Pacers Pulse - An Indiana Pacers blog
Before all this lockout nonsense began, it was a well-known fact that the Indiana Pacers were in pursuit of a big name big man through free agency -- namely David West and Nene.
Now the lockout is almost over, it's time to take a look at whether the Pacers really can land one of these guys, and whether they ought to try.
Currently, the Pacers have Roy Hibbert as the incumbent center and Tyler Hansbrough as the likely starting power forward, which is not too shabby but could certainly be improved on. Back-up center and free agent Jeff Foster is getting on in years and has been troubled by injury more recently, but I assume the Pacers would like to re-sign him as a sign of respect and loyalty to reward Foster for services to the Pacers over the years so that he can retire a Pacer. Josh McRoberts is more of a question mark -- the Pacers showed a willingness to trade him for OJ Mayo at the end of the last season, but if they can get a him for a good price I think they'd like him to return too. As for free agent number three Solomon Jones, his career with the Pacers is as good as over.
In short, the Pacers have a core of Hibbert, Hansbrough, probably Foster and maybe McRoberts. Granger and Posey (if he isn't tossed out beforehand) can play the four but they're not considered 'bigs'. Accordingly, West or Nene (and/or Carl Landry) would be a very nice addition.
David West
The New Orleans free agent recently had major ACL surgery which is never a good sign, especially for a 31-year-old like West. Nevertheless, his stock remains high, which is why he opted out of his contract in search of the bigger dollars.
Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski reported a short while ago that several teams are interested in West, but New Orleans and the Pacers remain the frontrunners to land him. If this is the case, then I would say the Pacers should have the edge, considering the rumors surrounding the departure of Chris Paul from New Orleans. With Indiana, West can get the dollars as well as a chance to win. With the Hornets, if Paul leaves, West would be destined for the lottery for at least the forseeable future.
But the bigger question is, do the Pacers need West? He would inject a much needed veteran presence, but at 6'9" West is somewhat undersized, and with his ACL condition up in the air, would it be too much of a gamble? Plus are West's numbers inflated by the presence of the best PG in the league in Chris Paul? He has played with Collison in New Orleans, which might allow their pick and roll game to flourish, but whichever way you look at it, signing West comes with big risks and only moderate potential.
That said, any time a big name free agent who can make a significant impact is willing to come to Indiana, I say take 'em.
Nene
Wojnarowski also reported that Indiana is a player in the Nene sweepstakes, along with Denver, New Jersey, Golden State, Houston, LA Clippers and Portland. Theoretically, the Pacers wouldn't be a frontrunner, but Nene might be a good fit -- a big (6'11"), defensive minded player who can rebound and run the floor but not quite the multi-faceted offensive threat West is.
Consider a frontline with the 7'2" Hibbert and the 6'11" Nene, which would shift the energetic Hansbrough to sixth man, a role most believe he would relish. Nene could play the five with Hansbrough or the four with Hibbert, and he could easily play 30 minutes a night. Hibbert and Nene makes a more imposing defensive combo than with West, but considering how much the Pacers need a second reliable scoring option next to Granger, it's not clear which path the Pacers would take if the gods smile upon them and make both men available.
There's another big piece of potential news which I'll report on next.
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Now the lockout is almost over, it's time to take a look at whether the Pacers really can land one of these guys, and whether they ought to try.
Currently, the Pacers have Roy Hibbert as the incumbent center and Tyler Hansbrough as the likely starting power forward, which is not too shabby but could certainly be improved on. Back-up center and free agent Jeff Foster is getting on in years and has been troubled by injury more recently, but I assume the Pacers would like to re-sign him as a sign of respect and loyalty to reward Foster for services to the Pacers over the years so that he can retire a Pacer. Josh McRoberts is more of a question mark -- the Pacers showed a willingness to trade him for OJ Mayo at the end of the last season, but if they can get a him for a good price I think they'd like him to return too. As for free agent number three Solomon Jones, his career with the Pacers is as good as over.
In short, the Pacers have a core of Hibbert, Hansbrough, probably Foster and maybe McRoberts. Granger and Posey (if he isn't tossed out beforehand) can play the four but they're not considered 'bigs'. Accordingly, West or Nene (and/or Carl Landry) would be a very nice addition.
David West
The New Orleans free agent recently had major ACL surgery which is never a good sign, especially for a 31-year-old like West. Nevertheless, his stock remains high, which is why he opted out of his contract in search of the bigger dollars.
Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski reported a short while ago that several teams are interested in West, but New Orleans and the Pacers remain the frontrunners to land him. If this is the case, then I would say the Pacers should have the edge, considering the rumors surrounding the departure of Chris Paul from New Orleans. With Indiana, West can get the dollars as well as a chance to win. With the Hornets, if Paul leaves, West would be destined for the lottery for at least the forseeable future.
But the bigger question is, do the Pacers need West? He would inject a much needed veteran presence, but at 6'9" West is somewhat undersized, and with his ACL condition up in the air, would it be too much of a gamble? Plus are West's numbers inflated by the presence of the best PG in the league in Chris Paul? He has played with Collison in New Orleans, which might allow their pick and roll game to flourish, but whichever way you look at it, signing West comes with big risks and only moderate potential.
That said, any time a big name free agent who can make a significant impact is willing to come to Indiana, I say take 'em.
Nene
Wojnarowski also reported that Indiana is a player in the Nene sweepstakes, along with Denver, New Jersey, Golden State, Houston, LA Clippers and Portland. Theoretically, the Pacers wouldn't be a frontrunner, but Nene might be a good fit -- a big (6'11"), defensive minded player who can rebound and run the floor but not quite the multi-faceted offensive threat West is.
Consider a frontline with the 7'2" Hibbert and the 6'11" Nene, which would shift the energetic Hansbrough to sixth man, a role most believe he would relish. Nene could play the five with Hansbrough or the four with Hibbert, and he could easily play 30 minutes a night. Hibbert and Nene makes a more imposing defensive combo than with West, but considering how much the Pacers need a second reliable scoring option next to Granger, it's not clear which path the Pacers would take if the gods smile upon them and make both men available.
There's another big piece of potential news which I'll report on next.
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Here we go! With the end of the lockout essentially a formality now, it's time to start looking at the upcoming season, set to start on Christmas Day.
