Indiana Pacers

NBA Talk: Plans Change In Detroit With Villanueva and Gordon Added

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:25:16 +0000

We all remember the heartbreaking move for Detroit when they sent Chauncey Billups to the Denver Nuggets while Detroit brought in Allen Iverson. It wasn't good for the Pistons as they got destroyed in the playoffs.

Then here they are with Iverson gone and Rasheed Wallace aging a bit. And Richard "Rip" Hamilton can't do everything by himself. How can Detroit survive? I'll tell you why.

With two standout adds of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, the Pistons look like a viperous team coming into the 2009-10 season as they look to strangle their opponents.

And another good thing is that they haven't reached 30 yet, as they are both in there mid-20s, which is acceptable for this offense.

Bringing in Gordon really helps out Rip and Rodney Stuckey being the "sixth man" of the group. Gordon makes a monumental difference towards the squad. It'll look like the "good ol' days" when it was Isaiah Thomas, Vinnie Johnson, and Joe Dumars.

Now we know how Gordon can help, how the heck will Villanueva end up? I'll tell you how.

Villanueva helps replace Rasheed Wallace, who reportedly has received some pretty big attraction from the Boston Celtics, and according to ESPN.com, some appeal from the San Antonio Spurs.

Although Villanueva is probably better shooter, there is absolutely no way he can reinstate the defensive intelligence of Sheed. But besides that, the Pistons were built to be a younger and stronger team.

Wallace, I know, is the heart and soul of the Detroit Pistons, but he has to go and it looks he will...to the C's.

Many people were also lingering for the trade of Kwame Brown and Jason Maxiell to the New Orleans Hornets for Tyson Chandler and Julian Wright, but c'mon: Aren't Gordon and Villanueva better?

The Pistons look to be a powerhouse team and can be a threat in the Central Conference. But it's going to be a tougher division as the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks join the mix as both teams are dying for playoff-spot.

With Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Rip Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey, and Tayshaun Prince leading the Pistons, they can be that team they were: a furious one.

And Gordon and Villanueva are the first step in the progress.

Big NBA News: Feat. Josh Childress (Iverson Going for Memphis?)

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:42:35 +0000

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Big NBA News. We got some good stuff in for us today so let's go. These are some pretty big rumors and I really do think these are the ones you definitely don't want to miss!

Mike Bibby

Atlanta Hawks point guard was given some rumors that he may go to Philadelphia to play for the Sixers.

But Sixers fans, you might want to stop cheering and put your hands down. The Sixers aren't interested in Bibby, according to the Inquirer.

But heck, it would be real nice for Philly to get him. But as for right now, he's chilling in Atlanta.

He is also looking to bring the Hawks to the playoffs again and hopefully passing the second round and not getting killed by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

My bad, Atlanta. Sorry for bringing back bad memories.

Ricky Rubio

Jeez Ricky!

I really don't understand what's the point of him coming to the NBA after reading this about him going back to Spainto play proffessionaly for two more years!

But it won't matter because if he wants to return to the NBA, the Timberwolves still hold the rights to him. So Ricky, it really doesn't matter if you don't want to play for Minny, just try to make the best of it, okay?

Nah, he won't.

Hedo Turkoglu

Hedo Turkoglu, he recently opted out of his contract with the Orlando Magic, shouldn't be really happy right now.

The Toronto Raptors were about to give him a $60M contract but they decided not to, according to The Star.

We'll see what happens, maybe Toronto be decide to again. And teams going for a bid?

As of right now, not many. Sorry, Hedo. Want to go back to Orlando? Nah, I really think he doesn't. Let him wait, he'll get the deal and the team he wants.

New Orleans Hornets

The Times-Picayune reports that the New Orleans Hornets are deciding to acquire the following free agents:

Mikki Moore (right)
Maceo Boston
Jake Voskuhl

ESPN.com reports that the Hornets are also taking a look at former-Hornet, Brandon Bass.

Let's see who they pick because all of the players look interesting to me. Moore might fit well.

I don't know who to pick, it'll be a tough decision. But hey, why not , sign them all. But nah, it'll probably be a not-so-smart idea.

Josh Childress

The Journal Times reports that the Milwaukee Bucks are trying out Josh Childress, who the last NBA team he played with was the Atlanta Hawks after moving to the Olympioacos.

Childress has been called by many NBA teams, and he does look like he can fit nicely with the team after that trade that sent Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs.

