What If: The Pacers Acquire Darren Collison

[NO-KG-AI]

All of the trade rumors trying to dump Okafor are fan based, there is no truth to it at all, or he would have never been traded for to begin with.

We aren't in a rush to move Collison, even with Paul he's still going to see 25+ minutes per game probably, and we don't have any debilitating contracts that aren't expiring. Okafor is a strong starting C on a team that has almost no depth up front, he isn't moving unless we get big men in return. Peja and Mo are both expiring after the year, and so is Songaila, so Posey is the only one that is even on a 2 year deal after.

Collison isn't going to be moved unless it's in a package deal to upgrade our talent level. Collison+11+25 million in expirings is a nice start, because like I said, no other young players as good as Collison are even available for trade.

Basketball Wacko, the type of disgruntled star or young team looking to move someone to go young isn't a Wade or LeBron type star, think of someone like Andre Iguodala for instance, or a sign and trade for Rudy Gay.

Possibly a Collison+expiring+David West(scheduled to make 8 mil next year, and only 7.5 the year after or something of the sort) for an upgrade in the front court.

Hornets are in a pretty flexible position to be honest, we have a wonderful trade chip that we can ship out or hang on to, but for some reason everyone thinks Collison has to be moved now.

[Boneman2]

^^ It is because his value will never be higher.

Soon Paul will leave and you'll have a solid b/u option, thats always a good thing. Maybe the Pacers with all their expirings can offer CP3 a contract in a couple of seasons, and get him w/o having to trade any assets. It could happen if we preserve our cap for one season.

I'd rather have Chris Paul anyway.

[NO-KG-AI]

Lol wut. Don't be that guy.

[Boneman2]

It's true. After next season Indy could pursue two max deals. Say we add a little in 2011, and a lot in 2012, when Paul is a f/a. At this point a decision will have to be made on which pg the Hornets will keep because they can't afford both, that's just my perspective. If Paul resigns with NO's you'll lose Collison to a team like us because we can sign him outright, same goes for CP3 if you choose Darren.

I am so patient that I'll wait.

[Indy2thaWindy]

^^^^ No but we got 40 + mill/ #10/ Rush . Why can't the Pacers aim for that disgruntled star too?

Maybe they can, but try to sell #10 and Rush as a better deal than Collison+11.

More teams need a young, cheap wing defender who can shoot really good than an unproven undersized point guard. And after this season and the next ,teams would have the player option to release Rush. Not to mention a higher pick at 10.

[NO-KG-AI]

^^^^ No but we got 40 + mill/ #10/ Rush . Why can't the Pacers aim for that disgruntled star too?

Maybe they can, but try to sell #10 and Rush as a better deal than Collison+11.

More teams need a young, cheap wing defender who can shoot really good than an unproven undersized point guard. And after this season and the next ,teams would have the player option to release Rush. Not to mention a higher pick at 10.

I'm not sure there is a team in the league that would take Rush over Collison. Collison is unproven, but he's proven way better than Rush Come on man, your selling point is that they could dump Rush's contract, where Collison is going to make between 1.3 and 2.3 million over the next 3 seasons

Come on man "unproven undersized PG" is all Collison is? You sound like the dudes trying to argue that Chris Paul isn't that good because he's 6'0.

[NO-KG-AI]

It's true. After next season Indy could pursue two max deals. Say we add a little in 2011, and a lot in 2012, when Paul is a f/a. At this point a decision will have to be made on which pg the Hornets will keep because they can't afford both, that's just my perspective. If Paul resigns with NO's you'll lose Collison to a team like us because we can sign him outright, same goes for CP3 if you choose Darren.

I am so patient that I'll wait.

We have Collison under a tiny contract for 3 more years, we won't "lose" him unless we hang onto him for 3 years, which is quite doubtful. Keep pipe dreaming though.

Collison is going to get moved far before then, you can try and wait around and be the Knicks, waiting forever for FA's to sign, but some team will be re-signing Collison after his rookie deal finishes with them.

[Draft Master J]

The problem is, if Paul stays healthy, Collison's value will likely decrease due to limited minutes. It wont plummet unless he performs terribly (unlikely), but it will go down the further and further we get from his little post-All-Star break hot streak. If the Hornets are smart they'll try and move him this offseason when it's unlikely his trade value will ever be higher in New Orleans.

I do think his value is higher than the #10 pick, though. He was a top-five rookie with only Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry being cleary better. I'd say his value is more around pick 5-7. Of course this slight value discrepancy would be offset by us taking on a bad contract─likely James Posey─in exchange for an expiring contract.