Nothing really newsy here, but some interesting tidbits
http://my.nba.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5700018923
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Pacers give 'em something to talk about
Aug 5, 2008
So I'm standing nervously in the narthex of the church Saturday evening, a few minutes away from escorting my only daughter down the aisle, when the pastor decides this would be a good time to start a conversation about Larry Bird and his management of the Pacers.
Larry needs to put his foot down and hold them accountable, he says. They need some better attitudes, he says.
Understanding these are not particularly new topics for discussion in the community, I smiled and gently reminded him Bird has pulled off two major trades this summer bringing seven new players. And that Bird has made his intentions clear as they pertain to Shawne "Thin Ice" Williams and Jamaal Tinsley.
And then I asked the pastor, with all due respect, if he could maybe focus on his job a little more and Larry's a little less for the next hour or so.
Which he did. Amen.
The point being, pretty much everywhere I go, they're talking about the Pacers. It isn't always positive but at least it isn't always negative. Truth be told, there's been very little to criticize this summer. Bird continues to get high marks from the national media experts for his offseason reshaping of the roster.
In evaluating the offseason winners and losers, Chad Ford of ESPN.com had high praise for the Pacers.
"For a team that was capped out and had no future, the Pacers found solid value for Jermaine O'Neal, fixed their problem at point guard with the addition of T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack and added a couple of solid rookies in Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert," Ford wrote. "Most importantly, Larry Bird and David Morway gave themselves considerable cap flexibility starting next summer to remake the team. If they can find a home for Jamaal Tinsley and shore up the power forward position, the Pacers could be a sleeper to sneak into the playoffs in the East next season."
Much the same theme resonated on Hoopsworld.com in its in-depth analysis, which resulted in an overall grade of B-plus.
"The Jermaine O'Neal trade was a good thing that yielded a lot of smaller pieces, all of which are great for the rebuilding process," said the site. "Keeping (Jerryd) Bayless instead of trading him and Ike Diogu to Portland for Rush and Jack arguably would've been a smart move, but both of the guys Indy got out of the deal will contribute in very positive ways for the Pacers. The bottom line is that they'll have a better record this year than they did last year, and it's even possible that they'll make the playoffs. That's an improvement worthy of high marks."
Fast breaks: No interest in Tinsley buyout
In an interview with Andrew Perna of RealGM.com, Real GM David Morway affirmed Bird's previous stance against buying out the contract of soon-to-be-former Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley, saying it was "not even a consideration." Morway said the team is having conversations with a few teams and "our intent is to trade Jamaal and try to find the right situation for both him and the franchise."
Hoopsworld reported the Pacers could be interested in Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva, with Troy Murphy as possible trade bait. Their salaries don't match up (Murphy is presently the Pacers' highest-paid player) so the Bucks would have to add more to the deal. The theory is Villanueva would be a more attractive option at power forward because of his athleticism and potential. Though not a 3-point threat, Villanueva averaged 14.9 points and 8.0 rebounds in 31 starts last season, compared to Murphy's averages of 12.7 points and 7.5 rebounds in 61 starts.
Jeff Foster and Maceo Baston were joined by former Pacers forward Austin Croshere at a four-day seminar at Northwestern University aimed at preparing NBA players for the business realities of their lives after basketball. SI.com's Marty Burns described the program as "NBA meets MBA." It was very much a collegial atmosphere, with classes running all day. "I've been approached in the past about (business deals), but I never really had the time to look into them in depth," Foster told Burns. "This gives you at least a little background to help you understand, and maybe know what you might be getting into in the future." Another former Pacers player, Antonio Davis, helps run the program through the players' union.
After playing a starring role with the Pacers' summer league team in Orlando, Earl Calloway has signed a two-year contract with Cibona Zagreb in Croatia, reports the Euroleague website. The former I.U. guard who starred with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the D-League last season, was named to the Pepsi Pro Summer League second team after averaging 14.2 points, 4.8 assists and 2.0 steals with the Pacers. He didn't perform as well for Utah in the Rocky Mountain Review, averatging 5.8 points and shooting .292.
