Pacers very close to signing Luther Head

Dunthreevy · Post #1 » by **Dunthreevy** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 4:46 pm

http://twitter.com/Wells222/statuses/4032793724

pacers very close to signing guard luther head, according to a source.
3 minutes ago from mobile web

Mike Wells breaking news once again via twitter. Looks like AJ Price is going to get even less of a chance this season. Luther is DEADLY from downtown. I like the move.

Post #2 » by **Miller4ever** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 5:23 pm

I really like Head (stop it) and I would love to have that kind of threat on our roster. I don't know what else he's really good for, though. He's not enough of a PG to earn significant minutes there or at the 2, especially when Dun comes back. Still, he's a nice addition especially with all the injuries that could happen to us. This puts us at 5 PG's?

Dunthreevy · Post #3 » by **Dunthreevy** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 5:26 pm

Miller4ever wrote:I really like Head (stop it) and I would love to have that kind of threat on our roster. I don't know what else he's really good for, though. He's not enough of a PG to earn significant minutes there or at the 2, especially when Dun comes back. Still, he's a nice addition especially with all the injuries that could happen to us. This puts us at 5 PG's?

And people say we have a problem at the point? Pssshhh!

pacershereiam · Post #4 » by **pacershereiam** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 5:27 pm

Who gets waived then if this happens? Bird said he wants 14 going into the season.

DC2 · Post #5 » by **DC2** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 5:56 pm

I have a feeling Price might be waived. If you look on Wells' twitter it says his contract is non guaranteed.

jowglenn · Post #6 » by **jowglenn** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:16 pm

This would be very good news. I'm assuming he's coming quite cheap, so it's a no-lose situation. We need 1 more wing, because Dunleavy will have to come back quite slowly. Head is admittedly a small shooting guard, but with rush, jones, dunleavy, granger, the rest of our wing rotation has plenty of size. And a nice 3rd PG who could log heavy minutes if Ford or Watson goes down (Price, bla bla bla, I don't trust a 2nd-round rookie PG and neither should you).

I remember that amazing Illinois team that had Deron Williams, Dee Brown, and Head, and I was a huge fan of them. One of the greatest single college basketball teams in history, in my opinion.

I think Head could be a real steal here, people. Keep in mind, his first 3 years in the league in Houston, he played in almost all the games, and averaged 29 minutes and 27 minutes in his first 2 seasons. His first 2 seasons combined stats are about 10 points, 2.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 28 mpg.

I didn't follow him as much after Illinois, so I'm not sure what happened. he started getting fewer minutes, lost effectiveness, was playing for the Heat. Was there an injury that happened?

Anyways, I think he'll fit great in this system, given how much we love the 3 pointer. He can be a fine trailer for 3s when Ford is on the break. I mean, we could even go with a ridiculously good 3pt shooting lineup:

Head
Rush
Dunleavy
Granger
Murphy

at times, and that would be insane.

Very very happy about this move.

Dunthreevy · Post #7 » by **Dunthreevy** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:47 pm

jowglenn wrote:This would be very good news. I'm assuming he's coming quite cheap, so it's a no-lose situation. We need 1 more wing, because Dunleavy will have to come back quite slowly. Head is admittedly a small shooting guard, but with rush, jones, dunleavy, granger, the rest of our wing rotation has plenty of size. And a nice 3rd PG who could log heavy minutes if Ford or Watson goes down (Price, bla bla bla, I don't trust a 2nd-round rookie PG and neither should you).

I remember that amazing Illinois team that had Deron Williams, Dee Brown, and Head, and I was a huge fan of them. One of the greatest single college basketball teams in history, in my opinion.

I think Head could be a real steal here, people. Keep in mind, his first 3 years in the league in Houston, he played in almost all the games, and averaged 29 minutes and 27 minutes in his first 2 seasons. His first 2 seasons combined stats are about 10 points, 2.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 28 mpg.

I didn't follow him as much after Illinois, so I'm not sure what happened. he started getting fewer minutes, lost effectiveness, was playing for the Heat. Was there an injury that happened?

Anyways, I think he'll fit great in this system, given how much we love the 3 pointer. He can be a fine trailer for 3s when Ford is on the break. I mean, we could even go with a ridiculously good 3pt shooting lineup:

Head
Rush
Dunleavy
Granger
Murphy

at times, and that would be insane.

