Hello again everyone...it is good to find time to write again.
Tonight I want to discuss some potential under the radar trade targets I believe the Pacers front office should be looking at this spring and summer. I'm going to try and pick out guys that I think would fit our long term best interests, and that won't necessarily be people that you've may have thought about. I'll try and give my reasoning why I think each player would be a good fit for us as I go along. Hopefully some of the rest of you may have your own "hidden gems" that you've seen on teams around the league that might be good players to try and target. Donnie Walsh was able to do this years ago with the trade for Jermaine O'Neal, so we know it can be done...let's see if we can identify some players who could shine here that maybe we can try and obtain.
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PG Rodrigue Beaubois of the Dallas Mavericks
Beaubois played sparingly for Rick Carlisle this season, and is blocked for playing time by future hall of famer Jason Kidd.
Beaubois may not have played much, but he made an impression on me whenever I saw him take the floor. He is an athletic freak, with a giant wingspan and I think huge potential upside with enough playing time.
He has a French background, and was a second round draft pick in last June's draft. Playing in limited minutes, this year he scored 7.1 pts per game in the 56 games he appeared in. His ability to score translated well, as his shooting numbers are very impressive. 51.8% from the field, 80.8% from the line, and 40.9% from three point range.
His ridiculous athleticism is what I am intrigued by though. He looks extremely quick to me on the ball defensively, and I think he projects to be a really good defender in the future as he figures out how to play with the God given talents he has. I keep mentioning his wingspan for a reason, as I believe he has the wingspan of almost 7 ft if the reports I remember from last years draft are correct. This means in the future, even if he slows down after he adds more weight (which he needs to do) he will always be able to contest shots and keep people in front of him defensively. Offensively that kind of reach gives him the ability to rise up and shoot over people in traffic.
Dallas is in win immediately mode I think, with no time to worry about developing Beaubois. This is a PG I think teams should really try and acquire from the desperate Mavs, and I'd love the Pacers to try and target him somehow this summer.
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Chicago's Kirk Hinrich isn't exactly hidden, but I think he is drastically under valued as a player in the eye of the public, so therefore he makes my list.
Hinrich is one of my favorite players in the league to watch play from a defensive perspective. Simply put, I think he puts as much effort to playing the right way a point guard should from a DEFENSIVE perspective as any player in the league. Hinrich excels at a skill I value highly, which is putting pressure on in the backcourt dribble without getting beaten. I think Hinrich is a way above average defensive point guard, though I am not sure he is viewed that way by everyone.
Is he a great point guard offensively? No, probably not. But he is very functional, and I think he is great at getting you into your offensive set play. He isn't flashy and he doesn't make the wow play, but he makes the simple play very well. I like that he runs the pick and roll well, can play off the ball a little, and has good size and durability.
Being that the current Pacers play somewhat unconventionally on offense actually plays into his game I think, as his ability to play off the ball and be a really good cutter away from the basketball makes him a really good fit for us.
Being that the contracts are somewhat similar, I wonder if Chicago might entertain a deal based around a Hinrich for Murphy? Chicago is actually one team in the league I think Murphy would be a good fit for, as Joakim Noah is a really good fit besides a player of Murphy's skills I think. Just a thought.
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Alot is made of the idea of returning Michael Conley of the Grizzlies back to his hometown of Indianapolis, and I would love that as well. But there is another Indianapolis product languishing thru his rookie year in Atlanta, and that is Jeff Teague.
Teague didn't do much in his rookie campaign, as he is blocked by veteran guards Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford. Atlanta is in win right now mode, with need for veteran players instead of using a rookie like Teague, who played very little this season.
Now, I was not a huge Teague fan in last years draft, and I still have doubts about him long term. But he is lightning quick, and he is just 22 years old, and he is a native son and graduate of Pike High School. If any deal is to be made with the Hawks, then Teague would be a man we'd want to include in a swap.
If the Hawks lose Joe Johnson, they could be forced to make some other moves to try and replace that talent. It wouldn't be the entirety of what they'd look to do, but one wonders how a deal centered around Rush for Teague might look to them....obviously there would need to be some additions to make a deal like that make sense, but that would be the framework perhaps....again, just a thought.
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PG Ramon Sessions completely didn't fit in Kurt Rambis system up in Minnesota, and with the Twolves very much point guard heavy, it would only make sense if they tried to make a deal this summer involving their glut of guards.
Sessions is just 23 years old currently, has put up good numbers as a young player, has good size and scoring ability, and is signed long term to a somewhat friendly contract. Predictably somewhat unhappy it is thought in Minneapolis, the trash fire that is the Twolves franchise may be in the mood to make a move. The Timberwolves need everything, so it is hard to say what they might like back for Sessions, but I would think many teams will inquire about the young guard, not just us.