Former Pacers forward Josh Powell was waived last week by the Clippers despite playing solidly, averaging 19.2 minutes, 5.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in 64 games last season.
__________________________________________________ ____________________
Aug 5, 2008 12:33 PM EDT
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9 Replies
Quit hatin on troy. I've seen dudes highlights in golden state, and the guy can play. maybe he just needs to get motivated.
by araydavis1987 Aug 6, 2008 10:24 AM
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I love the trade with the Bucks but I can not imagine why on earth the bucks would want to do it. Since the O'Neal trade Murphy is now the worst player per dollar on the team. If the Pacers could swing Murphy for Charlie V. and Mason it would have to rank as one of the best trades in Pacers history. While Charlie and Troy have similar numbers Charlie is much more athletic and actually plays defense. The best part about the deal would be that if it does not work out the Pacers free up another $10 million for next off season. My guess is that Charlie could be re-signed for something a little over the the mid level exception and the Pacers would still have plenty of money to get a starting power forward. With a big name free agent power forward and Charlie as a back up, power forward would become a position of strength as opposed to the weakest position on the team. I say make the trade but only if Mason is the otherr player involved. Expiring contracts are a wonderful thing. The Pacers should be willing to throw in a second round pick to sweeten the deal if necessary.
by fullfigs Aug 6, 2008 12:17 AM
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If we got the Bucks to do the trade omg .. I'll go crazy.
by pacersforever1 Aug 5, 2008 9:11 PM
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i think the pacers need to make a trade 2 or 3 for 1. maybe send diener, tinsley, and murphy away for like raef lafrentz of portlande. i know he's not good but at the end of the year we would have his salary and that would nock us down to 14 players on the roster. or at least send murphy and tinsley away together.
by ethan5191 Aug 5, 2008 6:29 PM
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1 Let me start by saying i love the moves the pacers made this offseason and add that we need to add a power forward asap i like me move with the bucks to bring in Charlie V but moving troy is not were you should start maybe moving jeff foster, shawne will, and MARK DAN i tnimk this move would be accepted by the bucks
by 31millertime23 Aug 5, 2008 5:54 PM
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Dear Conrad,
We are Pacers fans in China. We noticed that Sam Perkins is now with the team USA in Shanghai. I have a suggestion for Mr. VP of Player Relatison.
One of our Pacers fans attended the game yesterday in Shanghai. He was so excited to see Uncle Sam there, and he walked around the whole stadium, and finally come up with a close angle when Sam walked out from the sponsor suite. He shouted, but Sam just walked by and ignored him just like he ignored other fans. This is like a slam on the fan's face. This big fan has been following the Pacers in China for years, and this is his only chance to see a Pacer in person so far.
Mr. VP of Player Relations, please do remember the Pacers have a good crowd of long time fans in China. Just don't let them down.
Conrad, it will be great if you could pass this message to Uncle Sam. He is representing the Pacers in China. Many thanks in advance.
www.ChinaPacers.com
by hoililee Aug 5, 2008 5:09 PM
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Wondering what kind of opinion you have for trade scenerios involving Jamaal Tinsley ..you would like to see Conrad?
by pacersfanthicknthin Aug 5, 2008 4:45 PM
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Indy60 -- We've been trying to reach Rasho, whose cell phone service is very spotty in Europe. He was with the Slovenian national team for the pre-Olympic qualifiers and has remained overseas. Once we track him down, we'll have some answers.
by Bruno Aug 5, 2008 2:16 PM
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I have noticed that there has been little to no mention of Rasho Nesterovic since the trade with Toronto. If I recall correctly, it was stated that he was in Europe and not available to attend an introductory press conference. I don't recall seeing any interviews with him since the trade and also noticed that he is not included in the NEW Pacers Players' Jerseys available on this website. Is this coincidence or is there a good chance that he will never actually wear a Pacers uniform? I would imagine that he and his expiring contract might be useful in a trade for the power forward that we need.
by indy60 Aug 5, 2008 1:17 PM
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http://my.nba.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5700018923
You must be logged in to comment on a blog entry.
