Who to draft? Who to trade? Who to re-sign? Those are just a few of the questions facing Pacer President Larry Bird in this upcoming off-season and while all of the aforementioned will need resolving, it will not be an easy task, as the Pacers have numerous needs and a limited budget, which is not exactly a recipe for success in today’s NBA game.
First and foremost, there is Coach Jim O’Brien, who will be entering the last year of his current deal with the start of the 2009-2010 season. Generally speaking, it is dangerous to enter a season with a coach in the proverbial lame duck contractual status, and the Pacers would be well suited to address this issue long before the start of training camp.
Letting O’Brien enter next season without a new contract would be a green light for any player who may question his authority or dislike his coaching philosophy. Hopefully this will be resolved sooner or later, as the situation could get ugly if left unattended in a prolonged fashion.
The upcoming draft is indeed critical for the franchise who will be part of the draft lottery reserved for non playoff teams. While the Pacers will certainly look at the best available player option when drafting, they no doubt could use some horsepower in terms of the physical aspect of the post game.
An additional player who can crash the boards each night has to be high on the wish list entering the draft. Chances are they will indeed look closely at the point guard situation, and T.J. Ford could also be part of a trade that returns another player better suited for the point.
The resolution of Jamaal Tinsley’s situation may also be a part of enhancing the roster if the club can find a trading partner for the enigmatic, yet talented player who is owed just over 14 million dollars through the 2010-2011 season.
The oft injured Marquis Daniels has played very well at times this year and is probably a player the club would like to have back, provided they can come to an agreement both parties can live with. He will no doubt draw interest from other teams, and his best monetary offer may indeed include a new work address.
While this team was a disappointment to many by not qualifying for the playoffs, there were many bright spots this season.
Defeating the Lakers at home and taking them to the buzzer at the Staples Center was indeed impressive. Home wins against Boston and Cleveland certainly come to mind as well, but losing games against teams they should have defeated overshadow those accomplishments a great deal. The inability to maintain leads will have to improve if this team is going to take the next step forward.
One thing is for certain. Pacers fans have to be pleased with the improvement of the product, both on the floor and off the floor this season. Now it is time to take it to the next step.
Notes: Former Broad Ripple High School and IUPUI standout George Hill visited Conseco Fieldhouse on April 3 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. Hill who played regularly for the Spurs early in the season due to injuries, has enjoyed a solid rookie season, and looks to be a part of the Spurs future plans. The Spurs defeated the Pacers 126-121 behind 31 points and ten assists from All Star point guard Tony Parker.
The Pacers final three games of the season are at Conseco Fieldhouse when Detroit visits on April 11, followed by Cleveland and Lebron James on April 13. The Milwaukee Bucks close out the season when they visit on April 15.
Specially priced tickets are available.
Danny Bridges can be reached at (317) 578-1780 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
