IND @ Play for No. 10?

[OnFire]

Spotted this while
scrolling down
Chad Ford's latest
draft chat.

KC (Tulsa)

If the Hornets are looking to trade Pick 10 for a young veteran, who are some of the potential targets?

Chad Ford (3:38 PM)

Darren Collison, Eric Bledsoe, Evan Turner I've heard a lot. Ditto for Paul Millsap of the Jazz.

LINK: http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/44280

Long shot or good chance?
If ever, use the pick or
trade it? On/for who?

If we do it this, I think we
can parlay the pick into
someone like Luol Deng,
who's said to be made
available by CHI for a
high pick, and has roughly
the same contract as
Granger.

That would open up a
lot of scenarios for us,
methinks.

Your thoughts.

[jowglenn]

Well I assume they won't give us 10 for collison straight up. Probably something more like collison/26/cash for #10.

Which would be an instant yes from us, surely.

[Moooose]

No way they will settle for just Collison. It is tempting for Indiana but i just hope we do not get too high with it, to the point where we will tear some guys off our core. It would likely take fillers with Collison.

I can imagine Bird saying no to that. Pritchard, on the other hand, could be the one to make it happen, especially if a Damian Lillard is there at the 10th.

[pacers70]

Trading Collison before the draft would not be wise unless we are getting another veteran PG for him.

As it now stands, Collison is the only PG the Pacers have under contract. We need to get another veteran PG under contract before we make a trade including Collison.

[DWCP2]

Ya know it's funny to say Collison is the only PG the Pacers have when he tries to score and take command himself screwing up the team on several occassions.

Even Slick Leonard constantly says Collison is NOT a PG regularly mentioning it during Pacers games.

[Wizop]

Even Slick Leonard constantly says Collison is NOT a PG regularly mentioning it during Pacers games.

I know that back when Larry was the coach, he leaned on Slick for fatherly advice. if Slick is saying that on the air, I'm sure he's said it to Larry too.

[DWCP2]

Ya know it's funny to say Collison is the only PG the Pacers have when he tries to score and take command himself screwing up the team on several occassions.

Even Slick Leonard constantly says Collison is NOT a PG regularly mentioning it during Pacers games.

[Scoot McGroot]

Listen guys, George HIll is essentially under contract too. We own the rights to match any offer, and likely would. He will be re-signed.

[DWCP2]

Way I figure aside of a Granger/West trade, the starting five will remain as is from the end of last season.

The question is simply how to improve the bench. You figure without major moves the lead guys on our bench next season will be Stephenson and Hansbrough. How do you complement those two players?

A center
Keep Collison or trade him and get a veteran PG behind Hill?
Tweener forwrd?

Start thinking this way and I think we see where the Pacers are gonna go.

[dukeknicksirish]

Pacers with a lottery pick is a scary thing.. The damage they did in the playoffs, plus a high pick in this draft, IMO, says "Indy is back at championship contention"

[Scoot McGroot]

Way I figure aside of a Granger/West trade, the starting five will remain as is from the end of last season.

The question is simply how to improve the bench. You figure without major moves the lead guys on our bench next season will be Stephenson and Hansbrough. How do you complement those two players?

A center
Keep Collison or trade him and get a veteran PG behind Hill?
Tweener forwrd?

Start thinking this way and I think we see where the Pacers are gonna go.

I'm a Hansbrough fan, but if Stephenson and Hansbrough are our two keep bench players, we are in major need of improvement. Unless Stephenson makes a leap of light year proportions, he's no more than a 5th or 6th guard, a guy battling just to stay active. Same for an AJ Price.

[SmashMouthRod]

Bird expects for Stevenson to play a Barbosa like role next season; He keeps bringing it up that he expects Stevenson to improve. He also said that Stevenson was the teams most talented player last offseason. I would expect George and Stevenson to make significant leaps next season with increased roles. Vogel has said he expects for them both to come back much improved.

[tocooks]

Who the heck is Stevenson?

[Wizop]

that would be Stephenson having made the same spelling mistake a week or so ago myself. hard to read his end of season review on Pacers.com and not think he's ready to play.

[Wizop]

Houston has now acquired a third pick in the middle of the first. Makes you think they needed more ammunition to move up into the top 5 or 10.

[Boneman2]

Chase for the 18th selection, maybe Collson could net us a late lottery pick.

Minnesota gave a pick that will probably amount to a role player, but unlike Chase, that pick still has the potential to be more than just a role player.

Isn't Ross projected to go in that area? I'd much rather draft him than acquire a guaranteed role player in Buddinger. Silly Rabbit, Kahn is a trick.

[pacers70]

After reading some scouting reports and doing some further analysis, I have changed my stance.

Collison and #26 to New Orleans for #10 and #46.

Pacers select Zeller at #10.

Resign Hibbert and Hill which will keep the playoff starting line up intact. Sign FA Brandon Roy.

The bigs on the bench would be Zeller, Hansbrough and Pendergraph.
The wings would be Roy, Stephenson and Jones.
They would still need to find a back-up PG or two.

[Wizop]

Collison and #26 to New Orleans for #10 and #46.

I'd make the trade but I'd pick Marshall or Lillard.. can't see giving up on Collison for a high pick unless the plan is to draft a point guard. Marshall would be a wonderful addition. I know Lilliard has the flash but Marshall is the kind of point guard that makes everyone else better.

[Indy2thaWindy]

can't see giving up on Collison for a high pick unless the plan is to draft a point guard.

What? You could grab some scrub from free agency and replace Collison. There isn't any real good point guards in this draft. The best one will be Teague. Lilliard can't play D and isn't a good passer. Marshall can't play D and can't shoot. Collison can't play D or pass the ball or handle the ball and is an awful decision maker. You don't trade into the top 10 to replace Collison. You get rid of Collison because you have no need for him. If you miss out on the big name point guards you sign an Andre Miller or somebody. If you can move up in the draft by trading Collison, you do it, whether you replace him with the pick or not.

[Wizop]

Marshall will be fine. shooting can be coached. see Rondo. court vision can not be. I haven't seen enough of Lilliard to have an opinion. I'm not sold on Teague.

but I'll gladly amend my statement to say that I can't see giving up Collison for a high pick unless there is a plan in place to get another point guard. the draft is one option. signing a veteran like Andre Miller is another. I can live with either approach. what I don't want is AJ to be the second point guard and the team seems to see Lance as a 2.

of course, it will be impossible to trade Collison for anything if the managers around the league value him as you do. my own preference would be to try and trade up using Tyler instead of DC and then we could use the pick on a big man.