We have all heard the battle cry. Just wait until the summer following the 2010-2011 season, when all those big contracts expire and we will have the cap space to be a player in the free agent market! Well yeah, but what about next season itself, and how do they make this team better and get into the playoffs we missed this year? You know, the playoffs we should have made easily this year considering the NBA’s generous playoff system, where too many teams qualify to begin with, a system that provides additional revenue for the owners at the expense of the product itself.
Just what caliber of free agent can the Pacers expect to draw to our fair city? I mean, if you have skills and can attract attention from teams around the league, what is it that draws you to Indianapolis, rather than a team that is suited to make a legitimate playoff run? Absolutely nothing, in my opinion.
But rather than throwing stones at Pacers President Larry Bird and General Manager David Morway, what can really be done this summer to dramatically improve things for next season? Well, maybe I can offer a few suggestions to the mix.
While Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy, and T.J. Ford have all been solid citizens off of the court, it is time to bid them and their outrageous contracts farewell as soon as possible. With the salary cap making trades difficult, it really boils down to taking someone else’s problems in exchange for your own while making sure whoever you receive in exchange for the aforementioned players also comes with an expiring contract.
Indiana must look at any deal that would potentially improve their poor team chemistry.
What’s the game plan?
The bigger question is how much does next year really mean to the Pacers and how diligent will the front office be to improve the quality of play? Have they been mesmerized by this late season surge that should have started in November, or are they looking at the reality of this team, one that clearly states this thing is broken and needs major enhancements?
Is the young core of Danny Granger, Roy Hibbert, Brandon Rush, Tyler Hansbrough, A. J. Price, Dahntay Jones, and what should be a good pick in the upcoming draft, solid enough to serve as a building block for the future, or must they too be scrutinized even further as potential trade bait for players that can make a difference right away? I say the latter scenario applies and the Pacers would be wise to entertain all offers for any of their more valuable assets, regardless of whom it may be.
A smart free agent plan also includes signing any of your own players and while there have been plenty of disappointments this year, Earl Watson certainly has not been one of them, and the Pacers should offer him a fair contract before some other team signs him. If you cannot trade Murphy before the season, sit pat and be prepared to ride out the season with him, as this would guarantee your ability to trade him at the deadline to a contender looking for some offensive help at playoff time.
While we knew that part of trading Jermaine O’Neal a few years ago meant taking on some salaries that would be huge, everyone associated with the Pacers certainly expected more from Ford than what he has given the team during his time here. Too many nagging injuries and a style of play that really does not fit well into the current system has made things tough.
While he will never be the player he was earlier in his career before a serious injury occurred, Ford still has some game and would be an excellent backup for a playoff team next season. While Indiana should do everything they possibly can to move him in the off season, he too will more than likely return for the final year of his contract and hopefully become valuable trade bait as the trade deadline approaches.
Coach O’Brien and Bird’s future up in air
Ah yes, then there is the coaching situation, one that I really cannot even begin to understand. While I think Jim O’Brien has done an admirable job with the Pacers, he will once again be heading into a season in the last year of his contract.
Both Bird and owner Herb Simon have given O’Brien a public endorsement of late, but there has apparently been no talk of an extension, one that, in my opinion, he deserves.
This organization needs a no-nonsense, old school approach to things both on and off of the floor, and O’Brien brings that to work every day. By not extending him before next season, the front office sends a message of uncertainty, one that lacks resolve and one that instills a lack of credibility for any coach with their players. This situation is a messy one, and must be resolved immediately if indeed there is going to be any sense of order.
Notes: This once proud franchise has now missed the playoffs four years in a row. While there is still a loyal fan base in this community, how much longer will this horribly unacceptable streak continue before the faithful join the large number of people who refuse to attend a game anymore, regardless of the team’s opponent?
I truly wonder how much longer Bird wants to remain in charge of the Pacers. While he experienced a phenomenal level of success as a Hall Of Fame player, Bird’s tenure in the front office has been rocky at best. Fiercely competitive in his playing days, this losing atmosphere is no doubt killing this proud man, and I would not be surprised to see him walk away from it all to spend more time with his family.
Danny Bridges, who challenges every Pacer on the roster to work harder than ever this summer and remember how disgusted you felt watching the playoffs on TV, can be reached at (317) 578-1780 or Bridgeshd@aol.com.