Very very happy about this move.

THANK YOU!

Post #8 » by **Miller4ever** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:09 am

He dropped off at Houston because they got Brooks, and then Miami needed a distributor next to Wade (Chalmers) moreso than a scorer. That's just my theory.

xxSnEaKyPxx · Post #9 » by **xxSnEaKyPxx** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 1:19 am

I don't understand this at all. Having 5 PG's isn't going to make the position a strenth, we need quality, not quanity.

Post #10 » by **Three34** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 1:27 am

Price is $175,000 guaranteed for this year.

Head isn't really a point guard. He can't dribble or pass, at all. He's just short.

Post #11 » by **PR07** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:21 am

Head will probably play a lot of SG for us, especially in the role that Jarrett Jack served in last season. I still think the team might be looking to move Diener. I don't see how this hurts. He's a respectable defender who is lights-out form downtown. One could do a lot worse. More depth the merrier.

freeman · Post #12 » by **freeman** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:56 am

I'm feeling something's on the trading block, there's gotta be something going on.
I agree Head might play more of the two. But we have to do something about our 4 pg's and we still have to patch the hole at the back-up sf spot.
To some people, Dahntay seems to be the one to back-up Danny at the 3. But what can he do against bigger forwards like Al Thornton, Paul Pierce, Kirilenko, etc.?
Even if Dunleavy's sounding like he's perfectly getting ok now, i still think we need a fall back plan in case (knock on wood) Dunleavy gets injured again. Dahntay could play 3 at times but not on a regular basis.
McRoberts, on the other hand, could also be used to play 3 at times against bigger sf's, but he's not a legit sf. Obie could make him a full-time back-up at sf but he would still be lacking the tools.

Post #13 » by **Miller4ever** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:56 am

I think right now we'd be very good trading partners with Philly. They have no depth at the PG spot. I think that they would like Diener.

DougInOz · Post #14 » by **DougInOz** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:12 am

Miller4ever wrote:I think right now we'd be very good trading partners with Philly. They have no depth at the PG spot. I think that they would like Diener.

Good point. Would we want/need any of what they could offer though? Or just go after picks and create an open roster spot?

FlashTheKilla · Post #15 » by **FlashTheKilla** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:00 am

Congratulations on getting Head.

Wizop · Post #16 » by **Wizop** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:43 am

could a TJ trade be in the works? that would make more sense than moving a low priced guy like Diener. I'd think you'd just keep 15 if Diener and Price were your worries.

sounds like Mike is viewed as more of a three than a two this year.

Post #17 » by **mizzoupacers** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 1:52 pm

I don't know, Wizop--in my view Ford is the only pg on the roster you'd want to see as a starter. As someone said earlier, Head isn't really a point guard. Plus Watson is a career backup, and that's where he belongs, although I'm pleased the Pacers signed him.

I doubt the Pacers are looking to trade Ford, not unless they get another pg in return. They aren't trading Watson; he just got here. Diener is expendable, but what trade value does he have?

My guess at the moment is that if Head is signed, the Pacers will have all fifteen roster spots filled and that will be that. Wouldn't surprise me if the Pacers are thinking of him more as a scoring two guard to bring off the bench. That makes sense to me, especially if Granger and Rush are our starters at the wings. We'd have Dunleavy as the main sub off the bench, Dahntay Jones as a defensive stopper, and Head for some scoring punch. Sounds like a pretty solid rotation that would provide good situational matchups.

greenway84 · Post #18 » by **greenway84** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:11 pm

it's official he's a Pacer

Dunthreevy · Post #19 » by **Dunthreevy** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:16 pm

Yep the signing is official like greenway84 said. Something else that's interesting is that apparently Head played sometimes at the SF spot. Seems pretty crazy considering he's only 6'4".

Wizop · Post #20 » by **Wizop** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:16 pm

it is official. just got the press release email sent to season ticket holders.

Watson may be a career backup but O'B won't start TJ unless he learns to get the ball out of his hands sooner. I agree that Head is probably going to be more of a 2 than a 1 which is why I said I think it means Mike if more of a 3 than a 2.

the key question in the long run is how good is Price. we probably won't know for a while but I hope we know by next year's draft. if he's the real deal, then Price, Rush, Granger, Hansbrough, and Hibbert might be the future. if not, we'll have to hope that next year's draft fills the one spot in that lineup.