Auditing Indiana
Andrew Perna - 31st January, 2006 6:44 PM
The small market Indiana Pacers have put themselves on the NBA map. Having made the playoffs for eight straight, and fifteen of the last sixteen seasons the Pacers have become a perennial contender for the league championship.
How have they done it?
They have been both consistent and successful because of effective management and smart personnel decisions.
Over the years Donnie Walsh and fellow Pacer executives have pulled the trigger on several trades that have put Indiana where they are today. They sent Dale Davis to Portland in August of 2000 for Joe Kleine and benchwarmer Jermaine O’Neal. O’Neal quickly became the face of the franchise, and one of the league’s most dominant players.
Soon after that O’Neal deal the Pacers traded an unhappy Jalen Rose, along with Travis Best, and Norm Richardson to Chicago in exchange for Ron Mercer, Ron Artest, and Brad Miller. While Rose had some of his best years as a Bull, the Pacers sent both Miller and Artest to an all-star game during their stay in Indiana.
The Pacers have also successfully evaluated the talent in several NBA drafts. Of the fifteen players on the current Pacer roster, eight of them have been with Indiana for their entire career.
Walsh and Co. have done a wonderful job solidifying Indiana’s future as a prominent Eastern Conference team. The Pacers have six players signed through the 2008-2009 season – Jermaine O’Neal, Stephen Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, Jeff Foster, Danny Granger, and David Harrison.
However, the cost of securing the Pacers future success has been severe. They have over $80 million in salary costs this season – fourth highest in the league behind New York, Dallas, and Philadelphia, and already have almost $70 million dollars committed to their returning players next season.
Off the books next season will be Scot Pollard’s $6.2 million, Eddie Gill’s $870,000, and Samaki Walker’s $345,000 dollar contracts. Also off the books for next season will be the rest of Reggie Miller’s $6.1 million dollar deal.
Indiana would be in great financial shape if they could wipe the contracts of Austin Croshere and Jonathan Bender off the books. Croshere will be paid $9.5 million next season, and Bender is owed $7.8 million.
Bender, who has been contemplating retirement due to his injury-riddled knee, might provide the Pacers with some kind of relief in the near future. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) when a player is forced to retire due to medical reasons there is a waiting period of one year following the injury before a team can apply for salary cap relief. In this case, Bender would continue to be paid by the Pacers, but his salary would not count against Indiana’s cap. The only problem is that Bender would have to retire before the end of this season, because luxury tax penalties for each term are determined on the last day of the regular season.
If he decides to call it quits before the regular season finale the Pacers can then file for relief, and have his contract wiped off the books before the end of next season. That would mean that the $7.8 million he’s owed wouldn’t be counted towards their 2006-2007 salary cap.
If the Pacers due get the salary cap relief because of Bender’s retirement their salary obligations would fall below $60 million. Assuming Indiana doesn’t re-sign Pollard and Gill the Pacers will have extra cash to attempt to get Fred Jones to remain a Pacer, and possibly improve their roster through free agency.
Another possibility is that newcomer Peja Stojakovic will opt out of the remaining year on his contract. Stojakovic is owed $8.2 million next year, and should he decide to make Indiana a half year vacation, the Pacer payroll would fall again to almost $50 million. Stojakovic’s departure would give Indiana more leverage in trying to re-sign Jones, and other free agents.
Although both Larry Bird and Stojakovic have expressed their desire to make the relationship a long one, Peja has yet to play in a Pacer uniform and things don’t always work out – as the Pacers know all too much about. If Stojakovic doesn’t stay in Indiana there are several players that would be a good fit in Indianapolis – including Jiri Welsch, Doug Christie, Voshon Lenard, Jon Barry, Devean George, Antonio Davis, Brian Grant, Joel Przybilla, Ronald Murray, and Matt Harpring.
Of course the Pacers may choose to try to retain Stojakovic and/or Jones rather than pursuing any of the aforementioned free agents. An off-season trade is also a strong possibility. The usual suspects will probably the head of trade talks – Croshere, Tinsley, and Jackson. It’s again unlikely the Pacers will be able to trade Croshere’s contract to another team. As good of a player he has been for Indiana, he’s worth far less than the $9.5 million he’ll be paid in 2007.
The Pacers would be best off holding onto Croshere, and hoping the career-long Pacer will reward the team for their loyalty by signing another contract for far less money.
Players like Jackson and Tinsley are very valuable in my estimation. Both players are locked into contracts worth around $7 million dollars a year through the 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 seasons respectively. Despite Tinsley’s injury-prone career and Jackson’s inconsistent emotions, players of their talent and potential are often paid more.
This summer should be an interesting one in Indiana. With several expiring contracts and the possibility of making deals with both Fred Jones and Peja Stojakovic, the waves of change for the Pacers aren’t anywhere near over.
The question remains – Which players will stay, go and come?
But, more importantly how much will it all cost?