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Fran Vasquez, who's rights are held by the Orlando Magic, would be an almost perfect addition to our Pacers. Vazquez is 26 years old, with a Euro contract that runs through the 2010-11 season.
Of course I haven't flown to Europe to scout him personally, but I always do try and keep up with some of the foreign players from years past by reading about them when I can. Vasquez has become a shot blocker, rebounding, defensive force according to reports, more or less morphing into a European Tyson Chandler. The reports on draftexpress about him are very very good, as he is apparently becoming a stopper all over the floor. Blocking shots, hedging screen rolls, rebounding, and running the floor seem to be his main strengths as a player, which makes him somewhat of an anomaly in Europe. Now granted, I am reading old information there, as that update on him is now 15 months old, but at least he would seem to be a player to try and get the rights to.
To me, on paper he seems like a great compliment to the type of player Roy Hibbert seems to be becoming. Hopefully the Pacers European scouts are all over Vazquez, and have a good read on whether the reports I am reading are accurate. If they are, any deal with Orlando should definitely include the rights to Vazquez being thrown into the mix. If the Magic were interested in TJ Ford as a backup for Jameer Nelson, the rights to Vazquez should be part of the package we demand in return.
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It probably comes at no surprise to long time readers of mine that I am going to include PF/C Marreese Speights in this list. Speights, a 6'10 big man from Florida, is being woefully mismanaged in Philadelphia. A terrible fit besides Elton Brand and Sam Dalembert, the Sixers compounded their mistake with signing the overpriced Brand by hiring Eddie Jordan as coach last year, whose high post Princeton offense didn't fit any of their personnel.
I still believe Speights can play and be a very effective scorer/rebounder in this league. I think his potential peaks at about an 18 and 8 guy, with good size and defensive potential. What I like about Speights the best is his efficiency with the basketball in the post, his footwork and ability to finish with touch. He also "fits" with Indiana's future as my elusive "player x".
I'll be mentioning this "Player x" concept many times in the upcoming months. What I am meaning by that term is this : A player with the size to play center alongside Hansbrough, but who has the athleticism and talent to play power forward besides Hibbert. A "player x" is hard to find, and is something we are in desperate need of I feel as our rebuilding plan goes forward.
Outside of a dynamic creator on the perimeter perhaps, I think a "player X" is our greatest need. I still believe Speights can be that guy, just like I did when he was drafted. There are and continue to be rumors of Speights not having the greatest attitude or work ethic out there, and if that stuff is true then it obviously would give me pause. But purely from a basketball standpoint on the floor, I think he might be a very good fit here.
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Speaking of "Player X", I'd give up alot if we good obtain Sacramento big man Jason Thompson. Thompson isn't defending at a high level yet, which I blame the losing culture and the non emphasis of defense by coach Paul Westphal for.
But Thompson is becoming the exact type of player we need badly. He is 6'11 250 lbs, but athletic enough I believe to play next to Roy Hibbert for the next 10 years and big enough to play next to Hansbrough as well when/if he pans out to be the player I think he can be.
From Rider, Thompson has acclimated quickly the NBA game from an offensive standpoint, and he has an NBA body that is only getting stronger. He looks like a keeper, not an All Star level player but a guy who would fit what we need like a glove. Of course, he's be hard to obtain most likely from the Kings, but.....what if this scenario happens:
What if the Pacers get lottery lucky and move up to the 3rd spot in the draft? Obviously at spots one and two we'd keep the picks and take either John Wall or Evan Turner. But if we got pick 3, would you include it in a package to Sacramento of some sort for right to acquire Thompson? I certainly would.....would you consider it?
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JaVale McGee was as raw as raw could be when he left Nevada for the NBA, and I was not a fan of his when I scouted him prior to that draft.
I think I might have been wrong.
McGee is a fluid, athletic, jumping jack of a center that I really enjoy watching play. He reminds me of a young deer, jumping and running very well, but not really having any idea why he does it or what he is doing.
McGee is fast, quick, and can run the floor almost better than any center in the league I think. His motor is high, his activity level is thru the roof, and even though he doesn't really understand the game that well yet, you can definitely see the potential there.
I don't know if he projects to be a "player x", I think instead he might just be a pure center, so if you get McGee somehow I think you are committing to building your roster differently than I think Larry Bird wants to. But I really like McGee, and any potential deal with the Wizards (who have some intriguing pieces I think) needs to include the gazelle like big man from Nevada.
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Lots of Tbird topics I am working on for the next few weeks. I had a request from one of you for a topic that I am working on (I won't say who) that I am putting together, plus a few other things I have on my mind that I am making notes on. Hopefully we can continue to get some good Pacers/hoops discussion going before the draft profiles start in the next few weeks.
As always, the above is just my opinion.
