CHAD FORD Offseason Assessment

MUpacersSIC · Post #1 » by **MUpacersSIC** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 5:41 pm

"MUpacersSIC (IND)

Now that the season is over for the Pacers, what do you expect of them in the draft and free agency?

Chad Ford (1:33 PM)

They have a really bright future. Hollinger and I put them at No. 7 in our last Future Power Rankings a month ago and feel really good about it. I know the Pacers will try their best to convince Larry Bird to come back. Bird has done a great job in Indy. They want him back. If Bird retires, it seems like a no brainer that they'd give the job to David Morway. He's been a huge part of their rebuilding project and I think he'd stay the course. I think they'll take a look at some veteran coaches like Mike Brown but I wouldn't be surprised if Frank Vogel gets the job. You can't say enough about how well he coached this team and got everyone on the team to believe. As far as talent, they really need an athletic four who can rebound, defend and block shots. They also need a guard who can get his own shot off the dribble. Of course a star would be nice too ... but it doesn't look like there are any on the horizon right now. I think they're a 44 win team next year and then take another big step in 2012."

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/38127/nba-insider-chad-ford

He essentially says what pretty much all of us know already. Glad he thinks we can be a "44 win team next year and then take another big step in 2012".

Post #2 » by **Miller4ever** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 5:56 pm

Nice find. 44 wins is a winning record.

Wizop · Post #3 » by **Wizop** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 6:40 pm

I think Paul George is a "guard who can get his own shot off the dribble." he deferred to others as a rookie even saying recently that closing was Danny's role but he hoped to grow into it some day. I'm hoping a summer of work and second year confidence will make a difference. I'm also hoping the league and the union will agree that the NFL situation is a mess and come to an agreement. the union knows it has a big stick now that the NFL lost in court.

granger05 · Post #4 » by **granger05** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 1:07 am

I used to read all the chats, but now I breeze through them by quickly searching for "indy", "indiana","pacer","granger","hibbert","collison","hans","george."

Anyway, I saw this one there today, and I thought "Hey, I recognize that login." I thought Ford's assessment was pretty boilerplate and nothing new. We went 20-18 under Vogel which means we spent basically the last half of this season on a 44 win pace (20-18 works out to >43 wins over 82 games). That was with a starting lineup of a 2nd year PG, a rookie SG, a 3rd year C, a 2nd year PF (who's only played in about 100 games in his career), and one established veteran. That's before we add any offseason pieces. Realistically though, I'd still be happy with 44 games because +.500 has been too long ago, but I think we can do better.

I don't want the Pacers to rush out and sign a couple of borderline all-star types. I'd prefer to see us roll some cap space over to next season too and use it to take advantage of whatever the new CBA rules are.

chube · Post #5 » by **chube** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 1:14 am

^^^ Agreed. I don't want Bird/Morway/whoever to spend money just for the sake of spending it. The 2012 FA crop is pretty good - Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, JaVale McGee among others even though some will be restricted. So we can't overpay this year and jeopardize anything for a promising 2012 class.

From this year, I would love a Nene and Marcus Thornton. Or even trade for Emeka Okafor if New Orleans needs to dump salary.

Post #6 » by **Gremz** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 3:04 am

I'm kind of upset that Atlanta are doing well in their series with Atlanta, as I was kind of oping they'd struggle and want to rebuild the whole team. Smith would be a great fit.

But Nene should be the prime target. Getting him here would be perfect.

Wizop · Post #7 » by **Wizop** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 12:18 pm

I'd love to see Atlanta blow it up but it's Horford I want not Smith.

DWCP2 · Post #8 » by **DWCP2** » Sun May 1, 2011 8:51 pm

Only thing I didn't like about Bird's press conference is that he thinks George and Hansbrough, esp. Tyler, should be relagated back to the bench come next year for veteran star power.

That to me ain't right.

IDC how bashed I get I think Collison, George, Granger, Hansbrough, and Hibbert should be the starting five come 2011-2012 and all they need is the veteran base beneath them, particularly some offensive fire power.

Post #9 » by **Miller4ever** » Sun May 1, 2011 8:57 pm

If we get Nene, Hansbrough should come off the bench.

chatard5 · Post #10 » by **chatard5** » Sun May 1, 2011 9:36 pm

Hey everyone, how's it goin? It's been a while, but I hope to be on here a lot more! If anyone was at the Game 4 game and saw some guy screaming at the Bulls the whole time that would be me. Or on TNT when Rose was going to the locker room hurt my friend and I were screaming at him and on TV, haha.

Anyways, what do you guys think we should do? I think we need a really good 2, I just don't know what. I'm not even against trading Granger. I definitely want to keep George and Hansbrough but I am open to look at other moves. It's nice to have all of this cap space, I just hope we don't waste it this summer on a decent free agent and overpay. We can wait a year if we have to, we've already waited 5 (really more than that).

I was thinking we need someone who can create his own shot, like has been said, and someone to take the final shot. Someone like a Brandon Roy. I would love to get him, but his knees make me too nervous. I would take a chance and bring Oden back home, that is if Portland doesn't want to keep him. I would hope we wouldn't offer him too much, he's barely played in any NBA games...

Ooh and I also want to keep Foster. I think he did great in the postseason and could again next year. He won't be much and not too many teams would offer him a ton of money. I don't mind keeping any other players, nothing against any of them, except...McBob. He has to go. He was terrible. Ooh man, what I would give for the OJ Mayo trade!!

Oooh and about Atlanta blowing the team up... I wouldn't mind Smith or Horford, but the guy I would really want is Joe Johnson. He can get his own shot and we have someone to go to at the end of games. I think we could go with him, Granger, and George to fill the PG, SG, and SF spots against most teams.

chatard5 · Post #11 » by **chatard5** » Sun May 1, 2011 9:49 pm

Ooh man, and wasn't it great getting national TV games in the playoffs? I think next year we will get... 4 or 5, 2 at home.

Post #12 » by **Grang33r** » Mon May 9, 2011 2:14 am

chatard5 wrote:Ooh man, and wasn't it great getting national TV games in the playoffs? I think next year we will get... 4 or 5, 2 at home.

Yeah it was. Seeing 5 games on national tv and even more importantly, hearing the guys on TNT or ESPN after the games gushing about our team, which cool. I think the team surprised many teams and they will def get some national tv games next season.

The important thing will be, for our fans back in Indianapolis to support the team again with full force. They can't play in an empty arena next season.