According to ESPN, the Pacers are one of the teams that got screwed by the proposed new agreement because the Pacers had been patient in saving cap space in order to pursue marquee free agents in the coming years -- and now the new amnesty clause will arm other teams with the ammunition to compete with the Pacers, which does not bode well for a small market team in Indiana.
Nevertheless, the future looks bright for the Pacers.
According to various sources, there are a couple of potential moves in the works. I'll report on them shortly. no comments
According to ESPN, the Pacers are one of the teams that got screwed by the proposed new agreement because the Pacers had been patient in saving cap space in order to pursue marquee free agents in the coming years -- and now the new amnesty clause will arm other teams with the ammunition to compete with the Pacers, which does not bode well for a small market team in Indiana.
Nevertheless, the future looks bright for the Pacers.
According to various sources, there are a couple of potential moves in the works. I'll report on them shortly. no comments
Apparently, a tentative deal has been reached. Rejoice!
The owners and players still need to vote in order for a 66-game season to commence on Christmas Day. Considering how everyone is so sick and tired of this lockout, hopefully it will be no more than a formality.
Danny Granger tweeted: "I'm pretty sure the vote will happen either tomorrow or sunday...let's all pray this turns out well."
Finally, something we can all agree on! no comments
The owners and players still need to vote in order for a 66-game season to commence on Christmas Day. Considering how everyone is so sick and tired of this lockout, hopefully it will be no more than a formality.
Danny Granger tweeted: "I'm pretty sure the vote will happen either tomorrow or sunday...let's all pray this turns out well."
Finally, something we can all agree on! no comments
As we watch yet another day, week, month slip away from the 2011-2012 NBA season, there is not much to do around here except sigh. The Pacers could have been leading the Central Division right now, but instead, the only piece of news is that TJ Ford, former Pacers guard who had no chance in hell of coming back to the Pacers after becoming a free agent in the summer, is headed to Croatia to play for KK Zagreb.
Let's face it, Ford should have gone there as soon as the season ended, given how low his stock had plummeted on the Pacers' bench. To be fair, Ford was the consummate professional, but for some reason, like many Pacers point guards, lose their ability to pass and become score-first PGs as soon as they hit the floor.
Let's wish him all the best.
PS: In other news, I might start the player reviews again. I was hoping the lockout would end and I'd be able to skip them altogether, but alas, not to be. no comments
Let's face it, Ford should have gone there as soon as the season ended, given how low his stock had plummeted on the Pacers' bench. To be fair, Ford was the consummate professional, but for some reason, like many Pacers point guards, lose their ability to pass and become score-first PGs as soon as they hit the floor.
Let's wish him all the best.
PS: In other news, I might start the player reviews again. I was hoping the lockout would end and I'd be able to skip them altogether, but alas, not to be. no comments
Thanks to the ongoing lockout, there's not much to get excited about when it comes to the NBA these days. Two weeks have been cancelled and it seems an entire season is at serious risk if something is not ironed out in the near future. In the meantime, owners continue to cry poor, players continue to organise all-star exhibition events, and the fans lose out.
One non-lockout-related item that has been abuzz lately is the ESPN player rankings, where a panel of ESPN experts ranked every player in the NBA from No. 500 to No. 1. In case you missed it, No. 1 was, of course, Lebron James, followed by Dwight Howard, his stablemate Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and latest NBA champ Dirk Nowtizki.
As for the Pacers, they didn't fare so well. Let me break it down.
In summary
Considering the Pacers made the playoffs last season and pushed the top seeded Bulls in 5 gruelling games, it was a bit of a disappointment to see how low the Pacers players were ranked. Or perhaps that's a good thing, demonstrating a team that is greater than the sum of its parts. After all, Miami has two of the top three players in the rankings and they still couldn't win the title.
The top ranked Pacers player was obviously Danny Granger, who came in at a low 36. Fair enough, but the next highest ranked player? New addition George Hill at 91, followed by Darren Collison (94) and Roy Hibbert (96). Those are the only players in the top 100. In a league of 30 teams, each team should theoretically have around three to four players in the top 100, so I guess from that perspective the Pacers didn't do too badly.
At the other end of the scale, the worst ranked Pacer was Solomon Jones, who came in at 389. In my humble opinion that's not too bad. Can you even think of 30 players that were worse than Solo last season?
Here's the full list:
Player-by-player analysis
36. Danny Granger
Player score: 7.26/10 (to put things in perspective, Lebron scored a 9.91/10)
2010-2011 stats: 20.5ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.6apg
5 players ranked above: Ray Allen, Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bogut, Joe Johnson, Nene
5 players ranked below: Tyson Chandler, Stephen Curry, Eric Gordon, John Wall, Monta Ellis
Thoughts: As clearly the best player of a playoff team (ie, a top 16 team in the NBA), 36 does appear to be a bit low for Danny Granger. Sure he ought to be a better leader, a better rebounder, a better passer, a better slasher and a better defender, and he appears to have peaked and is starting to decline, but Granger is still the key player on a middle of the pack, up-and-coming team. Given that some teams have multiple stars, a rank around the mid or even late 20s would have been more suitable, particularly if you look at the guys ranked above Granger. Sorry, but as good a shooter Ray Allen is, he's not better than Granger. Iguodala is a better defender and all-round player, so I can accept that, but Nene? 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game Nene? I'm not so sure.
91. George Hill
Player score: 5.69
2010-2011 stats: 11.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.5apg
5 players ranked above: Andrei Kirilenko, Andre Miller, Chris Kaman, Caron Butler, Marcin Gortat
5 players ranked below: JJ Barea, OJ Mayo, Darren Collison, Kendrick Perkins, Roy Hibbert
Thoughts: Mmm...not that I think 91 is too high for George Hill, but I don't think he is necessarily better than the other two Pacers players ranked below him (Collison and Hibbert). Going forward, I can't imagine Hill being a more important piece than Hibbert, and I'm still not convinced he can supplant Collison as the starting PG. If Hill is the sixth man, does that warrant him being the second best player on the team? Don't get me wrong, but I think being a role player on San Antonio has somehow inflated his worth.
94. Darren Collison
Player score: 5.68
2010-2011 stats: 13.2ppg, 2.8rpg, 5.1apg
5 players ranked above: OJ Mayo, JJ Barea, George Hill, Andrei Kirilenko, Andre Miller
5 players ranked below: Kendrick Perkins, Roy Hibbert, Ron Artest, Shane Battier, JaVale McGee
Thoughts: Collison's stock fell drastically after a season in which he failed to live up to lofty expectations, but judging from the players he is ranked amongst I think he's roughly in the right place. I believe he has the potential to crack the top 50 though.
