Why Gordon? Granger? George?

[DWCP2]

3 simple questions:

Why do you want Eric Gordon here?

Why do you insist we trade Granger for Gordon or whatever?

Why do you insist George be made the permant solution at SF (at the expense of Granger)?

[Scoot McGroot]

1) I want Eric Gordon here because he's a dynamic offensive/defensive talent. He can shoot lights out, and create shot for himself and others; something that we consistently lack. He also would be an answer at the swing positions with George for the post Granger years.

2) Very few 'insist' we trade Granger for Gordon. We just see Granger as a great answer for the next 2-4 years, but Gordon as a better answer for the next 8-10 years. It would also be tough to manage a lineup of Gordon, Granger, and George, but it could be done. Also, if we have to make a trade for Gordon, we would probably be better off to move Granger for him than Hibbert or Paul George, as Gordon would require a lot of trade value. Though, we could also just play free agency with him and hope for the best.

3) George is a good fit for the SG spot right now, but as he gets older, he looks like he'll settle in at the SF spot a bit better. We'd prefer to play our guys at the position they are best suited for to be most successful. Plus, as Granger ages and moves on, George would be perfect to fill that spot.

[Wizop]

and I don't want Eric Gordon here because I think the price will be too high for the incremental value he will bring. I don't buy into the argument that George and Granger will eventually fight each other for minutes at the two because I think the two and three are interchangeable in most pro offenses.

I was listening to Dan Dakich in the car yesterday. he said I don't understand why everyone keeps saying Granger is an okay player but he's not good enough to be the best player on a good team. he said Granger is already our best player and we're third in the East so doesn't that make him already the best player on a good team?

I'll admit that sometimes Danny presses. he did it for a stretch last night against Cleveland. the result was that Barbosa got some minutes with the first unit. that's the second time in the last few games I've seen Vogel pull Danny. if I thought he wasn't getting the message, I'd worry and might want to trade him while the trading is good, but I think all in all he's really improved this year. his rebounding and defense are much better. I'd much rather have five guys on the floor who can run a play and get someone a good shot that four scrubs and a superstar who can be counted on to get off a bad shot on his own and make it a decent amount of the time. Danny some times reverts to O'Brien mode but that's happening less and less. I want to keep him.

[Scoot McGroot]

Whoa now. I'm not saying that Eric Gordon plays solo ball outside of an offense, a la Dwyane Wade. Hardly. He fits in an offensive system very well, but also has the ability to make something happen when a play breaks down.

Danny's good. Eric's just going to be better, if he can stay healthy. Obviously, cost and everything would come into play (although, even if Eric Gordon signs a max contract starting next year, he would be paid $100,000 less than Danny Granger is making next year).

It'd simply be amazing if we could add Eric Gordon, while keeping Danny and Paul. That would be fantastic, but would take some sacrifice of each guy. Someone would have to come off the bench, and either Danny would have to play some PF, or Eric would have to play some PG. They'd probably be the best wing trio in the league.

It's not about Danny not being good enough right now. It's about utilizing our cap space while we can, and ensuring that we have a solid base for the long-term, not just the next 2-3 years.

[Boneman2]

a lot of G's and H's.
At times we have Granger, George, Hill, Hans, and Hibbert on the floor.

Draymond Green anyone?

[Wizop]

by all means lets see what the draft gives us before we decide what we need. I've been thinking 4/5 and there are a lot of them, but Fesenko played smart basketball last night. he could be the answer to Asik in a Bulls series as well as being more than just 6 fouls on Howard. perhaps we should be looking at the Green/Leslie/Crowder bunch at 3 rather than at the 4/5's. we will need a long term replacement for D Jones even if we manage to keep Barbosa. I'm just not sure that the huge salary difference between rookie pay and 5th year in demand free agent pay will make sense on a team that can play 10 deep.

[Miller4ever]

I think New Orleans has the money to match anything we throw at Gordon, unless it's a lot more value than he's worth. Better to use that money elsewhere.

He'd be a positive to this team. He plays both ends of the floor and is a great scorer, but for me there's health concerns and the pricetag has to be higher than New Orleans is willing to go, which will be exorbitant.

[8305]

I think New Orleans has the money to match anything we throw at Gordon, unless it's a lot more value than he's worth. Better to use that money elsewhere.

He'd be a positive to this team. He plays both ends of the floor and is a great scorer, but for me there's health concerns and the pricetag has to be higher than New Orleans is willing to go, which will be exorbitant.

Agree. With Gordon being a free agent arranging a trade is that much more complicated and unless the Pacers implode in the playoffs there's a strong argument to be made for minimal changes this off season anyway. Signing him as a free agent is a pipe dream.

Danny Granger is playing well of late. He's been a good soldier through tough times. The Pacers have assembled exactly the type of supporting cast around Granger most all of us have said one time or another was needed to be successful. Now they owe to themselves and Danny to let this play out for a couple years.

[Miller4ever]

Leandro says our ceiling is winning the NBA championship. This was when he just got here.

Just wait until Nash comes around. We'll be what the Phoenix Suns wish they were in the mid 00's. We'll be athletic, but more balanced and stronger on defense.

[Pacersike]

I want Gordon because for me he is the best possible fit out there.