Here is the biggest news of the day! Now that I have made a new website called MemphisBlueBears.com, a site about the Memphis Grizzlies (I am a bigger Indiana Pacers fan, though, of course), I know have to write some Grizzlies news.

Well, Allen Iverson announced that he wanted to play for the Memphis Grizzlies, ESPN reports. Here's what Iverson said on his Twitter:

"I'm a free agent, healthy again, and capable of signing with any team. My only preference will be [is] to play for a coach that knows what I bring to the table and that I am going to bring it every night! Someone who best knows how to utilize my skills to make our team the very best it can be. For those of you who thought I was done, think again."

Whew, A.I. had a lot to say there to all of his fans on Twitter (more than 16,000 to be exact, dang!). Let's see how everything turns out.

He looks good with the Grizzlies as a new "Big Three" may approach with him, Rudy Gay, and O.J. Mayo. Now that would be nice. We'll see how it turns out, as of right now, Iverson is probably chilling (and why wouldn't he?).

Swing and a Miss: Ariza > Artest According to Plaschke

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:49:52 -0500

This is the start of what I hope to be a series on Celtics 17. I will find stupid basketball columns and show them to you.

The first is a column by Bill Plaschke of the LA Times. You know, the guy with the egg-shaped head on "Around the Horn" who thinks the Dodgers are better without Manny Ramirez. This is his opinion on the Lakers' Ron Artest signing.

"Less than three weeks after the parade, the NBA champion Lakers have already met the biggest threat to their throne.

Themselves.

What are they thinking? What are they doing?"

Well, I'm just a blogger so what do I know? But from the looks of it I'd say that the Lakers are trying to improve.

"They just won a title that would not have been possible without the strong defense and stunning shooting of a 24-year-old kid with a limitless ceiling."

Plaschke is referring to Trevor Ariza, who was just signed by the Rockets. There are many good things to say about Ariza, but "limitless ceiling" is not one of them.

"Yet they send the kid packing for an aging nut whose greatest hits have occurred on the heads of fans."

Artest is 29, a year and three months younger than Kobe Bryant. As for being a nut, are people really still talking about an incident that occurred five years ago?

Come on. Michael Jordan hit Steve Kerr in practice. Randy Johnson hit a teammate to get out of Seattle. Unless you were hit by Artest, you need to get over it.

"They just won a title with a locker room bathed in the soothing light of unselfishness, teamwork and a quiet temerity."

And that's exactly how you could describe Artest with the Rockets. In fact, Artest might be better than Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming when you take his defense into account.

"Yet they cut the power and added the darkest of moods, a guy who has made a career out of hoarding the ball, the attention, and the anger."

Hoarding the ball? Artest is usually the guy who wants to assist the top scorer, the guy who wants to guard the other team's best player, and he does both of those very well. The only times he's angry seems to be when he's the main guy on a losing team, which won't be the case with the Lakers.

"Tell me again, why did they get rid of Trevor Ariza for Ron Artest?"

Because Artest is better and comes with a cheaper contract.

"Explain to me, please, why they wouldn't even negotiate further with Trevor Ariza before quickly agreeing to sign Ron Artest?"

They negotiated with Ariza and offered him the same contract as Artest, but Ariza wanted more. Why sign an inferior player for more money?

"Artest is a better player,"

Exactly.

"but that's not the point."

I'm not sure if there is a point in this article. There certainly hasn't been so far.

"Ariza was a better fit, and that's what wins championships."

What about two Finals ago when Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom were inconsistent and Bryant didn't have a secondary player to help him. Isn't that a bit more important than Ariza, who at best is the fifth best player on a championship team?

"Artest is a strong defender, but if the Lakers need someone to quietly hound a guy during a routine inbounds pass and be willing to make a small play to win a big game, that's Ariza."

Who's better at hounding a guy on an inbound pass than Artest?

"Artest is a good shooter, but if the Lakers need someone willing to stand in the shadows for three quarters and emerge to make a big three-pointer before disappearing again, that's Ariza."

I've never heard of "disappearing" as a good quality of a basketball player, but then again, that might be why I'm not paid to write.

"Artest will supposedly make the Lakers tougher, but what is tougher than showing up every day and playing hard every play and fighting your way to a championship?"

So does Ariza disappear or does he "play hard on every play?" First of, kudos on the word choice in that quote. Second of all, Artest might be the hardest working defender in basketball.

"Ariza has a ring, Artest does not, so the Lakers are giving up wins."