Andrew Perna - 31st January, 2006 6:44 PM
The small market Indiana Pacers have put themselves on the NBA map. Having made the playoffs for eight straight, and fifteen of the last sixteen seasons the Pacers have become a perennial contender for the league championship.
How have they done it?
They have been both consistent and successful because of effective management and smart personnel decisions.
Over the years Donnie Walsh and fellow Pacer executives have pulled the trigger on several trades that have put Indiana where they are today. They sent Dale Davis to Portland in August of 2000 for Joe Kleine and benchwarmer Jermaine O’Neal. O’Neal quickly became the face of the franchise, and one of the league’s most dominant players.
Soon after that O’Neal deal the Pacers traded an unhappy Jalen Rose, along with Travis Best, and Norm Richardson to Chicago in exchange for Ron Mercer, Ron Artest, and Brad Miller. While Rose had some of his best years as a Bull, the Pacers sent both Miller and Artest to an all-star game during their stay in Indiana.
The Pacers have also successfully evaluated the talent in several NBA drafts. Of the fifteen players on the current Pacer roster, eight of them have been with Indiana for their entire career.
Walsh and Co. have done a wonderful job solidifying Indiana’s future as a prominent Eastern Conference team. The Pacers have six players signed through the 2008-2009 season – Jermaine O’Neal, Stephen Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, Jeff Foster, Danny Granger, and David Harrison.
However, the cost of securing the Pacers future success has been severe. They have over $80 million in salary costs this season – fourth highest in the league behind New York, Dallas, and Philadelphia, and already have almost $70 million dollars committed to their returning players next season.
Off the books next season will be Scot Pollard’s $6.2 million, Eddie Gill’s $870,000, and Samaki Walker’s $345,000 dollar contracts. Also off the books for next season will be the rest of Reggie Miller’s $6.1 million dollar deal.
Indiana would be in great financial shape if they could wipe the contracts of Austin Croshere and Jonathan Bender off the books. Croshere will be paid $9.5 million next season, and Bender is owed $7.8 million.
Bender, who has been contemplating retirement due to his injury-riddled knee, might provide the Pacers with some kind of relief in the near future. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) when a player is forced to retire due to medical reasons there is a waiting period of one year following the injury before a team can apply for salary cap relief. In this case, Bender would continue to be paid by the Pacers, but his salary would not count against Indiana’s cap. The only problem is that Bender would have to retire before the end of this season, because luxury tax penalties for each term are determined on the last day of the regular season.
If he decides to call it quits before the regular season finale the Pacers can then file for relief, and have his contract wiped off the books before the end of next season. That would mean that the $7.8 million he’s owed wouldn’t be counted towards their 2006-2007 salary cap.
If the Pacers due get the salary cap relief because of Bender’s retirement their salary obligations would fall below $60 million. Assuming Indiana doesn’t re-sign Pollard and Gill the Pacers will have extra cash to attempt to get Fred Jones to remain a Pacer, and possibly improve their roster through free agency.
Another possibility is that newcomer Peja Stojakovic will opt out of the remaining year on his contract. Stojakovic is owed $8.2 million next year, and should he decide to make Indiana a half year vacation, the Pacer payroll would fall again to almost $50 million. Stojakovic’s departure would give Indiana more leverage in trying to re-sign Jones, and other free agents.
Although both Larry Bird and Stojakovic have expressed their desire to make the relationship a long one, Peja has yet to play in a Pacer uniform and things don’t always work out – as the Pacers know all too much about. If Stojakovic doesn’t stay in Indiana there are several players that would be a good fit in Indianapolis – including Jiri Welsch, Doug Christie, Voshon Lenard, Jon Barry, Devean George, Antonio Davis, Brian Grant, Joel Przybilla, Ronald Murray, and Matt Harpring.
Of course the Pacers may choose to try to retain Stojakovic and/or Jones rather than pursuing any of the aforementioned free agents. An off-season trade is also a strong possibility. The usual suspects will probably the head of trade talks – Croshere, Tinsley, and Jackson. It’s again unlikely the Pacers will be able to trade Croshere’s contract to another team. As good of a player he has been for Indiana, he’s worth far less than the $9.5 million he’ll be paid in 2007.
The Pacers would be best off holding onto Croshere, and hoping the career-long Pacer will reward the team for their loyalty by signing another contract for far less money.
Players like Jackson and Tinsley are very valuable in my estimation. Both players are locked into contracts worth around $7 million dollars a year through the 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 seasons respectively. Despite Tinsley’s injury-prone career and Jackson’s inconsistent emotions, players of their talent and potential are often paid more.
This summer should be an interesting one in Indiana. With several expiring contracts and the possibility of making deals with both Fred Jones and Peja Stojakovic, the waves of change for the Pacers aren’t anywhere near over.
The question remains – Which players will stay, go and come?
But, more importantly how much will it all cost?
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