Pacers to Waive Christmas

Post #1 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 3:31 pm

Post #2 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 3:32 pm

Sounds like Rakeem was more of a Bird project than Pritchard project. Or he was replaced as the developmental big by Anigbogu. Or, we just weren't happy with his development. Or, his inability to shoot and develop an offensive game means we felt he wasn't a fit for the new big man fit in the NBA.

chube · Post #3 » by **chube** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 3:48 pm

Considering he got more minited toward the end of last year, I thought he'd be back

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Post #4 » by **pacers33granger** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 4:59 pm

Seems a bit off. He was decent in the minutes he got and is super cheap this year and next.

Post #5 » by **Jake0890** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 5:02 pm

Little disappointed with this. Kinda liked how he looked in the summer league.

Global Game · Post #6 » by **Global Game** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 5:14 pm

Young, Sabonis, Leaf, Seraphin, Jefferson, Turner, Anigbogu, Christmas
Somebody had to get cut.
That's a lot of Power Forwards and Centers

basketballwacko2 · Post #7 » by **basketballwacko2** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 5:36 pm

7 bigs is about all you want, I think Jefferson is about to get the axe. Maybe not because they wanted him to mentor Turner but unless he's in better shape for training camp he's in deep something.

Wizop · Post #8 » by **Wizop** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 6:03 pm

None of us had him in rotation. Makes sense to get all the cap room you can. Also allows him to try to go to another training camp.

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Boneman2 · Post #9 » by **Boneman2** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 6:17 pm

Scoot McGroot wrote:Sounds like Rakeem was more of a Bird project than Pritchard project. Or he was replaced as the developmental big by Anigbogu. Or, we just weren't happy with his development. Or, his inability to shoot and develop an offensive game means we felt he wasn't a fit for the new big man fit in the NBA.

Pretty much this and it was a wise decision because Anigbogu has the potential to become a very good defender even if he doesn't develop offensively. Looks like they will be celebrating Christmas in China.

8305 · Post #10 » by **8305** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 8:07 pm

basketballwacko2 wrote:7 bigs is about all you want, I think Jefferson is about to get the axe. Maybe not because they wanted him to mentor Turner but unless he's in better shape for training camp he's in deep something.

The notion that Jefferson (who couldn't trouble himself to be in shape going into last season) made sense as a mentor is silly. Just like Monta (drug suspension) was a good locker room guy. Interesting what the team put out there for public consumption the last couple of years and the reality that can be seen today.

As for Christmas, no particular surprise here. Was already 22/23 years old when he came out of school and two years later still a really raw skill set. Time to move on to the next project big. Given Anigdabo's young age and superior athletic gifts its a lot easier to hold out hope for the new guy.

Post #11 » by **pacers33granger** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 8:11 pm

8305 wrote:
The notion that Jefferson (who couldn't trouble himself to be in shape going into last season) made sense as a mentor is silly. Just like Monta (drug suspension) was a good locker room guy. Interesting what the team put out there for public consumption the last couple of years and the reality that can be seen today.

Myles showed some nifty post moves a few times last season that I guarantee he learned from Al. And Monta smoking weed hardly disqualifies him from being a good teammate.

But yeah, he and Monta just weren't the leader types and neither was Paul or Hill. Take away West and Brian Shaw and we had no leadership to speak of really.

8305 · Post #12 » by **8305** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 10:00 pm

pacers33granger wrote:
8305 wrote:
The notion that Jefferson (who couldn't trouble himself to be in shape going into last season) made sense as a mentor is silly. Just like Monta (drug suspension) was a good locker room guy. Interesting what the team put out there for public consumption the last couple of years and the reality that can be seen today.

Myles showed some nifty post moves a few times last season that I guarantee he learned from Al. And Monta smoking weed hardly disqualifies him from being a good teammate.

But yeah, he and Monta just weren't the leader types and neither was Paul or Hill. Take away West and Brian Shaw and we had no leadership to speak of really.

Agree that more was certainly needed from PG in the leadership area.

Looking back at Ellis coming post knee surgery and Jefferson's conditioning makes me wonder if anyone in the organization was doing any due diligence with these free agent acquisitions?

Post #13 » by **pacers33granger** » Thu Jul 6, 2017 11:49 pm

8305 wrote:
pacers33granger wrote:
8305 wrote:
The notion that Jefferson (who couldn't trouble himself to be in shape going into last season) made sense as a mentor is silly. Just like Monta (drug suspension) was a good locker room guy. Interesting what the team put out there for public consumption the last couple of years and the reality that can be seen today.

Myles showed some nifty post moves a few times last season that I guarantee he learned from Al. And Monta smoking weed hardly disqualifies him from being a good teammate.

But yeah, he and Monta just weren't the leader types and neither was Paul or Hill. Take away West and Brian Shaw and we had no leadership to speak of really.

Agree that more was certainly needed from PG in the leadership area.

Looking back at Ellis coming post knee surgery and Jefferson's conditioning makes me wonder if anyone in the organization was doing any due diligence with these free agent acquisitions?

I think it's a symptom of the ever-present problem of getting free agents here. It's not fair to expect those guys to be leaders when they clearly are not cut out for it and, by all accounts, they were fine as vets, just not leaders. But we just don't get free agents and have had a long period of time where we get the guys who may not be bad vets but no one wants for a litany of reasons (i.e. if we were really really trying to win this season we would have signed Rose).