Robert Horry has seven championships. Michael Jordan has six. Adam Morrison has a ring. LeBron James has none. Horry > Jordan and Morrison > James.

"Ariza is young 24, Artest is an old 29, so the Lakers are giving up age."

Now you're just repeating the age argument, which is easily proven wrong. Unless of course, Bryant is now past his prime.

"Ariza shot 48% from the three-point line in the playoffs while Artest shot 28%, so the Lakers are giving up clutch."

The Lakers usually go to Bryant or Derek Fisher before relying on Ariza for a clutch shot. Ariza scores his points when Bryant is double-teamed. In fact, Bryant will be double-teamed less frequently with Artest, giving Bryant more opportunities for clutch shots.

"The one thing the Lakers are absolutely gaining here is money, which is exactly what you will be paying them in increasing increments next season."

Real professional. Now you're discouraging people from going to Lakers games.

"Artest will sign a three-year deal for about $18 million, roughly the same annual salary that the Houston Rockets gave Ariza.

But Ariza was given two more years by the Rockets, pushing his total closer to $33 million."

You've already admitted that Artest is a better player. Now you're saying that Ariza is more expensive. This isn't really helping your argument.

"Heaven forbid you would want to give a rising young star two more years, or spend some of your roughly $1 million-per-game playoff bounty to do it!"

Is there a dictionary nearby? Look up "star." Bryant is a star. Dwight Howard is a star. Gasol is not a star. This would lead most to beleive that Ariza will definitely never be a star.

"Jerry Buss should have opened the pockets a little wider. And Mitch Kupchak should have jogged the memory a little deeper."

The Lakers are currently on the top in payroll. And if any memory needs to be jogged, it's your's, Plaschke. Have you watched a single game with Ariza?

"Remember the last time the Lakers made a postseason acquisition of an aging star that appeared to give them an embarrassment of riches and render them unbeatable?

The year was 2004, and they signed two of them, Gary Payton and Karl Malone, and you know what happened next. By the end of the season, the fractured chemistry imploded in a Finals loss to the Detroit Pistons that was so awful, afterward seemingly half the team either quit or was traded."

Malone and Payton didn't hurt the Lakers. The Lakers missed the Finals in the previous year and got their the next year. Without Malone and Payton, they're eliminated by the Spurs again, and this time in the second round.

"Like Malone and Payton, Artest is a great acquisition in a fantasy league. But this is reality, and nothing in NBA history has ever been quite like Artest's reality."

So what makes him worse than Ariza? All I see in here is that Ariza can do some sort of disappearing act that helps the Lakers.

"Everyone knows how, as an Indiana Pacer, he was suspended for 73 regular-season games and the postseason after going into the stands to confront fans and later punching one on the floor.

A long time ago, huh? Yeah, all of five years."

A real long time ago. Back when the Suns, Pistons, and Heat were great. When the Hornets sucked and the Cavaliers were irrelevant. When Steve Nash was MVP and Emeka Okafor was the next big thing.

"Did you know that he has also once shown up for practice in a bathrobe, asked to take a month off because he was tired, and been jailed for 10 days for domestic assault?"

What does this have to do with basketball?

"Everyone said he was a changed man when he was traded from the Pacers to the Sacramento Kings, but he was suspended for a playoff game in 2006 for a flagrant elbow, and the Kings lost that series to the San Antonio Spurs in six games."

This was the same year that Artest took a team that wasn't expected to make the playoffs to the sixth game as the eight seed. Bryant was also suspended from a playoff game and he's a year older than the aging Artest. What good is he? All he did was lead the Lakers to a championship?

"Everyone said he changed again when he joined the Rockets, but in this spring's playoff series against the Lakers, he was thrown out of two games while finishing the series hitting 17 of 61 shots in the last four games."

He also kept the Rockets in that series with the help of really only Shane Battier.

"And Trevor Ariza has done what, exactly? Agree to come off the bench? Agree to guard the team's best shooter? Agree to take that shot when Bryant couldn't?"

Artest won't need to come off the bench, he has always guarded the team's best shooter, and it's not like he'll decline to take shots.

"Ariza's only NBA mistake occurred this week, when he followed the lead of his misguided agent, David Lee. By joining the Rockets as a miscast free-agent star, the kid now faces the possibility of a career filled with disillusionment and mediocrity, not to mention anonymity."

