Perhaps utilizing some remaining cap space to add to the second unit, but there will be major value during 2010-11 for all of those deals. Looking to upgrade while adding future salary will be key. I just hope that other teams want to play ball in that regard.

[IndyMac]

Pacer fans are spoiled because our last rebuild was seamless, DW made some flawless decisions (-JB). The moment we traded JO, we started rebuilding, so that would make this upcoming season year 2.

I don't think I'd call bringing in all those players that would humiliate and cripple our franchise "flawless".

[8305]

Today looking at what is left Dante Jones makes a lot of sense. It would seem we have enough money to get him, Jack and McRoberts. Jones is good on a couple fronts, a very good defender and needed depth on the wing.

[Boneman2]

Pacer fans are spoiled because our last rebuild was seamless, DW made some flawless decisions (-JB). The moment we traded JO, we started rebuilding, so that would make this upcoming season year 2.

I don't think I'd call bringing in all those players that would humiliate and cripple our franchise "flawless".

After we played in the championship we were contending again within 2 seasons. Donnie's new team of misfits had already matured with the teams that drafted them. W/O a freak occurence that team wins atleast one title. So in that regard the rebuild was seamless.