Larry Joe Bird doesn’t typically say much. He’ll make a few comments at his upcoming annual season-ending press conference, then it’s a return to the comfortable privacy of his upstairs office at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, where he’ll continue to ponder what to do about his current roster that just can’t perform the way he envisioned when he assembled it last year. While Bird’s biggest challenge is Paul George and what to do with him this off-season, he must also deal with re-signing Jeff Teague, who became an unrestricted free agent when the horn sounded against Cleveland in game four. Normally, having to contend with the future of your two best players at virtually the same time is no picnic, but in reality, the decisions aren’t that hard, and there’s no doubt within the mind of this old scribe that Bird realizes what he has to do.
Saddled with an owner that is allergic to the salary cap (but enamored with Bird), the only solution that makes sense is to grant George his wish and ship him to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he’ll officially become Magic Johnson’s problem as soon as the Pacers receive at least Brandon Ingram and a No. 1 draft pick in exchange. This frees up salary cap space and gives Indiana something in return for number 13, as he seeks a well-publicized homecoming in Southern California. The Pacers never intended (and can’t afford) to pay George the $35–42 million annually his agent could’ve commanded due to the new NBA collective bargaining agreement, and clearly there is no hometown discount on the horizon anywhere.
Speaking of no discounts, the moment Mike Conley received $153 million last year from the Memphis Grizzlies, making him the highest paid player in the NBA, what do you think Jeff Teague’s agent told him as they popped open a bottle of celebratory champagne? Clearly it was a number the Pacers probably can’t (and shouldn’t) match, and that moves them much closer to a rebuild mode regardless of what Bird may tell us otherwise. Despite the fact that Teague has played well at times, the market for a point guard of his overall caliber will be good, and it’s very likely his tenure here is over.
Again, note the word market, as the spending spree this summer with the increased salary cap will be mind boggling, and there will be plenty of marginal players getting filthy rich as a result of it. However, there’s also another definition of market, and it’s really a double whammy for the Pacers.
Indianapolis is a great place to live, but it’s a small market for professional sports. Yes, the Colts have flourished thanks to the generosity of the Capital Improvement Board and a rather eccentric owner who knows how to spend all that television cash, but that’s the NFL, folks, and small-market NBA teams just can’t muster up the cash it takes to lure a coveted free agent into the fold. Economics 101 is in session all over the country in similar markets, and that’s never changing as long as legal tender is involved. This clearly ties one hand behind Bird’s back, but his competitive nature won’t allow him to concede that as long as he continues to think he can find hidden gems in the draft and hoodwink teams in trades.
That hasn’t worked so far for him, and it’s not going to, so now it’s time for him to determine if he can stomach a rebuilding process for a franchise that will undoubtedly be seeking even more cash from the taxpayers for enhancements to a building rapidly approaching its 20th year in existence. Yes, that too will become a headache for Bird, and even with a shiny new practice facility going up across the street, he needs an arena to be equally slick when courting prospective free agents seeking greener pastures.
There are those who say Bird’s time at the helm should be curtailed, and you can count me in as one with the following conditions applying: If he doesn’t want to admit his current roster isn’t working and won’t clean house, then he has to go and take General Manager Kevin Pritchard with him. While it wouldn’t be fair to give Nate McMillan a pink slip after one year, he’s Bird’s hire, and he has to go too if it’s going to be a complete house cleaning. Again, much of this is brought on by the perils of free agency and how it can effectively choke the life out of a franchise. Then there’s Bird’s track record in the draft and free agent signings. (Monta Ellis? Al Jefferson?) Combined, it’s got the Pacers in a funk they may not climb out of for many years. This organization does a great job of making their games fun for families, but how many people will come out to see a team that goes 20-62? Too harsh? Perhaps you should consider it again. It’s a lot closer than you think.
If you say this is an unfair indictment of Bird, you’re not entirely wrong. He can’t do anything about the stacked deck known as free agency, but he can make better decisions about how he builds his roster. Note the word “his,” as that’s exactly what we have here; we cannot continue to give him a pass because he was a legendary star in his day. The players he has brought in have been solid citizens off the court, but they’ve struggled mightily upon it. He’s fed up with what transpired this season, and he’s bound to give it a whirl one more time before he walks away. Free agency is a wicked game, and he’s got very little ammo when it comes to going to war. By now he’s learned the hard way it’s not working and things must be changed. It’s the biggest challenge of his basketball life, and in typical Bird fashion, he won’t admit the quagmire that’s been created under his watch. These next four months are pivotal for the future of the franchise and will be beyond interesting for those who follow the Pacers. The NBA is a complex business, and the gap between the haves and have nots has never been greater. The stakes have never been higher, and the deck is stacked. The question is what will Larry Bird do, and how will it all come down in what just might be his final year as the man who calls the shots? Stay tuned. The ride is going to get rough.
Danny Bridges, who thinks Larry Bird is tired of what the NBA has become and will retire after next season, can be reached at (317) 370-8447 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