96. Roy Hibbert
Player score: 5.67
2010-2011 stats: 12.7ppg, 7.5rpg, 2.0apg
5 players ranked above: Kendrick Perkins, Darren Collison, OJ Mayo, JJ Barea, George Hill
5 players ranked below: Ron Artest, Shane Battier, JaVale McGee, Wesley Matthews, DeMar DeRozan
Thoughts: Roy is another underachiever but he showed glimpses of what he is capable of. Based on that assessment, I think Hibbert is ranked too low and ought to be the Pacers' second best player right now -- though given that he is only 0.01 behind Collison and 0.02 behind Hill I can't complain too much. I think he is definitely better than the overrated Kendrick Perkins.
122. Tyler Hansbrough
Player score: 5.20
2010-2011 stats: 11.0ppg, 5.2rpg, 0.6apg
5 players ranked above: Vince Carter, DeJuan Blair, DJ Augustin, Aaron Brooks, Glen Davis
5 players ranked below: Tyrus Thomas, Jeff Green, JJ Hickson, Richard Hamilton, Mo Williams
Thoughts: Based on the company I think Hansbrough is in the right zone, but he certainly has potential to be a much better player. His hustle and ability to rack up big games every now and then makes me wonder whether he ought to be ranked higher.
141. Mike Dunleavy
Player score: 4.97
2010-2011 stats: 11.2 ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.7apg
5 players ranked above: Kyrie Irving, Mehmet Okur, Derrick Favors, Brandon Bass, Marcus Thornton
5 players ranked below: Rudy Fernandez, JJ Reddick, Rashard Lewis, Kris Humphris, Nick Young
Thoughts: Mike has a big game every now and then (remember Denver?), but no matter how much the coaching staff talk him up he just doesn't appear to be much more than an occasionally relevant role player these days. I often think he is overrated, but when you take a look at the stats of the guys ranked above him it suggests to me that it's actualyl the other way around.
205. Paul George
Player score: 4.32
2010-2011 stats: 7.8ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.1apg
5 players ranked above: Ricky Rubio, Ed Davis, Brendan Haywood, Goran Dragic, Carlos Delfino
5 players ranked below: Jonas Jerebko, Jermaine O'Neal, Corey Brewer, Anthony Morrow, Jordan Crawford
Thoughts: Definitely the most underrated Pacers player in these rankings. Take a look at the people ranked above and below PG. Is there a single guy, with the potential exception of Rubio, that you would pick in front of him right now or in the future? And if 'potential' plays into the rankings (eg John Wall at 40, Blake Griffin in the top 10), how the heck is PG not a top 150 guy at the very least? Baffling.
232. Jeff Foster
Player score: 4.04
2010-2011 stats: 3.3ppg, 6.3rpg, 0.8apg
5 players ranked above: Martell Webster, Hakim Warrick, DeShawn Stevenson, Marco Belinelli, Ben Wallace
5 players ranked below: Francisco Garcia, Ryan Gomes, Ersan Ilyasova, Marreese Speights, Daniel Gibson
Thoughts: Considering Mr Offensive Rebound missed a bunch of games last season and clearly wasn't at his best, this ranking suggests to me that the voters were ranking him based on their respect for his past contributions. Foster is still a valuable contributor when healthy but his prime is far behind him. Chances are his value will only decrease from here.
250. Josh McRoberts
Player score: 3.87
2010-2011 stats: 7.4ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.1apg
5 players ranked above: Nate Robinson, Peja Stojakovic, Ronny Turiaf, Al Thornton, Wesley Johnson
5 players ranked below: Jordan Farmar, Michael Redd, Enes Kanter, Kurt Thomas, Keith Bogans
Thoughts: Whenever I look at Josh's stats I can't believe they are that low. Whenever I watched him play for the Pacers last season I thought he was pretty good, which is why the low ranking surprised me. Would you take him over Jeff Foster right now? Of course you would. Would you take him over any of the five guys ranked above him? I probably would. I think he deserved better, and will prove it next season, whether he's with the Pacers or not (and whether there is a season...).
269. Brandon Rush
Player score: 3.60
2010-2011 stats: 9.1ppg, 3.2rpg, 0.9apg
5 players ranked above: Kemba Walker, Brandon Knight, James Jones, Raja Bell, Jared Jeffries
5 players ranked below: Greivis Vasquez, Travis Outlaw, Earl Boykins, Jimmer Fredette, Jodie Meeks
Thoughts: Based on his stats, Rush's ranking is a little low, but to be honest I'd take any of the rookies ranked above or below him in a heartbeat. Rush has had enough chances to prove himself and I doubt he'll ever crack the top 200 in this league. Shame because the 'potential' to be a top 100 player is definitely there.
277. Dahntay Jones
Player score: 3.60
2010-2011 stats: 6.3ppg, 1.4rpg, 0.7apg
5 players ranked above: Willie Green, Daequan Cook, Jodie Meeks, Jimmer Fredette, Earl Boykins
5 players ranked below: Shaun Livingston, Roger Mason Jr, Yi Jianlian, Aaron Gray, Chris Duhon
Thoughts: Is it just me or do players carrying great expectations with them always turn to crap when they join the Pacers? Dahntay Jones was the Pacers' prized signing a year ago and this season he barely played half of it. 277 is about right for Dahntay based on his recent performances. Kobe stopper he is not, but thank goodness DJ can still play some D.
285. TJ Ford
Player score: 3.44
2010-2011 stats: 5.4ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.4apg
5 players ranked above: Kelenna Azubuike, Reggie Williams, Chris Duhon, Aaron Gray, Yi Jianlian
5 players ranked below: Nazr Mohammed, Donte Greene, Jamario Moon, Anthony Tolliver, Craig Smith
Thoughts: He's been a professional through all of the turmoil but TJ Ford is as good as gone, without a potential destination in sight. Who would have thought things would turn out like this? And who would have thought the Pacers still have four players ranked below him?
291. James Posey
Player score: 3.35
2010-2011 stats: 4.9ppg, 3.0rpg, 0.7apg
5 players ranked above: Craig Smith, Anothony Tolliver, Jamario Moon, Donte Green, Nazr Mohammed
5 players ranked below: Jason Smith, Marquis Daniels, Julian Wright, Earl Watson, Kawhi Leonard
Thoughts: Last season the former NBA champion tried to live by the three but for the most part died by the three. At least Posey is still ranked above two former Pacers Daniels and Watson, and above rookie Leonard, whom the Pacers drafted but almost immediately swapped for George Hill. How did someone go from potential savior to a cringe every time he stepped on the floor?
