if I'm not that big guy, I think they should go get him and let me go somewhere else.

[Major Cold]

Re: if I'm not that big guy, I think they should go get him and let me go somewhere else.

This is a big year for a lot of Pacer players.

Diogu- He has two more years until a team option comes up. If he plays well and finds a role look for him to get an extension next year. If he plays well and does not find a role look for him to be traded.

Foster- two years left with the last one being a player option (meaning after this season he can opt out). If he plays well we better trade him. But like many I think that his minutes will not come in bunches. He will be a good expiring contract to trade after this season.

Graham- This years Rawle? Hopefully injuries will keep him on the inactive list.

Granger-three years left with a team option and then a restricted FA. Needs to play for an extension. Being the second option will ensure that extension. JO being traded will give him the chance to shine as well.

Harrison- two years left on his contract. If he provides a contribution then he is tradeable. If he explodes look for him to ask for an extension.

JO- getting paid as a high franchise player who is not producing what he is getting paid. I can see him opting out if Bird voices similar frustrations about JO's qualities.

Owens- Greene anyone? I don't see him making a difference, but I hope I am wrong.

Rush- If anyone needs a big year its Rush. If he is solid look for him to get a long contract by someone. A bad season and it is a sad story indeed

Williams- He has team options after next season and on. If he begins to slip hard and fast look for the players to cut him loose Eddie Griffin style. If he produces then all is well

I might be wrong but I think that the above players have something to prove to us the fans, the coaching staff, managment, and themselves.

[McKeyFan]

Re: if I'm not that big guy, I think they should go get him and let me go somewhere else.

Harrison maturity = O.J.

[Oneal07]

Re: if I'm not that big guy, I think they should go get him and let me go somewhere else.

The only thing I really remember about Harrison was when he knocked down Eddie House!! House went flying into the camera men and the New Jersey bench wanted for gang beatup Harrison!! House ended up being injured for the rest of the regular season

[Unclebuck]

Re: if I'm not that big guy, I think they should go get him and let me go somewhere else.

The only thing I really remember about Harrison was when he knocked down Eddie House!! House went flying into the camera men and the New Jersey bench wanted for gang beatup Harrison!! House ended up being injured for the rest of the regular season

I don't remember that. But I do remember many times being embarrassed by harrison's actions on the court and I do remember yelling at the coaches to get him off the floor, which they usually did

[Slick Pinkham]

Re: if I'm not that big guy, I think they should go get him and let me go somewhere else.

I will be pleasantly stunned if he proves to be a capable 9th/10th/11th man. That should be his first goal, to try to earn a spot maybe just below the regular rotation, but getting solid minutes when JO or Murph is banged up, and also playing lots of 4th quarter minutes in blowouts. If he can handle that, then maybe he can earn a little more trust.

One on the things that I am encouraged by with Obie, and maybe it's just because I believe some of the Star puff pieces, but he seems to be a coach with a strong philosophy that playing time has to be EARNED and that competition is not a bad thing. Also lazy defense will not be tolerated, and DH's well-chronicled tendency to get into foul trouble has EVERYTHING to do with being lazy on defense.

[Naptown_Seth]

Re: if I'm not that big guy, I think they should go get him and let me go somewhere else.

He was often taken out of the game with two fouls, when the rules say a player can continue until he gets six fouls. The coach wasn't holding him in reserve or some special purpose. the coach was sitting him because he didn't play well.

Exactly. It's not like fouls are just independent of the game, just things that keep you from playing.

Gee David, maybe Rick didn't want the team to set an NBA record for getting into the penalty, maybe he didn't want the other team to be shooting FTs for 10 straight minutes, or to get 40 FTAs in a game.

He wasn't protecting YOU, he was protecting the Pacers foul position. Not to mention the defense since the fouls were often your options on bad footwork (or just stupid reach-ins) and the LOST POSSESSIONS on your offensive fouls.

"This is year four of, 'We need a big guy,' " Harrison said Tuesday at the annual Pacers Foundation, Inc., golf outing at Brickyard Crossing. "My mentality going into camp is if I'm not that big guy, I think they should go get him and let me go somewhere else.

Welcome to the party pal.

[Naptown_Seth]

Re: if I'm not that big guy, I think they should go get him and let me go somewhere else.

PacerTom, as one of the resident Rick defenders let me point out one thing. Rick's rosters, including Detroit, have typically spread minutes out far more than the NBA norm. Guys do get chances, as we are pointing out with David right here.

Even the famous Tins doghouse start saw Rick keep him in once he got the chance and did well. Everyone says "well Brown played him when Rick was booted". Fine, but then Rick came back and Tinsley stayed in as the starter the rest of the year...even when Anderson was healthy again.

Shawne, Danny and David all saw spurts of minutes, would struggle, would lose minutes, then a few weeks later he'd test the water on them again.

Rick may have put up with bad BEHAVIOR, but clearly he did not take it to the point of letting worse players in the game. Jackson for all his acting up was just an overall better option. IMO that's exactly why Rick did coddle him as a problem child otherwise and let him rant at him.

The problem there is that Jack was their best SG option, not that Rick played him.

So if players think that now they are going to get a fair chance, I call BS on that. Maybe bad behavior will get shut down and Tinsley coming late to practice will get him benched, but otherwise nobody is going to see more PT from JOB than they did with Rick.

Pretty sure JOB actually has a history of focusing his PT around star players and that JO/Tins will likely see high points in MPG under him, rather than this rotation of "now let's see what you can do" competition for PT.

About 2 weeks into camp it's going to be pretty clear where the talent on this roster is at, and considering the painful lack of starter-quality depth I doubt we are going to see a masssively open rotation.

If David wants PT he better get his defensive footwork down tight, never set a moving screen, and maybe learn to hit a 3 every once in awhile. There is no way JOB gives him more PT chances than Rick did, barring injury. Remember that Rick had given rookie David decent minutes BEFORE the brawl even.