Artest joins the Rockets and they're championship contendors. Ariza joins the Rockets and he's destined for mediocrity. I thought this guy had "limitless potential."

"Ariza was more valuable to the Lakers than to anyone else. This was his home, his comfort zone, the perfect spot for a supporting actor to shine from the wings."

So he's a role player, rather than Artest who could play a major role if Bryant is injured or if Gasol isn't reliable.

"Why didn't Ariza realize this? And why couldn't the Lakers have given him more time to realize this? This agreement occurred within two days of the start of the free-agent period.

Couldn't the Lakers have given him a chance to come to his senses?

Couldn't they have met somewhere in the middle?"

Yes and they could have spent more on a player destined for mediocrity rather than on a player who will make them better.

"But, no, a flashy guy in a funky haircut beckoned, and the Lakers bit, trading heart for Hollywood, quiet strength for false bravado, a rock for a hard place."

As I said earlier, Artest is happiest when he's out of the spotlight, like with the Rockets. And that's exactly what he is with the Lakers. He's not flashy at all. Artest is a scrappy, hard-working player. Are we really using haircuts to judge players?

"While Lakers fans are now faced with an unsettled title defense, there is a shining word of certainty for every other fan who recently watched the NBA's next dynasty while shouting "Break up the Lakers."

Done."

I would have suggested a different approach to this article. I would have written more than two lines about why Ariza is better than Artest. But maybe that's just not possible.

The Fast Break: Pacers Updates 7/1

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:50:18 +0000

Hello to all of you great Pacers fans out there, you know what this is: The Fast Break. Some good updates today, mostly courtesy of IndyStar.com, IndyCornrows.com, and of course, Pacers .com. So... let's get to this!

Pacers Climbing at Oberto, Looking at Gortat

Now that the Shaq, Vince Carter, and Ben Gordon talks have finally been answered, the Pacers are coming into this mix as well. As with yesterday when PP reported that T.J. Ford may be up in the trade talks, more have been involving.

Now here comes another fine Pacers blog, IndyCornrows.com, reporting that the Indiana Pacers are interested in former-Spur and now-Buck player, Fabricio Oberto. But it's just a fanpost so many people are like, "It may not be even freaking true!"

Oh hell yes, it is.

The man who wrote the post who goes by the name, dbcb, found a link to the man who wrote the article of Indy interested in Oberto. And guess where it was from?

Yahoo! Sports:

Once Fabricio Oberto clears waivers in Detroit on July 7, there will be several teams courting the ex-Spurs forward, including Washington, Phoenix, Sacramento and Indiana, sources say. There's still a strong possibility he could return to the Spurs, who traded him as part of the Richard Jefferson deal last month.

But Cornrows found more to it in their non-fanpost. Cornrows reports that the Pacers have also spread interest in Orlando Magic's backup center, Marcin Gortat. Gortat played a key role when Superman was out.

Here's what Cornrow's take was on the whole Gortat-Oberto buzz:

Day one of the NBA free agent signing period has spawned tons of news and rumors around the league. Already, Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva are reported to be joining the Detroit Pistons. As dbcb posted earlier today, the Pacers have reportedly shown interest in Fabricio Oberto and Marcin Gortat.

Oberto wouldn't excite me much and would have to join the group of bridge players since, considering his age, signing him for more than two years wouldn't be wise. Gortat has more of a game the Pacers are looking for in their effort to add a reasonably priced front court contributor. The Pacers don't have the money to get into a bidding war, though and with Houston and New York appearing very interested, Gortat's price tag will likely exceed the Pacers budget.

Then here was Larry Bird's comments on about many free agents coming into this year's free agency (Gracias Bruno):

"We've got $8 million and, the way I look at it, three holes to fill," said team President Larry Bird. "I think we're going to have the opportunity to pick up a pretty good player for a lot less money than he would've gotten if the economy was a lot better.

"There's what, 100 free agents this year? There's going to be a lot of them looking for jobs, and some pretty good players, too - for minimums. It won't be top names but they will be some pretty good players."

Well, that's pretty much what's all we have in for us today! Gracias to all those good sources. I know, only one update, but it was pretty long so it makes it all good...in the hood.

The Fast Break: Pacers Updates 6/31

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:32:47 +0000

Hey guys, welcome to the The Fast Break of Pacers Updates today! I'm Josh Dhani and let's see what we have in for us today.

Taiwan Game Tickets SOLD OUT

That's right, you read it. The pre-season game against the Denver Nuggets in Taiwan has apparently been sold out as I found out from the recent IC Cold Links post from IndyCornrows.com.