324. AJ Price
Player score: 3.02
2010-2011 stats: 6.5ppg, 1.4rpg, 2.2apg
5 players ranked above: Terrence Williams, Sebastian Telfair, Trevor Booker, Maurice Evans, Tristan Thompson
5 players ranked below: Von Wafer, Brian Cardinal, Fabricio Oberto, Keyon Dooling, Carlos Arroyo
Thoughts: Too low for a regularly solid backup contributor like Price. No reason why he shouldn't have been ranked above Posey and Ford.
369. Lance Stephenson
Player score: 2.60
2010-2011 stats: 3.1ppg, 1.5rpg, 1.8apg
5 players ranked above: Alonzo Gee, Eduardo Najera, Pooh Jeter, Josh Powell, Wayne Ellington
5 players ranked below: Francisco Elson, Morris Peterson, Quinton Ross, Johan Petro, Renaldo Balkman
Thoughts: Born Ready to be ranked no. 369 in the NBA. Not sure if this is too high or too low. Are we looking at performance? On the court or off? What about potential? The kid has potential, but then again, so does (did) Brandon Rush. We've been saying that for years. How long will we give Stephenson?
389. Solomon Jones
Player score: 2.44
2010-2011 stats: 3.6ppg, 2.9rpg, 0.8apg
5 players ranked above: Ime Udoka, DJ White, Donatas Motiejunas, Quincy Pondexter, Hamed Haddadi
5 players ranked below: Jamaal Magloire, Nikola Vucevic, Ike Diogu, Avery Bradley, Nolan Smith
Thoughts: And here we are, the worst Pacers player in the NBA. And of course it had to be Solo, another guy brought in with high expectations but got worse and worse as he lost playing time and confidence. On the bright side, Solo is ranked above former Pacer (and practically the old Solo) Ike Diogu, and in a league of 500 players, there are more than a hundred ranked below him. That's kind of comforting.
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One non-lockout-related item that has been abuzz lately is the ESPN player rankings, where a panel of ESPN experts ranked every player in the NBA from No. 500 to No. 1. In case you missed it, No. 1 was, of course, Lebron James, followed by Dwight Howard, his stablemate Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and latest NBA champ Dirk Nowtizki.
As for the Pacers, they didn't fare so well. Let me break it down.
In summary
Considering the Pacers made the playoffs last season and pushed the top seeded Bulls in 5 gruelling games, it was a bit of a disappointment to see how low the Pacers players were ranked. Or perhaps that's a good thing, demonstrating a team that is greater than the sum of its parts. After all, Miami has two of the top three players in the rankings and they still couldn't win the title.
The top ranked Pacers player was obviously Danny Granger, who came in at a low 36. Fair enough, but the next highest ranked player? New addition George Hill at 91, followed by Darren Collison (94) and Roy Hibbert (96). Those are the only players in the top 100. In a league of 30 teams, each team should theoretically have around three to four players in the top 100, so I guess from that perspective the Pacers didn't do too badly.
At the other end of the scale, the worst ranked Pacer was Solomon Jones, who came in at 389. In my humble opinion that's not too bad. Can you even think of 30 players that were worse than Solo last season?
Here's the full list:
| Player | Rank |
| Danny Granger | 36 |
| George Hill | 91 |
| Darren Collison | 94 |
| Roy Hibbert | 96 |
| Tyler Hansbrough | 122 |
| Mike Dunleavy | 141 |
| Paul George | 205 |
| Jeff Foster | 232 |
| Josh McRoberts | 250 |
| Brandon Rush | 269 |
| Dahntay Jones | 277 |
| TJ Ford | 285 |
| James Posey | 291 |
| AJ Price | 324 |
| Lance Stephenson | 369 |
| Solomon Jones | 389 |
Player-by-player analysis
36. Danny Granger
Player score: 7.26/10 (to put things in perspective, Lebron scored a 9.91/10)
2010-2011 stats: 20.5ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.6apg
5 players ranked above: Ray Allen, Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bogut, Joe Johnson, Nene
5 players ranked below: Tyson Chandler, Stephen Curry, Eric Gordon, John Wall, Monta Ellis
Thoughts: As clearly the best player of a playoff team (ie, a top 16 team in the NBA), 36 does appear to be a bit low for Danny Granger. Sure he ought to be a better leader, a better rebounder, a better passer, a better slasher and a better defender, and he appears to have peaked and is starting to decline, but Granger is still the key player on a middle of the pack, up-and-coming team. Given that some teams have multiple stars, a rank around the mid or even late 20s would have been more suitable, particularly if you look at the guys ranked above Granger. Sorry, but as good a shooter Ray Allen is, he's not better than Granger. Iguodala is a better defender and all-round player, so I can accept that, but Nene? 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game Nene? I'm not so sure.
91. George Hill
Player score: 5.69
2010-2011 stats: 11.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.5apg
5 players ranked above: Andrei Kirilenko, Andre Miller, Chris Kaman, Caron Butler, Marcin Gortat
5 players ranked below: JJ Barea, OJ Mayo, Darren Collison, Kendrick Perkins, Roy Hibbert
Thoughts: Mmm...not that I think 91 is too high for George Hill, but I don't think he is necessarily better than the other two Pacers players ranked below him (Collison and Hibbert). Going forward, I can't imagine Hill being a more important piece than Hibbert, and I'm still not convinced he can supplant Collison as the starting PG. If Hill is the sixth man, does that warrant him being the second best player on the team? Don't get me wrong, but I think being a role player on San Antonio has somehow inflated his worth.
94. Darren Collison
Player score: 5.68
2010-2011 stats: 13.2ppg, 2.8rpg, 5.1apg
5 players ranked above: OJ Mayo, JJ Barea, George Hill, Andrei Kirilenko, Andre Miller
5 players ranked below: Kendrick Perkins, Roy Hibbert, Ron Artest, Shane Battier, JaVale McGee
Thoughts: Collison's stock fell drastically after a season in which he failed to live up to lofty expectations, but judging from the players he is ranked amongst I think he's roughly in the right place. I believe he has the potential to crack the top 50 though.