Tbird
Tonight I want to discuss some potential under the radar trade targets I believe the Pacers front office should be looking at this spring and summer. I'm going to try and pick out guys that I think would fit our long term best interests, and that won't necessarily be people that you've may have thought about. I'll try and give my reasoning why I think each player would be a good fit for us as I go along. Hopefully some of the rest of you may have your own "hidden gems" that you've seen on teams around the league that might be good players to try and target. Donnie Walsh was able to do this years ago with the trade for Jermaine O'Neal, so we know it can be done...let's see if we can identify some players who could shine here that maybe we can try and obtain.
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PG Rodrigue Beaubois of the Dallas Mavericks
Beaubois played sparingly for Rick Carlisle this season, and is blocked for playing time by future hall of famer Jason Kidd.
Beaubois may not have played much, but he made an impression on me whenever I saw him take the floor. He is an athletic freak, with a giant wingspan and I think huge potential upside with enough playing time.
He has a French background, and was a second round draft pick in last June's draft. Playing in limited minutes, this year he scored 7.1 pts per game in the 56 games he appeared in. His ability to score translated well, as his shooting numbers are very impressive. 51.8% from the field, 80.8% from the line, and 40.9% from three point range.
His ridiculous athleticism is what I am intrigued by though. He looks extremely quick to me on the ball defensively, and I think he projects to be a really good defender in the future as he figures out how to play with the God given talents he has. I keep mentioning his wingspan for a reason, as I believe he has the wingspan of almost 7 ft if the reports I remember from last years draft are correct. This means in the future, even if he slows down after he adds more weight (which he needs to do) he will always be able to contest shots and keep people in front of him defensively. Offensively that kind of reach gives him the ability to rise up and shoot over people in traffic.
Dallas is in win immediately mode I think, with no time to worry about developing Beaubois. This is a PG I think teams should really try and acquire from the desperate Mavs, and I'd love the Pacers to try and target him somehow this summer.
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Chicago's Kirk Hinrich isn't exactly hidden, but I think he is drastically under valued as a player in the eye of the public, so therefore he makes my list.
Hinrich is one of my favorite players in the league to watch play from a defensive perspective. Simply put, I think he puts as much effort to playing the right way a point guard should from a DEFENSIVE perspective as any player in the league. Hinrich excels at a skill I value highly, which is putting pressure on in the backcourt dribble without getting beaten. I think Hinrich is a way above average defensive point guard, though I am not sure he is viewed that way by everyone.
Is he a great point guard offensively? No, probably not. But he is very functional, and I think he is great at getting you into your offensive set play. He isn't flashy and he doesn't make the wow play, but he makes the simple play very well. I like that he runs the pick and roll well, can play off the ball a little, and has good size and durability.
Being that the current Pacers play somewhat unconventionally on offense actually plays into his game I think, as his ability to play off the ball and be a really good cutter away from the basketball makes him a really good fit for us.
Being that the contracts are somewhat similar, I wonder if Chicago might entertain a deal based around a Hinrich for Murphy? Chicago is actually one team in the league I think Murphy would be a good fit for, as Joakim Noah is a really good fit besides a player of Murphy's skills I think. Just a thought.
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Alot is made of the idea of returning Michael Conley of the Grizzlies back to his hometown of Indianapolis, and I would love that as well. But there is another Indianapolis product languishing thru his rookie year in Atlanta, and that is Jeff Teague.
Teague didn't do much in his rookie campaign, as he is blocked by veteran guards Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford. Atlanta is in win right now mode, with need for veteran players instead of using a rookie like Teague, who played very little this season.
Now, I was not a huge Teague fan in last years draft, and I still have doubts about him long term. But he is lightning quick, and he is just 22 years old, and he is a native son and graduate of Pike High School. If any deal is to be made with the Hawks, then Teague would be a man we'd want to include in a swap.
If the Hawks lose Joe Johnson, they could be forced to make some other moves to try and replace that talent. It wouldn't be the entirety of what they'd look to do, but one wonders how a deal centered around Rush for Teague might look to them....obviously there would need to be some additions to make a deal like that make sense, but that would be the framework perhaps....again, just a thought.
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PG Ramon Sessions completely didn't fit in Kurt Rambis system up in Minnesota, and with the Twolves very much point guard heavy, it would only make sense if they tried to make a deal this summer involving their glut of guards.
Sessions is just 23 years old currently, has put up good numbers as a young player, has good size and scoring ability, and is signed long term to a somewhat friendly contract. Predictably somewhat unhappy it is thought in Minneapolis, the trash fire that is the Twolves franchise may be in the mood to make a move. The Timberwolves need everything, so it is hard to say what they might like back for Sessions, but I would think many teams will inquire about the young guard, not just us.