You can also find it all right here. But seriously, who gives a freaking damn about a pre-season game (laughing).

Bird "Wants 'Em Back"

Who does he want back: Jarrett Jack and Josh McRoberts. The Pacers extended their qualifying offers of these two soon-to-be restricted free agents, Indy Cornrows reported.

From Conrad Brunner of Caught in the Web:

"We want 'em back," said Bird. "We know what we can do with Josh but Jarrett's still out there. We have to wait and see if anybody puts an offer in on him. I'm sure there's a lot of teams interested but with the economy the way it is, I don't see a lot of movement."

I really hope Indy manages to get these guys. McRoberts may be an easy one but Jack may be a pretty tough and sneaky one, as Bird said in the quote above these letters. We'll see what'll happen, hopefully both can stay.

Early Central Division Preview: Indiana Pacers

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:26:08 +0000

My fellow Chicago Bulls fans and I need to know our division rivals ahead of the upcoming season, and I have decided to make that happen sooner rather than later. Part 2 of my extremely early look at the Central Division is here, and, after examining the Milwaukee Bucks, I'll now move on to the Indiana Pacers. Look for a preview of the Pistons next, followed by the Cavaliers and Bulls, respectively.

Record Last Year: 36-46, 4^th in Central Division, 9^th in East

Who's New: PG A.J. Price (draft), PF Tyler Hansbrough (draft)

Who's Gone: G/F Marquis Daniels (team option declined, making him an unrestricted FA)

Free Agents: PG Jarrett Jack (restricted), G Travis Diener (player option), SF Stephen Graham, PF Maceo Baston, PF Josh McRoberts (restricted), C Rasho Nesterovic

Estimated Salary Cap Status (excluding draft picks): $57.8 million definitely committed for 09-10 (estimated $58 million cap)

Strengths: SF Danny Granger is a legitimate franchise player, with great range, the ability to score in multiple ways, and very efficient overall play on both ends of the court (21.8 PER, +9.3 PER difference against opposing SF's). This franchise will be built around Granger, and, if he continues to improve at the alarming rate he has shown over the past few seasons, he will join the elite company of the league's very best sooner rather than later. When G-F Mike Dunleavy is healthy, he's also a good sharpshooter, but he was only able to play in 18 games last season. PF Troy Murphy is coming off a career year, in which he averaged 15.1 point and 12.5 boards per 36 minutes, and he has the ability to stretch the defense with his range. Murphy also led the league in defensive rebound percentage at 32%. Hansbrough should be able to crash the boards off the bench, and his hustle will benefit the team for 15-20 minutes per game. I'm also a huge fan of Jarrett Jack, who is an excellent backup PG thanks to his great work ethic and high basketball IQ (the Pacers are expected to re-sign him soon). Despite the lack of national television coverage, this team plays exciting basketball day in and day out, making them very entertaining to watch.

Weaknesses: After Granger, the talent drop-off is tremendous. Murphy had an excellent year, but, at 29 years old, he is probably at his peak. Dunleavy can score, but he really should be a third or fourth option, not the second, as he is for the current Pacers group. The point guard situation remains a mystery, with disgruntled Jamaal Tinsley eating up over $7 million in cap space without playing, and the front office losing (or perhaps they have already lost) patience with oft-injured T.J. Ford. Despite some exciting play, this team finished as a lottery team last season, mostly because of lousy point guards and below average play at all positions except small forward. In fact, the PER difference by position was negative for all positions except small forward, and the PER ranking per position was in the bottom half for all positions except - you guessed it - small forward (where the Pacers ranked 6th). When 4 out of 5 positions are below the league average, and the team is dealing with off-court dramas like Tinsley's contract dilemma, success is simply out of the question. The fact that they ended up 9^th in the East just proves how lousy the East was after the top 3 or 4 teams. Basically, this team just didn't have enough talent to compete beyond a low playoff seed, and the injuries (especially to Dunleavy, who is still out indefinitely) killed off that hope.

Outlook: Unless this team makes some smart moves in the off-season, they will remain a mediocre team. I do believe that, if they stay healthy, they could overtake the Pistons in the East, and, if they can finally rid themselves of Tinsley and solve their point guard issues, this team will finish with a better record than last year. However, they need much-improved production at point guard, shooting guard, and center to compete next season, or else they are doomed once again to mediocrity.