96. Roy Hibbert
Player score: 5.67
2010-2011 stats: 12.7ppg, 7.5rpg, 2.0apg
5 players ranked above: Kendrick Perkins, Darren Collison, OJ Mayo, JJ Barea, George Hill
5 players ranked below: Ron Artest, Shane Battier, JaVale McGee, Wesley Matthews, DeMar DeRozan
Thoughts: Roy is another underachiever but he showed glimpses of what he is capable of. Based on that assessment, I think Hibbert is ranked too low and ought to be the Pacers' second best player right now -- though given that he is only 0.01 behind Collison and 0.02 behind Hill I can't complain too much. I think he is definitely better than the overrated Kendrick Perkins.
122. Tyler Hansbrough
Player score: 5.20
2010-2011 stats: 11.0ppg, 5.2rpg, 0.6apg
5 players ranked above: Vince Carter, DeJuan Blair, DJ Augustin, Aaron Brooks, Glen Davis
5 players ranked below: Tyrus Thomas, Jeff Green, JJ Hickson, Richard Hamilton, Mo Williams
Thoughts: Based on the company I think Hansbrough is in the right zone, but he certainly has potential to be a much better player. His hustle and ability to rack up big games every now and then makes me wonder whether he ought to be ranked higher.
141. Mike Dunleavy
Player score: 4.97
2010-2011 stats: 11.2 ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.7apg
5 players ranked above: Kyrie Irving, Mehmet Okur, Derrick Favors, Brandon Bass, Marcus Thornton
5 players ranked below: Rudy Fernandez, JJ Reddick, Rashard Lewis, Kris Humphris, Nick Young
Thoughts: Mike has a big game every now and then (remember Denver?), but no matter how much the coaching staff talk him up he just doesn't appear to be much more than an occasionally relevant role player these days. I often think he is overrated, but when you take a look at the stats of the guys ranked above him it suggests to me that it's actualyl the other way around.
205. Paul George
Player score: 4.32
2010-2011 stats: 7.8ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.1apg
5 players ranked above: Ricky Rubio, Ed Davis, Brendan Haywood, Goran Dragic, Carlos Delfino
5 players ranked below: Jonas Jerebko, Jermaine O'Neal, Corey Brewer, Anthony Morrow, Jordan Crawford
Thoughts: Definitely the most underrated Pacers player in these rankings. Take a look at the people ranked above and below PG. Is there a single guy, with the potential exception of Rubio, that you would pick in front of him right now or in the future? And if 'potential' plays into the rankings (eg John Wall at 40, Blake Griffin in the top 10), how the heck is PG not a top 150 guy at the very least? Baffling.
232. Jeff Foster
Player score: 4.04
2010-2011 stats: 3.3ppg, 6.3rpg, 0.8apg
5 players ranked above: Martell Webster, Hakim Warrick, DeShawn Stevenson, Marco Belinelli, Ben Wallace
5 players ranked below: Francisco Garcia, Ryan Gomes, Ersan Ilyasova, Marreese Speights, Daniel Gibson
Thoughts: Considering Mr Offensive Rebound missed a bunch of games last season and clearly wasn't at his best, this ranking suggests to me that the voters were ranking him based on their respect for his past contributions. Foster is still a valuable contributor when healthy but his prime is far behind him. Chances are his value will only decrease from here.
250. Josh McRoberts
Player score: 3.87
2010-2011 stats: 7.4ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.1apg
5 players ranked above: Nate Robinson, Peja Stojakovic, Ronny Turiaf, Al Thornton, Wesley Johnson
5 players ranked below: Jordan Farmar, Michael Redd, Enes Kanter, Kurt Thomas, Keith Bogans
Thoughts: Whenever I look at Josh's stats I can't believe they are that low. Whenever I watched him play for the Pacers last season I thought he was pretty good, which is why the low ranking surprised me. Would you take him over Jeff Foster right now? Of course you would. Would you take him over any of the five guys ranked above him? I probably would. I think he deserved better, and will prove it next season, whether he's with the Pacers or not (and whether there is a season...).
269. Brandon Rush
Player score: 3.60
2010-2011 stats: 9.1ppg, 3.2rpg, 0.9apg
5 players ranked above: Kemba Walker, Brandon Knight, James Jones, Raja Bell, Jared Jeffries
5 players ranked below: Greivis Vasquez, Travis Outlaw, Earl Boykins, Jimmer Fredette, Jodie Meeks
Thoughts: Based on his stats, Rush's ranking is a little low, but to be honest I'd take any of the rookies ranked above or below him in a heartbeat. Rush has had enough chances to prove himself and I doubt he'll ever crack the top 200 in this league. Shame because the 'potential' to be a top 100 player is definitely there.
277. Dahntay Jones
Player score: 3.60
2010-2011 stats: 6.3ppg, 1.4rpg, 0.7apg
5 players ranked above: Willie Green, Daequan Cook, Jodie Meeks, Jimmer Fredette, Earl Boykins
5 players ranked below: Shaun Livingston, Roger Mason Jr, Yi Jianlian, Aaron Gray, Chris Duhon
Thoughts: Is it just me or do players carrying great expectations with them always turn to crap when they join the Pacers? Dahntay Jones was the Pacers' prized signing a year ago and this season he barely played half of it. 277 is about right for Dahntay based on his recent performances. Kobe stopper he is not, but thank goodness DJ can still play some D.
285. TJ Ford
Player score: 3.44
2010-2011 stats: 5.4ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.4apg
5 players ranked above: Kelenna Azubuike, Reggie Williams, Chris Duhon, Aaron Gray, Yi Jianlian
5 players ranked below: Nazr Mohammed, Donte Greene, Jamario Moon, Anthony Tolliver, Craig Smith
Thoughts: He's been a professional through all of the turmoil but TJ Ford is as good as gone, without a potential destination in sight. Who would have thought things would turn out like this? And who would have thought the Pacers still have four players ranked below him?
291. James Posey
Player score: 3.35
2010-2011 stats: 4.9ppg, 3.0rpg, 0.7apg
5 players ranked above: Craig Smith, Anothony Tolliver, Jamario Moon, Donte Green, Nazr Mohammed
5 players ranked below: Jason Smith, Marquis Daniels, Julian Wright, Earl Watson, Kawhi Leonard
Thoughts: Last season the former NBA champion tried to live by the three but for the most part died by the three. At least Posey is still ranked above two former Pacers Daniels and Watson, and above rookie Leonard, whom the Pacers drafted but almost immediately swapped for George Hill. How did someone go from potential savior to a cringe every time he stepped on the floor?