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Fran Vasquez, who's rights are held by the Orlando Magic, would be an almost perfect addition to our Pacers. Vazquez is 26 years old, with a Euro contract that runs through the 2010-11 season.
Of course I haven't flown to Europe to scout him personally, but I always do try and keep up with some of the foreign players from years past by reading about them when I can. Vasquez has become a shot blocker, rebounding, defensive force according to reports, more or less morphing into a European Tyson Chandler. The reports on draftexpress about him are very very good, as he is apparently becoming a stopper all over the floor. Blocking shots, hedging screen rolls, rebounding, and running the floor seem to be his main strengths as a player, which makes him somewhat of an anomaly in Europe. Now granted, I am reading old information there, as that update on him is now 15 months old, but at least he would seem to be a player to try and get the rights to.
To me, on paper he seems like a great compliment to the type of player Roy Hibbert seems to be becoming. Hopefully the Pacers European scouts are all over Vazquez, and have a good read on whether the reports I am reading are accurate. If they are, any deal with Orlando should definitely include the rights to Vazquez being thrown into the mix. If the Magic were interested in TJ Ford as a backup for Jameer Nelson, the rights to Vazquez should be part of the package we demand in return.
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It probably comes at no surprise to long time readers of mine that I am going to include PF/C Marreese Speights in this list. Speights, a 6'10 big man from Florida, is being woefully mismanaged in Philadelphia. A terrible fit besides Elton Brand and Sam Dalembert, the Sixers compounded their mistake with signing the overpriced Brand by hiring Eddie Jordan as coach last year, whose high post Princeton offense didn't fit any of their personnel.
I still believe Speights can play and be a very effective scorer/rebounder in this league. I think his potential peaks at about an 18 and 8 guy, with good size and defensive potential. What I like about Speights the best is his efficiency with the basketball in the post, his footwork and ability to finish with touch. He also "fits" with Indiana's future as my elusive "player x".
I'll be mentioning this "Player x" concept many times in the upcoming months. What I am meaning by that term is this : A player with the size to play center alongside Hansbrough, but who has the athleticism and talent to play power forward besides Hibbert. A "player x" is hard to find, and is something we are in desperate need of I feel as our rebuilding plan goes forward.
Outside of a dynamic creator on the perimeter perhaps, I think a "player X" is our greatest need. I still believe Speights can be that guy, just like I did when he was drafted. There are and continue to be rumors of Speights not having the greatest attitude or work ethic out there, and if that stuff is true then it obviously would give me pause. But purely from a basketball standpoint on the floor, I think he might be a very good fit here.
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Speaking of "Player X", I'd give up alot if we good obtain Sacramento big man Jason Thompson. Thompson isn't defending at a high level yet, which I blame the losing culture and the non emphasis of defense by coach Paul Westphal for.
But Thompson is becoming the exact type of player we need badly. He is 6'11 250 lbs, but athletic enough I believe to play next to Roy Hibbert for the next 10 years and big enough to play next to Hansbrough as well when/if he pans out to be the player I think he can be.
From Rider, Thompson has acclimated quickly the NBA game from an offensive standpoint, and he has an NBA body that is only getting stronger. He looks like a keeper, not an All Star level player but a guy who would fit what we need like a glove. Of course, he's be hard to obtain most likely from the Kings, but.....what if this scenario happens:
What if the Pacers get lottery lucky and move up to the 3rd spot in the draft? Obviously at spots one and two we'd keep the picks and take either John Wall or Evan Turner. But if we got pick 3, would you include it in a package to Sacramento of some sort for right to acquire Thompson? I certainly would.....would you consider it?
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JaVale McGee was as raw as raw could be when he left Nevada for the NBA, and I was not a fan of his when I scouted him prior to that draft.
I think I might have been wrong.
McGee is a fluid, athletic, jumping jack of a center that I really enjoy watching play. He reminds me of a young deer, jumping and running very well, but not really having any idea why he does it or what he is doing.
McGee is fast, quick, and can run the floor almost better than any center in the league I think. His motor is high, his activity level is thru the roof, and even though he doesn't really understand the game that well yet, you can definitely see the potential there.
I don't know if he projects to be a "player x", I think instead he might just be a pure center, so if you get McGee somehow I think you are committing to building your roster differently than I think Larry Bird wants to. But I really like McGee, and any potential deal with the Wizards (who have some intriguing pieces I think) needs to include the gazelle like big man from Nevada.
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Lots of Tbird topics I am working on for the next few weeks. I had a request from one of you for a topic that I am working on (I won't say who) that I am putting together, plus a few other things I have on my mind that I am making notes on. Hopefully we can continue to get some good Pacers/hoops discussion going before the draft profiles start in the next few weeks.
As always, the above is just my opinion.
Tbird
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