Prediction: 39-43, 4^th in Central Division, 9^th in East

-Salary Info. From HoopsHype

-Advanced Info. From Basketball-Reference & 82Games

-Additional Player Info. From ESPN & Yahoo!

Pacers Bid Farewell To Daniels

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:09:00 +0000

The Indiana Pacers announced they will not be picking up the option on guard Marquis Daniel's contract for next season. By doing this, Daniels will become a free agent Wednesday.

Daniels had a decent three-year stint with the Pacers, but injuries forced him out of the lineup many times. The addition of Brandon Rush would also likely force Daniels to the bench if he were to come back next season.

The Pacers declined to pick up the $7.3 million option on his contract next year, and he will be free to sign with any team he wants.

Indiana would like to clear up some space and take a hard look at free agency this offseason, something they normally don't find themselves doing. The money saved from letting Daniels go will go a long way in signing a free agent

This is just the beginning of an interesting offseason for the Pacers. One that will most likely bring many changes for the team.

The Fast Break: Pacers Updates 6/30

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:20:57 +0000

Hey guys. This is my new series that I will be doing called The Fast Break which will be bringing updates about all things that are about the Indiana Pacers. Let's get to it:

Bye Bye Marquis!

As our new writer part of Pacers Pulse, Chad Smith reports that Marquis Daniels won't be coming back to Indy. He was a great contributor off the bench in his three-year stay with the squad of Indy.

Let's hope Daniels gets signed by another NBA team as he can contribute and help that team out as well. As for right now, he's going have to be singing to this because he's gone and the Pacers have said, "Bye bye."

T.J. Ford To Be Traded

As I was surfing through one of the three (including mine) active Pacers blogs I know, I checked out IndyCornrows.com as it showed in their IC Links post that lead to this. You might not think it's cool but it did show that no one could see in that article.

It's all right here, thanks to Yahoo! Sports:

The Pacers are discussing trading point guard T.J. Ford with several teams, league sources say.

But c'mon, Indy Cornrows deserves some of it, too. Here's what they said in their IC Links post:

BigBlueShoe's fanpost linked us to a story that contains a very small and brief snippet about the Pacers looking to trade T.J. Ford. The original rumor comes from Yahoo! Sports writer Adrian Wojnarowski, who cites league sources for the inside information.

So those are the The Fast Break Indiana Pacer updates of the day. More to come soon, and I hope you can't wait. I can't, that's for sure.

Bird, Pacers Sticking To Formula

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:36:30 -0500

Larry Bird has established a formula that he believes in, and is standing by it.

Last night Bird continued his character and maturity based drafting style, as he selected Tyler Hansbrough with the 13th overall pick, and AJ Price with the 52nd pick.

Last year the Pacers took defending national champion Kansas' Senior guard Brandon Rush, and Georgetown Senior center Roy Hibbert. This year they selected two more Seniors, including another National Champion in Hansbrough.

This method that Bird and company have put in play for this team seems to be working, although it is in the early stages. Rush exploded in the later parts of the season, and when Hibbert wasn't in foul trouble, he seemed to be productive.

This approach is different than what most teams seem to be going with these days. It appears that most teams want the "one-and-done" players in college, or the unique foreign players from different countries that sometimes don't even play a single game in the league.

The fact is, the Pacers have an image to shake with the whole Artest/O'Neal/Jackson/Tinsley crew that embarrassed the franchise to it's core. With these more mature players that have shown good character, things seem to be looking up in the basketball capital of the world.

The general conception the in league now is that players play at about 75% for most of the season, and begin to really play towards the last couple of weeks, and into the playoffs. What the Pacers will get with Psycho T is hard work, a desire to win, and a caring attitude.

As a fan of the Pacers, what more could you ask for? Obviously the Pacers are still years away from being a real contender, but by adding piece by piece to the core that is already established, things are looking good for the future.

Price has showed in the past that he has learned from his mistakes (laptop situation at Uconn) and has since matured. Adding another point guard in the draft just illustrates how confident the Pacers are (or aren't) in the point guards that they have now.

TJ Ford is wildly inconsistent, and Jack and Deiner are okay fill ins. One of them will be out now, most likely Jack. The SG and SF positions have already been taken care of, and with the addition of Hansbrough, it appears they are satisfied at the Power Forward position. As Hibbert progresses, he could take more minutes away from Foster, who has plenty of miles on his engine.