324. AJ Price
Player score: 3.02
2010-2011 stats: 6.5ppg, 1.4rpg, 2.2apg
5 players ranked above: Terrence Williams, Sebastian Telfair, Trevor Booker, Maurice Evans, Tristan Thompson
5 players ranked below: Von Wafer, Brian Cardinal, Fabricio Oberto, Keyon Dooling, Carlos Arroyo
Thoughts: Too low for a regularly solid backup contributor like Price. No reason why he shouldn't have been ranked above Posey and Ford.
369. Lance Stephenson
Player score: 2.60
2010-2011 stats: 3.1ppg, 1.5rpg, 1.8apg
5 players ranked above: Alonzo Gee, Eduardo Najera, Pooh Jeter, Josh Powell, Wayne Ellington
5 players ranked below: Francisco Elson, Morris Peterson, Quinton Ross, Johan Petro, Renaldo Balkman
Thoughts: Born Ready to be ranked no. 369 in the NBA. Not sure if this is too high or too low. Are we looking at performance? On the court or off? What about potential? The kid has potential, but then again, so does (did) Brandon Rush. We've been saying that for years. How long will we give Stephenson?
389. Solomon Jones
Player score: 2.44
2010-2011 stats: 3.6ppg, 2.9rpg, 0.8apg
5 players ranked above: Ime Udoka, DJ White, Donatas Motiejunas, Quincy Pondexter, Hamed Haddadi
5 players ranked below: Jamaal Magloire, Nikola Vucevic, Ike Diogu, Avery Bradley, Nolan Smith
Thoughts: And here we are, the worst Pacers player in the NBA. And of course it had to be Solo, another guy brought in with high expectations but got worse and worse as he lost playing time and confidence. On the bright side, Solo is ranked above former Pacer (and practically the old Solo) Ike Diogu, and in a league of 500 players, there are more than a hundred ranked below him. That's kind of comforting.
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Gosh, is it September already?
As expected, the NBA lockout is continuing, with no end in sight. A couple of days ago it was announced that the preseason has now been cancelled, which was a foregone conclusion anyway so no one is even mildly surprised.
The good news is that the Indiana Pacers are not sitting around twiddling their thumbs waiting for the lockout to end. The Indianapolis Star reports that, as foreshadowed by Danny Granger before the lockout commenced, the Pacers players are holding their own training sessions and scrimmages in a local gym in Indiana.
If memory serves me correctly, the Pacers did something similar during the last lockout in 1999 and it paid dividends (they had the equal best record in the East and the second seed before losing to the Knicks in the Conference Finals on that nightmarish and completely BS four-point play by Larry Johnson). As Darren Collison said, it's all about team chemistry. Players can easily train and stay in shape individually according to their own schedules, but there's nothing like playing together as a cohesive unit.
You have to remember, Collison and Tyler Hansbrough are only entering their third seasons and Paul George his second. New recruit George Hill has yet to play a game with this team. Any time they get to spend together before the lockout ends would be a bonus. It would be great if they could also schedule workouts against other NBA teams who are also carrying out their own player training camps.
Who knows how long this lockout will last. Most believe the start of the season is beyond salvaging, and even optimists are predicting a 2012 start to the season. Many expect the entire season to be lost before anything will be settled. I guess it doesn't really matter as long as the players are playing together, learning each other's tendencies, improving as a unit and developing that all important comraderie and chemistry.
It sounds like an easy thing to organize but it's not. During the offseason players tend to go back home, which could be anywhere across the country. The Pacers currently have 10 players in their camp (Granger, Foster, George, Hanbsrough, Hill, Collison, Price, Stephenson and Josh McRoberts), and more are expected to join shortly. Interestingly, Foster and McRoberts aren't even on contract anymore and they are training with the team, whereas guys like Brandon Rush, Dahntay Jones and James Posey (who are all under contract) aren't there yet. Rush and Jones are playing in a league in Vegas, but they should join the team when they get the chance. I also wonder whether Mike Dunleavy Jr, who is coming off the books, will be joining in. It will speak volumes about where they stand on the team.
Kudos to Granger and Foster for being leaders in this thing. Let's hope the lockout won't last too long and the Pacers can show the league how far they have improved. no comments
As expected, the NBA lockout is continuing, with no end in sight. A couple of days ago it was announced that the preseason has now been cancelled, which was a foregone conclusion anyway so no one is even mildly surprised.
The good news is that the Indiana Pacers are not sitting around twiddling their thumbs waiting for the lockout to end. The Indianapolis Star reports that, as foreshadowed by Danny Granger before the lockout commenced, the Pacers players are holding their own training sessions and scrimmages in a local gym in Indiana.
If memory serves me correctly, the Pacers did something similar during the last lockout in 1999 and it paid dividends (they had the equal best record in the East and the second seed before losing to the Knicks in the Conference Finals on that nightmarish and completely BS four-point play by Larry Johnson). As Darren Collison said, it's all about team chemistry. Players can easily train and stay in shape individually according to their own schedules, but there's nothing like playing together as a cohesive unit.
You have to remember, Collison and Tyler Hansbrough are only entering their third seasons and Paul George his second. New recruit George Hill has yet to play a game with this team. Any time they get to spend together before the lockout ends would be a bonus. It would be great if they could also schedule workouts against other NBA teams who are also carrying out their own player training camps.
Who knows how long this lockout will last. Most believe the start of the season is beyond salvaging, and even optimists are predicting a 2012 start to the season. Many expect the entire season to be lost before anything will be settled. I guess it doesn't really matter as long as the players are playing together, learning each other's tendencies, improving as a unit and developing that all important comraderie and chemistry.
It sounds like an easy thing to organize but it's not. During the offseason players tend to go back home, which could be anywhere across the country. The Pacers currently have 10 players in their camp (Granger, Foster, George, Hanbsrough, Hill, Collison, Price, Stephenson and Josh McRoberts), and more are expected to join shortly. Interestingly, Foster and McRoberts aren't even on contract anymore and they are training with the team, whereas guys like Brandon Rush, Dahntay Jones and James Posey (who are all under contract) aren't there yet. Rush and Jones are playing in a league in Vegas, but they should join the team when they get the chance. I also wonder whether Mike Dunleavy Jr, who is coming off the books, will be joining in. It will speak volumes about where they stand on the team.