A guard with great handles who can create plays and attack the basket.
Deron Williams would be nice, but he doesn't seem like a small market guy anymore.
Nash would help, but not on the defensive end. On offense he will experience what it feels like getting screens from West, Hibbert, Hansbrough. Every PG struggles on this team and I expect the same for Nash. I think the reason why Nash is having one of his better seasons also has to do with his teammates on the Suns.

Yeah, the injury risk will always be high, but when will there be another opportunity to sign such a player with those qualities? Make him a near max offer and see what happens. If the Hornets match, so be it. We can always try to trade for players.

[pacers70]

I'm not too fired up about bringing Eric Gordon here. He is injured too much and will cost too much.

I don't think we should trade Granger. He has proven that if you put better players around him, he plays better. He has shown that he can make key plays to win games. He is not a Kobe or DWade, but he is about as good as we can expect to get.

There are many possibilities for George. He could continue to start at the 2, he could replace Granger at 3 (in 5-6 years when Granger is past his prime) or he could become the 6th man and play 30+ minutes off the bench at the 2 and/or 3.

[Nuntius]

Why do you insist we trade Granger for Gordon or whatever?

To be honest, most people are over this post ASG. Gordon will always remain a player that Indiana wants due to being a home town kid and a helluva player but not a lot of people would trade Granger for him atm.

[DWCP2]

I think the Pacers should wait till 2014 before making any decision on Granger and George.

Granger will be UFA, George RFA.

If they cohesively play well together, keep them together.

If they can push Stephenson to a better role at SG, he along with Granger and George would be a near deadly 3 wing combo on most nights on offensive production alone.

[chube]

If the Pacers manage to land Gordon without hand-cuffing the team, awesome! More power to them. I'm all for the Pacers trying to be able to capitalize on the hometown appeal and the injury history and possibly land Gordon to a very nice contract. But again, we have to eventually re-sign George Hill, PG, and Roy (and maybe Darren. If nothing else, his drop this year may play to our advantage in terms of re-signing him.)

There will be some very solid free agents this summer that won't break the bank, which is key, especially depending on what Dahntay does with his player option. I'd like to re-sign Lou and possibly Barbosa, depending on the free agent market and what he wants. But let's say both Barbosa and Dahntay walk. Especially if we don't get Gordon, I'd love to target...

Marreese Speights (to back up Roy)
Jason Terry (primary scoring option off the bench)
Gerald Green (though he may have upped his stock too much and wouldn't take a backup role)
Even Alonzo Gee would make for a nice backup in the second unit

I'd like Ilyasova, but with his season this year, he's likely not taking a backup role, plus we're set with Hans. If we got all of them, we're looking at a lineup of...

Starters:
Roy Hibbert
David West
Danny Granger
Paul George
Darren Collison (I'll put this here for now and we'll debate it this summer)

Backup:
Marreese Speights
Tyler Hansbrough
Gerald Green
Jason Terry (or Jamal Crawford if he opts out, I'd even welcome back Barbosa)
George Hill

Insurance Bench Players:
Kyrylo Fesenko (or a Euro or whoever)
Louuuuuuu Amundson (who should still get some nice spot minutes)
A swingman like Sam Young (who from what I've heard is the type of player Larry loves)
Lance Stephenson
A.J. Price (he's held down the fort nicely in my opinion when he's in there)

My point is, while Gordon is obviously a fine player, he may well handcuff the team unless we trade away someone like Granger to get him (something I'm not real keen on) and may limit our ability to re-sign who we need to re-sign (Roy, George Hill, PG eventually). Besides, once David West's contract expires in summer 2013, look at which power forward will be sitting out there as an unrestricted free agent - PAUL MILLSAP!

[Wizop]

I really can't see how anyone can argue for trading Danny the way he is playing now.

[Scoot McGroot]

I love Danny, but Eric Gordon isn't exactly a slouch.

[frizzledizzle]

I love Danny, but Eric Gordon isn't exactly a slouch.

Just a cripple.

[lukekarts]

I don't see what Eric Gordon would add other than a really big 4 year contract and injury risk to the franchise for the next 4 years.

You guys should try making pitches at Deron and Nash. The former is less likely but honestly Nash doesn't seem like a guy who jumps at any opportunity to play for a big market - he seems pretty smart and if you guys go to the 2nd round with promise to improve next year, he could see the appeal in that.

Bird sells his ambitions and you sign Nash to a 2 year $20m deal, whilst someone like Kevin Garnett (playing C in his old age) or another serviceable big could come in.

[Scoot McGroot]

I think most of us here would love Nash.

However, I think people are confused and thinking in the old CBA. If Eric Gordon signed a max contract with us, he would be the 2nd highest paid player on our roster. Danny Granger would be paid more. No one really complains about Danny's contract....

[lukekarts]

I think most of us here would love Nash.

However, I think people are confused and thinking in the old CBA. If Eric Gordon signed a max contract with us, he would be the 2nd highest paid player on our roster. Danny Granger would be paid more. No one really complains about Danny's contract....

My understanding is that Eric Gordon's max contract would be 25% of the cap under the new CBA (he doesn't qualify for the 30% ala Durant, Rose); if the cap is $58m, that means he'll start at $14.5m.

With 4.5% raises, it would be:

$14.5m / $15.15m / $15.7m / $16.35m

In any case, I believe that is more than the $13,058,606 / $14,021,788 remaining for Granger.