Pacers give 'em something to talk about
Aug 5, 2008
So I'm standing nervously in the narthex of the church Saturday evening, a few minutes away from escorting my only daughter down the aisle, when the pastor decides this would be a good time to start a conversation about Larry Bird and his management of the Pacers.
Larry needs to put his foot down and hold them accountable, he says. They need some better attitudes, he says.
Understanding these are not particularly new topics for discussion in the community, I smiled and gently reminded him Bird has pulled off two major trades this summer bringing seven new players. And that Bird has made his intentions clear as they pertain to Shawne "Thin Ice" Williams and Jamaal Tinsley.
And then I asked the pastor, with all due respect, if he could maybe focus on his job a little more and Larry's a little less for the next hour or so.
Which he did. Amen.
The point being, pretty much everywhere I go, they're talking about the Pacers. It isn't always positive but at least it isn't always negative. Truth be told, there's been very little to criticize this summer. Bird continues to get high marks from the national media experts for his offseason reshaping of the roster.
In evaluating the offseason winners and losers, Chad Ford of ESPN.com had high praise for the Pacers.
"For a team that was capped out and had no future, the Pacers found solid value for Jermaine O'Neal, fixed their problem at point guard with the addition of T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack and added a couple of solid rookies in Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert," Ford wrote. "Most importantly, Larry Bird and David Morway gave themselves considerable cap flexibility starting next summer to remake the team. If they can find a home for Jamaal Tinsley and shore up the power forward position, the Pacers could be a sleeper to sneak into the playoffs in the East next season."
Much the same theme resonated on Hoopsworld.com in its in-depth analysis, which resulted in an overall grade of B-plus.
"The Jermaine O'Neal trade was a good thing that yielded a lot of smaller pieces, all of which are great for the rebuilding process," said the site. "Keeping (Jerryd) Bayless instead of trading him and Ike Diogu to Portland for Rush and Jack arguably would've been a smart move, but both of the guys Indy got out of the deal will contribute in very positive ways for the Pacers. The bottom line is that they'll have a better record this year than they did last year, and it's even possible that they'll make the playoffs. That's an improvement worthy of high marks."
Fast breaks: No interest in Tinsley buyout
In an interview with Andrew Perna of RealGM.com, Real GM David Morway affirmed Bird's previous stance against buying out the contract of soon-to-be-former Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley, saying it was "not even a consideration." Morway said the team is having conversations with a few teams and "our intent is to trade Jamaal and try to find the right situation for both him and the franchise."
Hoopsworld reported the Pacers could be interested in Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva, with Troy Murphy as possible trade bait. Their salaries don't match up (Murphy is presently the Pacers' highest-paid player) so the Bucks would have to add more to the deal. The theory is Villanueva would be a more attractive option at power forward because of his athleticism and potential. Though not a 3-point threat, Villanueva averaged 14.9 points and 8.0 rebounds in 31 starts last season, compared to Murphy's averages of 12.7 points and 7.5 rebounds in 61 starts.
Jeff Foster and Maceo Baston were joined by former Pacers forward Austin Croshere at a four-day seminar at Northwestern University aimed at preparing NBA players for the business realities of their lives after basketball. SI.com's Marty Burns described the program as "NBA meets MBA." It was very much a collegial atmosphere, with classes running all day. "I've been approached in the past about (business deals), but I never really had the time to look into them in depth," Foster told Burns. "This gives you at least a little background to help you understand, and maybe know what you might be getting into in the future." Another former Pacers player, Antonio Davis, helps run the program through the players' union.
After playing a starring role with the Pacers' summer league team in Orlando, Earl Calloway has signed a two-year contract with Cibona Zagreb in Croatia, reports the Euroleague website. The former I.U. guard who starred with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the D-League last season, was named to the Pepsi Pro Summer League second team after averaging 14.2 points, 4.8 assists and 2.0 steals with the Pacers. He didn't perform as well for Utah in the Rocky Mountain Review, averatging 5.8 points and shooting .292.