Kudos to Granger and Foster for being leaders in this thing. Let's hope the lockout won't last too long and the Pacers can show the league how far they have improved. no comments
Boy has it been slow around here with the lockout. I just hope Pacers players are more motivated and dedicated than I am when it comes to their team.
Anyway, in a rare bit of news, ESPN has been running a series of 5-on-5 (5 fact or fiction questions put to 5 experts) on each team in the NBA, and recently the Pacers were the subject of discussion.
You can check that article out here.
If I could sum up the sentiment of the experts, including the TrueHoop guys from Eight Points Nine Seconds, I'd say it is overwhelmingly pessimistic. The Pacers are considered 'the second best team in Central' but barely scraped into the playoffs last year where they bombed out in 5 games against the top seeded Bulls. They have cap space but uncertainty looms because of the lockout and the fact that few marquee players would consider Indiana an enticing destination.
In any case, here is my take on each of the 5 questions.
Anyway, in a rare bit of news, ESPN has been running a series of 5-on-5 (5 fact or fiction questions put to 5 experts) on each team in the NBA, and recently the Pacers were the subject of discussion.
You can check that article out here.
If I could sum up the sentiment of the experts, including the TrueHoop guys from Eight Points Nine Seconds, I'd say it is overwhelmingly pessimistic. The Pacers are considered 'the second best team in Central' but barely scraped into the playoffs last year where they bombed out in 5 games against the top seeded Bulls. They have cap space but uncertainty looms because of the lockout and the fact that few marquee players would consider Indiana an enticing destination.
In any case, here is my take on each of the 5 questions.
1. Fact or Fiction: Darren Collison is the answer at PG.
I say Fact. Despite his troubles last season Collison is still better and has more upside than any PG the Pacers have had since Mark Jackson. Yes he is small and his defense is less than stellar, but he still has the opportunity to grow into his game. People often forget that Collison is only entering his third season and had unrealistic expectations heaped onto him because he filled in well for Chris Paul in extended minutes during a short stint in New Orleans. I like his attitude and work ethic, and with more experience, time with teammates, increased Vogelization and a good pick and roll partner (a role Hansbrough could fill), I reckon Collison will become much more effective as time goes on. We'd all love Chris Paul or Derrick Rose on our team, but Collison is good enough.2. Fact or Fiction: Paul George is the answer at SG.
Fiction. I think George makes a much better SF than SG, but unless Danny Granger goes, SG is where George will find most of his minutes. George has great size, length, an amazing skill set, mindset and incredible potential -- if he develops the right way he'll be a significant upgrade over Granger, but that's a big IF. As high as I am on him I have a feeling that because of the ridiculous expectations on his shoulders George can only underachieve next season.3. Fact or Fiction: Tyler Hansbrough is the answer at PF.
Most people will say Fiction because they see Hansbrough as an ideal energy guy off the bench, and that would be correct in an ideal world. But unless the Pacers can land that big time PF they've been searching for since Jermaine O'Neal departed, Hansbrough is their guy. He showed in flashes that he can be a solid NBA player (especially in those back to back games against the Knicks). As long as he can channel his emotions in the right direction and find consistency (the biggest problem amongst all Pacers players) there's no reason why he can't be the PF of the future.4. Fact or Fiction: Roy Hibbert is the answer at C.
Again, in the absence of a Dwight Howard falling into their laps, Roy Hibbert is the answer at C for the Pacers. Like Hansbrough and Collison, Hibbert must continue to grow -- not only in skill, strength and experience but also in mental stability. Hibbert disappeared for long stretches in games and throughout the season and couldn't stop trying to dissect the reasons in the media, which only made things worse. I'd take Hibbert's god-given size and talent over any C the Pacers have a realistic chance of landing right now.5. Fact or Fiction: The Pacers are on their way to the East elite.
Define 'elite'. If you are talking about the likes of Miami, Chicago and Boston (though likely not for long), then no, the Pacers are nowhere near that. But if you're talking about the Pacers rising up and potentially putting themselves in that second group -- along with Orlando, Atlanta, New York -- then I'd say they have a good chance. It's all about the development of the young players, the development of coach Vogel and whether the Pacers can land one or two solid players (like George Hill) to take them to that next level. They won't have any superstars or game-changers like Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Lebron, etc, but perhaps they could use the old Pistons model (the one that toppled the Lakers franchise) as a guide to forming a unit that is significantly greater than the sum of its parts. no comments
My player review for the 2010-2011 season will resume shortly, but in the meantime let me share love for Paul George in ESPN's latest 5-on-5 in which they discussed NBA shooting guards.
One of the questions was "Who's the most promising shooting guard in the NBA?". While most predictably picked Indiana native Eric Gordon, the Pacers' own Paul George got some mentions too.
Mark A from ConnII, the only TrueHoops guy that did not pick Eric Gordon, wrote: "Paul George. He's 6-foot-8, is extremely athletic, has range, can take you off the dribble and his defense on D-Rose in the playoffs was probably second to only LeBron. He has got tremendous potential. You could see him in a dunk contest and/or a 3-point shootout very soon."
Noam Schiller from Hardwood Paroxysm picked Gordon, but also mentioned George and Evan Turner as players he has affection for.
Not bad for a kid that averaged just 7.8 points in his rookie year. The question is, are they overrating PG's potential? Sure he long, athletic, defend a little and is a silky smooth finisher at the rim, but he still has a long way to go in terms of finding consistency on his jumper and learning the nuances of the game. It's entirely up to him as to whether he can live up to the lofty expectations. no comments
One of the questions was "Who's the most promising shooting guard in the NBA?". While most predictably picked Indiana native Eric Gordon, the Pacers' own Paul George got some mentions too.
Mark A from ConnII, the only TrueHoops guy that did not pick Eric Gordon, wrote: "Paul George. He's 6-foot-8, is extremely athletic, has range, can take you off the dribble and his defense on D-Rose in the playoffs was probably second to only LeBron. He has got tremendous potential. You could see him in a dunk contest and/or a 3-point shootout very soon."
Noam Schiller from Hardwood Paroxysm picked Gordon, but also mentioned George and Evan Turner as players he has affection for.
Not bad for a kid that averaged just 7.8 points in his rookie year. The question is, are they overrating PG's potential? Sure he long, athletic, defend a little and is a silky smooth finisher at the rim, but he still has a long way to go in terms of finding consistency on his jumper and learning the nuances of the game. It's entirely up to him as to whether he can live up to the lofty expectations. no comments
Boy it's quiet around here during the offseason.