There were many fans who were unhappy about the Hansbrough pick, but apparently the Pacers weren't the only team interested in him. According to reports, Larry Bird has told the media that four teams have already contacted the Pacers about a trade for Hansbrough. While the Pacers should listen to any and all offers, they will probably stick with him, unless they can throw Jamal Tinsley and his heavy contract into the deal somehow.

The Pacers are slowly putting together a good team. While this is nice, they still need a superstar to get them over the top. When was the last time any team won a championship without a superstar? The fact is, Danny Granger is brilliant, but without another talent equal or better than him, the Pacers will be stuck at the worst position possible; the 9th best team in the East.

Larry Bird: Jeff Foster Sucks

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:53:58 -0500

Forgive us this brief NBA mention, but Larry Bird's comment on new Pacer Tyler Hansbrough is telling:

Bird brushed aside the notion that Hansbrough has something to prove.

"I always see the comparisons to Jeff Foster, but I don't get it," Bird said, referring to the Pacers center known for hustle but a 5.1 career scorer. "This guy can score and he will score."

In other words, "The guy who has played 618 games for us over the last 10 years sucks."

Quick Recap of the NBA Draft

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:49:44 -0500

Thought I'd give you guys my quick take on the Draft. Josh (joshb) will be giving you guys a full analysis of the Draft later on today. Below is just my "short 'n sweet" take at how the Draft played out.

Well, the 2009 NBA Draft is over. Some surprising choices were made, including the Kings skipping over Ricky Rubio to grab Tyreke Evans at the number 4 pick, and some not-so-surprising choices were made, including Blake Griffin being the first one to get up out of his seat and go shake David Stern's hand. He went to the Clippers (as most of you already know).

Most disappointing to see drop: DeJuan Blair. Let's face it -- the kid's value plummeted because of his shaky knees, although he seemed fine in college to me. Pittsburgh coach told the ESPN broadcasting crew (which was rather excruciating to listen to) that Blair never missed a practice nor a game ever in his two years as a member of Pitt's basketball team. And he had knee problems then as well. The Spurs lucked out in this one, snagging him with the 37th pick in the draft.

Most intriguing player picked in the second round: Sam Young. He has an excellent shot fake. As Jay Bilas said after Young was selected by the Grizzles, he really emphasizes his shot fake and although it may look overdone, it really does work. Young has a very athletic body, with the ability to block shots and play hardnosed defense. He is also a tough, solid player with the ability to get to the line multiple times in a game. The Grizzles, like the Spurs, were fortunate enough to have him fall that far deep into the draft.

Most surprising pick: Tyler Hansbrough, going at 13 to the Indiana Pacers. Sure he was an All-American college player and is the leader in points in the ACC, which did include Michael Jordan, but he isn't expected to be a star in the NBA. It seemed to me that the Pacers were looking for a PG, but passed on both Jrue Holiday and Hansbrough's teammate Ty Lawson. He's a hard worker, and will put forth his best efforts to be a solid player in this league, but I don't think he'll live up to the expectations that are put on a lottery choice, even in a draft as weak as this.

How the Celtics did: He'll look to prove his worth in this league as he is a 24-year old high-school dropout, but Lester Hudson, the man who's name was called at the 58th pick, will have to work extremely hard just to find a way into Doc's rotation.

Make sure to check out Josh's full analysis of this Draft later on today!

Bored on Draft Day? Here's Something To Do: Live Comment Thread -- All Day, All Night

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:52:40 -0500

Sidenote: This isn't a live blog friends. The thread will take place in the commenting section below the article. I'll also have a rumor section below this for tomorrow's rumors, trades, and updates. Make sure to check in throughout the day/night for new rumors, trades, and updates!

Rumors/Trades/Updates

NBA Draft night over at Project Spurs: In addition to this comment thread (comment guys!), Project Spurs will be providing live coverage of the NBA Draft (link is above). Project Spurs will be offering you guys a lot of options over at the site. They will have an ongoing live blog powered by Cover It Live, as well as a live-streaming podcast, which will be hosted by Project Spurs' Michael De Leon, and the Dugout Sport Show's Glenn Moore. The two will be interviewing bloggers live on the podcast.

There will be an MVN representative at the live event provided by Project Spurs, Jeff Garcia. Jeff will be able to call in a few times throughout the night to tell us about the atmosphere and environment at Madison Square Garden. Jeff will be tweeting and offering his analysis on the picks through Twitter, which you can follow both on his profile (which is where the "Twitter" link directs you to), or from the live blog, as Michael will have his updates going through the live blog. Make sure to check it out!