Former Pacers forward Josh Powell was waived last week by the Clippers despite playing solidly, averaging 19.2 minutes, 5.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in 64 games last season.
__________________________________________________ ____________________
Aug 5, 2008 12:33 PM EDT
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9 Replies
Quit hatin on troy. I've seen dudes highlights in golden state, and the guy can play. maybe he just needs to get motivated.
by araydavis1987 Aug 6, 2008 10:24 AM
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I love the trade with the Bucks but I can not imagine why on earth the bucks would want to do it. Since the O'Neal trade Murphy is now the worst player per dollar on the team. If the Pacers could swing Murphy for Charlie V. and Mason it would have to rank as one of the best trades in Pacers history. While Charlie and Troy have similar numbers Charlie is much more athletic and actually plays defense. The best part about the deal would be that if it does not work out the Pacers free up another $10 million for next off season. My guess is that Charlie could be re-signed for something a little over the the mid level exception and the Pacers would still have plenty of money to get a starting power forward. With a big name free agent power forward and Charlie as a back up, power forward would become a position of strength as opposed to the weakest position on the team. I say make the trade but only if Mason is the otherr player involved. Expiring contracts are a wonderful thing. The Pacers should be willing to throw in a second round pick to sweeten the deal if necessary.
by fullfigs Aug 6, 2008 12:17 AM
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If we got the Bucks to do the trade omg .. I'll go crazy.
by pacersforever1 Aug 5, 2008 9:11 PM
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i think the pacers need to make a trade 2 or 3 for 1. maybe send diener, tinsley, and murphy away for like raef lafrentz of portlande. i know he's not good but at the end of the year we would have his salary and that would nock us down to 14 players on the roster. or at least send murphy and tinsley away together.
by ethan5191 Aug 5, 2008 6:29 PM
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1 Let me start by saying i love the moves the pacers made this offseason and add that we need to add a power forward asap i like me move with the bucks to bring in Charlie V but moving troy is not were you should start maybe moving jeff foster, shawne will, and MARK DAN i tnimk this move would be accepted by the bucks
by 31millertime23 Aug 5, 2008 5:54 PM
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Dear Conrad,
We are Pacers fans in China. We noticed that Sam Perkins is now with the team USA in Shanghai. I have a suggestion for Mr. VP of Player Relatison.
One of our Pacers fans attended the game yesterday in Shanghai. He was so excited to see Uncle Sam there, and he walked around the whole stadium, and finally come up with a close angle when Sam walked out from the sponsor suite. He shouted, but Sam just walked by and ignored him just like he ignored other fans. This is like a slam on the fan's face. This big fan has been following the Pacers in China for years, and this is his only chance to see a Pacer in person so far.
Mr. VP of Player Relations, please do remember the Pacers have a good crowd of long time fans in China. Just don't let them down.
Conrad, it will be great if you could pass this message to Uncle Sam. He is representing the Pacers in China. Many thanks in advance.
www.ChinaPacers.com
by hoililee Aug 5, 2008 5:09 PM
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Wondering what kind of opinion you have for trade scenerios involving Jamaal Tinsley ..you would like to see Conrad?
by pacersfanthicknthin Aug 5, 2008 4:45 PM
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Indy60 -- We've been trying to reach Rasho, whose cell phone service is very spotty in Europe. He was with the Slovenian national team for the pre-Olympic qualifiers and has remained overseas. Once we track him down, we'll have some answers.
by Bruno Aug 5, 2008 2:16 PM
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I have noticed that there has been little to no mention of Rasho Nesterovic since the trade with Toronto. If I recall correctly, it was stated that he was in Europe and not available to attend an introductory press conference. I don't recall seeing any interviews with him since the trade and also noticed that he is not included in the NEW Pacers Players' Jerseys available on this website. Is this coincidence or is there a good chance that he will never actually wear a Pacers uniform? I would imagine that he and his expiring contract might be useful in a trade for the power forward that we need.
by indy60 Aug 5, 2008 1:17 PM
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