Since the NBA has locked out its players, the only news we have on the Pacers is the hiring of the coaching staff and front office personnel. And if you believe coaches have a significant impact on the team, then Pacers fans certainly have something to be excited about.
First of all, interim head coach Frank Vogel will now be the official head coach. He wasn't perfect as Jim O'Brien's replacement but he was certainly better. He got the team to play hard and play 'smash mouth' basketball, reduced the reliance on outside shooting and got players to play to their strengths, and rejuvenated some of the youngsters, especially Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough. That said, Vogel is still young (38), inexperienced and needs help.
In comes Brian Shaw, who was a part of 5 championship teams as either player or coaching staff with the LA Lakers and was widely tipped to succeed Phil Jackson until Mike Brown took the spot from right under him. Shaw is known as a player's coach, a great locker room presence and an all-round super dude. Working with and under the Zen Master for all those years should be a big help, not just with the Xs and Os but also in dealing with personalities, egos, attitudes and player confidence. Interestingly, instead of assistant coach, Shaw has been given the title of associate head coach. Whatever that means. Vogel himself said that it will be like having two head coaches. Not sure if that is a good or bad thing because that has the potential to divide players. I guess we'll see.
Rounding out the final two positions on the coaching staff are Dan Burke (who was re-signed) and Jim Boylen (new addition). Burke brings back with him 16 years of experience on NBA benches and will be hugely beneficial to a relatively inexperienced head coach like Vogel. Boylen had been the head coach at the University of Utah for the last four years and will bring tons of college and NBA experience (11 years with Houston, Milwaukee and Golden State) to the Pacers.
From a coaching perspective at least, the Pacers are starting to look real good.
Oh, and another thing I forgot -- Pacers hired former Portland Trailblazers GM Kevin Pritchard as 'director of player personnel' for one year. Sounds like an eventual replacement for Larry Legend if you ask me (despite their refutations). Pritchard's reputation is a mixed bag, but he's done some good for the Blazers over the years. I think he will be an asset in the long run.
Lastly, the 2011-2012 schedule is out, even though no one knows at this stage if there is even going to be a season at all.
Once again, the Pacers aren't getting a lot of respect from the schedule makers. They start their first two games on the road against the Pistons and the Thunder, before opening at home against the Celtics. And even before the first month is over they will begin a killer road trip that includes the likes of Phoenix, Denver, Utah, Portland and the LA Clippers.
Brutal.
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Since the NBA has locked out its players, the only news we have on the Pacers is the hiring of the coaching staff and front office personnel. And if you believe coaches have a significant impact on the team, then Pacers fans certainly have something to be excited about.
First of all, interim head coach Frank Vogel will now be the official head coach. He wasn't perfect as Jim O'Brien's replacement but he was certainly better. He got the team to play hard and play 'smash mouth' basketball, reduced the reliance on outside shooting and got players to play to their strengths, and rejuvenated some of the youngsters, especially Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough. That said, Vogel is still young (38), inexperienced and needs help.
In comes Brian Shaw, who was a part of 5 championship teams as either player or coaching staff with the LA Lakers and was widely tipped to succeed Phil Jackson until Mike Brown took the spot from right under him. Shaw is known as a player's coach, a great locker room presence and an all-round super dude. Working with and under the Zen Master for all those years should be a big help, not just with the Xs and Os but also in dealing with personalities, egos, attitudes and player confidence. Interestingly, instead of assistant coach, Shaw has been given the title of associate head coach. Whatever that means. Vogel himself said that it will be like having two head coaches. Not sure if that is a good or bad thing because that has the potential to divide players. I guess we'll see.
Rounding out the final two positions on the coaching staff are Dan Burke (who was re-signed) and Jim Boylen (new addition). Burke brings back with him 16 years of experience on NBA benches and will be hugely beneficial to a relatively inexperienced head coach like Vogel. Boylen had been the head coach at the University of Utah for the last four years and will bring tons of college and NBA experience (11 years with Houston, Milwaukee and Golden State) to the Pacers.
From a coaching perspective at least, the Pacers are starting to look real good.
Oh, and another thing I forgot -- Pacers hired former Portland Trailblazers GM Kevin Pritchard as 'director of player personnel' for one year. Sounds like an eventual replacement for Larry Legend if you ask me (despite their refutations). Pritchard's reputation is a mixed bag, but he's done some good for the Blazers over the years. I think he will be an asset in the long run.
Lastly, the 2011-2012 schedule is out, even though no one knows at this stage if there is even going to be a season at all.
Once again, the Pacers aren't getting a lot of respect from the schedule makers. They start their first two games on the road against the Pistons and the Thunder, before opening at home against the Celtics. And even before the first month is over they will begin a killer road trip that includes the likes of Phoenix, Denver, Utah, Portland and the LA Clippers.
Brutal.
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No one is surprised about this one, nor should they be, considering it was a foregone conclusion. Sources claim that the Indiana Pacers will announce Frank Vogel as their next full time head coach, removing the 'interim' from his current title. It will be a 3 year contract (relatively cheap, I assume, considering even Larry Legend took a paycut) with the 3rd being a team option, and apparently there will be incentives involved.
Rumblings on forums suggest that the Pacers did Vogel and themselves a disservice for taking this long to give the job the Frank, which they felt he deserved to get immediately after taking the Pacers to the playoffs for the first time in 5 years, finishing the regular season with a 20-18 record and pushing the top seeded Chicago Bulls to 5 games, with the first 4 being super competitive.
I don't necessarily agree. Sure, Frank did do a good job, but with the lockout looming (and now a reality), what was the rush? The last thing the Pacers should have done was rush out and sign a head coach with only 43 games of NBA coaching experience. It wasn't as though Frank was perfect either. The Pacers still had lapses on numerous occasions and there were rumors that he was too lax with the players in practice. And as is the case with young, rookie coaches (Vogel is the youngest in the NBA at 38), you just never know how the team will perform after the initial excitement wears off. If say a Jerry Sloan was to put his hand up for the job, the Pacers would have been foolish to not consider it.
In any case, I think they ultimately made the right choice. Frank deserves the opportunity, and with Brian Shaw as his assistant, they have a stellar backup even if Frank flutters and fails.
The bigger question remains: will Frank even get to coach a game next season if this lockout continues? no comments
