Pacers Sign Earl Watson

[basketballwacko2]

I would have liked to bring Jack back and trade TJ for some value but I'm ok with this move. Watson is a good backup who can start if needed he's a better Keith McLeod and hopefully not coming with a Dew007. Moving Daniels to the Celts for Allen and filler is ok with me as well at least we're making moves.

[theonlyeastcoastrapsfan]

I had completely spaced the fact that they just gave Bargnani that huge contract as well. They're basically tied into Bargnani, Turkeyglue, Calderon, Jack for 4 years at over $30 million annually just in those 4 guys. Factor in Bosh getting at least $12-$15 mill per and that's roughly $45 mill per for 5 players.

And if you factor in DeRozan and Reggie Evans, that's just under 55 mil, for the starting line up and back up pg, and back up big. We need another scoring wing for the Bench which we can get with MLE next year, and we can get a guy like Rasho for the min, so that's not really that prohibitive, especially considering all of our "useless" contracts like Marcus Banks, will be off the books.

i think with Watson you guys got a great deal. We may have overpaid, but that's RFA, if you don't make it tough for the other team you're really just wasting a week and helping a player get a contract from his current team. I think being able to say to Bosh, you can play with your college room mate if you resign factored in as well. And defense at the pg position was a HUGE problem for us last year. The hope is with better health, Calderon will be more effective. This helps to ease my mind, just in case the "spanish hammy" was not as big of an issue is made out to be.

[fienX420]

I gotta disagree that Jack isn't a better defender than Watson - both laterally and size-wise. Watson just got cut by a team that didn't make the playoffs - Jack just signed a $20 million contract. The market has shown their opinion of these 2 players.

And Dahntay Jones appeared to be a decent defender in the playoffs only. He didn't for most of the season... or at least, their is little evidence to support the reputation (ie, Did he keep his man from racking up obscene scoring totals?) And even if Jones can defend PGs - big deal. Because he can't play PG. Because who the heck is our PG going to guard? One of our under-sized, defensively deficient PGs is going to have to guard a 6'6" elite athletic scoring machine of a 2 guard practically every time. That's going to turn out fantastic.

[chatard5]

Except Bargnani has shows to us he is capable of being a very good player. He can play pretty solid man D, nothing great but good. He also showed us last year he could very well average 17-20ppg with 6-6rpg as well. Locking him up now is not a bad move.

As for Derozan, he is never ever going to be playing point for us. He's a 2, 3 maybe but he will not be playing the point. Jack is a good option for us because he can provide some pop off the bench.

As for you guys signing Watson, good sign

Murphy was the same way. I guess latst year he had a very good season and was close to being worth the money. Still, I just don't like having many players locked up for $10 mill a year for 4+ years. It's fine if the player is proven like Wade or CP3, but in my opinion Bargs is just kind of unknown. He could improve and be worth the money. He may just stay the same. He may get hurt and be screwed. I also think Hedo is overpaid. He had a lot of help with Rashard, Howard, and company to make him look good. He is a good player, just not quite worth the money for the Raptors at this point. They have to have Bosh re-sign. I am guessing they are doing this to bring Bosh back, but that could be bad for Toronto if he doesn't. Ehh, who knows. You gotta take some chances, I just wouldn't build a team like that, personally.

[PR07]

I gotta disagree that Jack isn't a better defender than Watson - both laterally and size-wise. Watson just got cut by a team that didn't make the playoffs - Jack just signed a $20 million contract. The market has shown their opinion of these 2 players.

And Dahntay Jones appeared to be a decent defender in the playoffs only. He didn't for most of the season... or at least, their is little evidence to support the reputation (ie, Did he keep his man from racking up obscene scoring totals?) And even if Jones can defend PGs - big deal. Because he can't play PG. Because who the heck is our PG going to guard? One of our under-sized, defensively deficient PGs is going to have to guard a 6'6" elite athletic scoring machine of a 2 guard practically every time. That's going to turn out fantastic.

There's really no debate about who's better laterally. Watson is much quicker than Jack and excels at staying in front of his man. Jack struggled sometimes last season keeping up with the quicker guards of the league. Dale Davis got cut by the Hornets midseason on a team that wasn't making the playoffs, came back to Indiana and was key in us making the playoffs.

As for "the market determines NBA skill levels", no, not necessarily. Look at where Marcin Gortat is. He was making the minimum last season having made the Magic through summer camp. Meanwhile, Kwame Brown managed to get a two year 8 million dollar deal from the Pistons. Tell me who is the better player. Did the market price justify the talent levels?

Dahntay Jones can't play the PG, but you can still either pair him up with a SG with good handles and passing i.e. Dunleavy; or you could play him and Ford in the same back court if their is a matchup against a team with a not so offensively gifted SG. For instance, against the Nets, you could put Dahntay Jones on Devin Harris and TJ Ford on Courtney Lee. Courtney Lee is bigger, but I don't know if he has the post skills to make TJ Ford truly pay. Not something the Pacers will do a whole lot, but it is something they might try out from time to time.

[Indydave]

WOW, what a difference a couple of days make with the Pacers-- rumored Boston trade, Jack not being matched, McRoberts agreeing to terms, and now the possible signing of Earl Watson-- I'd better not stay off the computer for a weekend again when the Pacers are in the offseason! LOL

As far as possibly signing Watson, I feel good about it. I was kinda bummed originally when it looked like Jack was heading out the door, but if this is the case (Watson being signed, that is.) then I'm ok with it.

Initially, it looked kinda crazy to let Jack go, but I started thinking about both players and believe that IMO--

Jack>>>Watson (overall offensive skills)
Watson>>Jack (overall PG skills)
Watson>Jack (overall defensive skills) -- (might make a case that they are a wash, though)
Jack>>>>Watson ("Upside")

So, LB basically went for a proven, true PG that may not have "untapped potential" for a short-term contract, than a known player that has better offensive skills, and a bigger upside but isn't a true PG, for a more expensive and longer contract....

Looks like Larry did have a trick or two up his sleeve, now we'll see if he made the right call this season.

[8305]

I like this pickup. Jones and Watson splitting Jack's minutes from a year ago should improve the team defensively and cost considerably less.

I liked Jack but I'm not convinced he has great upside as a point guard. HIs lack of size limits him at the 2. He's valuable because of his ability to play both positions. Toronto needs that.

Watson is actually a more proven commodity at pg than Jack. History would indicate we will turn the ball over less with Watson and he will be better at defending quick pg's.

By the end of next season the Pacers may have one of the best benches in the NBA. Our good teams of the 1990's always had strong benches.

[Dunthreevy]

Today we should have Watson signed officially, which paves the way for whatever we've got going on with Boston. Seems like we sure have had a busy off season, even though we haven't made any blockbuster moves.