Shaq heading to Cleveland.

Insight: Well, looks like Danny Ferry took notice of the work pile he had waiting for him. This deal took a big load off of the Cavs' executive. It looks to me like the Cavs won't try to do much more this offseason but draft another J.J. Hickson-type guy with the 30th pick they hold. The team will be preparing and/or meshing all offseason. Expect them to be reared and ready to go by the beginning of the '09-10 season.

Congrats LeBron. You've got yourself a second chance. Do something with it.

SI: Rondo could possibly be involved in package deal.

Yao out indefinitely with foot injury.

Insight: Could the Rockets pull off a deal today?

Suns active, rumors of Amar'e going to Warriors.

Nets, Magic, agree to deal, send Carter to Orlando.

Insight: Here's that link. Few quick thoughts...

This could either make or break the Magic's chances next year. Carter has always been a reliable scorer and a clutch player, which may prompt them to let Hedo leave. The main reason they were trying to re-sign him was because of the major role he played on the team. With Carter there, they won't need to restrain him from joining another team. But, Carter also has been known for his disruptive behavior in the locker room at times (more on the third bullet). Screwing up chemistry is dangerous for any team, especially the Magic.

The Magic are likely done this offseason. They may try to shape their team out this Summer by signing a few minor free agents. Obviously, if they don't grab an SG in the free agent market, Mickael Pietrus will assume the starting shooting guard role, allowing Carter to become the team's small forward (that is if the Magic don't bring back Turkoglu).

Van Gundy will have his hands full next year. Although Alston is gone, he still has some big egos with Howard, Carter, Rashard Lewis. The Magic have an interesting mix of players, and it will be costly for SVG to even think about letting his guard down.

Lakers send 29th pick the New York Knicks for cash.

Rumors have the Suns asking for Chandler in exchange for Ben Wallace.

Pacers Pulse (via Indy Cornrows): Pacers close to trading for Bulls two first rounders, surrender 13th pick.

Rondo's agent responds to Ainge's criticism.

Ray believes he'll stay.

Ray WANTS to stay.

CelticsBlog: Analysis of Draft day.

Expect Rondo to be involved or mentioned in Draft day trades.

Bob Ryan: The curious case of Rajon Rondo.

Blazers deal three picks to Dallas for pick number 22.

Crawford to Atlanta.

Draft Day is here, and I thought you guys might want something else to do besides refresh ESPN and Yahoo! every five seconds. So I set up a comment thread for the sole purpose of discussing the rumors and trades going on during the day, as well as the selections being made at the Draft. I'll be updating the rumor section, which as you can see is featured above, throughout the day and providing the latest whispers and the hottest trades being made throughout the day.

I'm sure they'll be a lot of issues to talk about during the day/night, so let your voice be heard and express your opinion by commenting below! After all, this is a commenting thread right?

Pacers To Swap Their 13th Pick to the Bulls For Two First-Round Picks

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:24:42 +0000

According to Indy Cornrows, the Chicago Bulls look to swap their 16th and 26th overall NBA Draft pick for the Indiana Pacers number 13th. The Pacers are looking at many of the players Chi-Town is at and it is looking very interesting in this point of view.

It would beneficial for the Pacers as they can get Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson at the 26th and 16th pick, if that looks possible enough. But for the Bulls, not so much. If the Pacers get on with this, it would certainly be great for Indy.

We'll see how it'll turn out.

Bird Looking For the Next Chris Paul in the NBA Draft

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:34:41 +0000

According to the latest blog post of Caught in the Web (part of Pacers.com), Larry Bird confirmed to Conrad Brunner that he is looking for the next Chris Paul.

It was reported that Bird is looking at Eric Maynor, Ty Lawson, Jeff Teague, Brandon Jennings, and Jrue Holliday to draft at number 13. To me, all of these prospects look fine and I really wouldn't care which one of these point guards Indy will take because they all look like they can fit with the squad.

"If you like speed, there's a lot of speed, there's guys that can score, there's guys that can get the ball in people's hands at the right time," Bird said. "Ty Lawson's not big but he's got a lot of heart. Take Jonny Flynn (of Syracuse, a likely top-10 choice), there's one of the toughest guys you'll ever see at his size at point guard and makes a lot of things happen.

Will Indy take a point guard in the draft? It possibly looks like it but time will tell.