GATER, Although I disagree that Utah has ANY intention of competing this coming season, I do agree that they would balk at this deal since they'd have to take 6M back as you put it. I must admit I'm a bit unclear on the whole BYC status thing, but if it means taking back 6M in contracts, I also doubt Utah would help us out. Unless Mooch goes to Indiana, while Indiana sends 2 decent players wit hdecent contracts to Utah? (Harrington and Foster?) Rarely do these BYC-complicated trades take place though, but the point I personally wanted to make was that Francis for O'Neal is a deal we would make and Indiana wouldn't. Salary complications aside, I think both sides would be willing to make an O'Neal/Tinsley for Francis/Griffin swap.
lol Aren't you policing the police?? Might want to save some of that coal for yourself. For clarification, I was responding to Tonaaaaaay post about whether or not this is old news. It is. I don't care what ESPN and the Chron have posted. O'Neal suggested he might request a trade several days ago. I pointed out the thread in NBA Dish because an article from an Indy source was posted stating that O'Neal is on board for the season and it now looks like he has backed off on possibly requesting said trade. This was posted before the start of this thread. So this thread is "old news" and the new developments that you spoke of render this thread a moot point.
Sane - Regarding Utah being competitive - I'm in the minority but I have not passed them over as "dead". They are a "system" team that makes the overall result better than then sum of their individual skills. Right now their 6 man rotation consists of Raul Lopez, DeShawn Stevenson, Harpring, Kirilenko, Keon Clark, and Ostertag. They have the rights to Calbert Cheaney and Scott Padgett and could bring back Mark Jackson or go with Carlos Arroyo. In addition, they have added Mo Williams (PG) and Aleksandar Pavlovic - a 6'7" SG and journeyman Micheal Ruffun at the backup PF. I dislike the Jazz as much as anyone here, but again - the Jazz are a "system" team and the system maximizes these players strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. Back on topic.... IMHO, JVG and the Rox management are going to do the "dance with who brung ya" routine. BYC complications aside, unless Van Gundy was flat out horrified at watching last seasons videos of Francis (which I doubt), Steve is currently not on the table. From the Pacers perspective (other than effort and desire), I just don't see Francis as a Carlisle/Bird type of player...hard-nosed D, good decision making skills, making those around him better...
Thanks for the info codell. I asked because I haven't been keeping up with the news and was wondering if this was from last week. But anywho i'm gonna have to call the spell check police on you . - Tonaaayyyy**
GATER, I agree about Francis not being the Bird/Carlisle type. However, I sincerely think that JVG likes Francis THE BASKETBALL PLAYER, doesn't agree with FRANCIS THE PG, and dislikes FRANCIS' BACKOURT SUPPORT. Personally, I think JVG would love to bring in someone who would be a starting PG on another team (McInnis, Snow, McKie maybe, Ward possibly, etc...). I also think that he'd be ecstatic at having a 3-man backcourt rotation of Francis, Pike, and the type of player I'm talking about. As you have noticed, Mobley is NOT in that mix, and I think that if we could bring in that type of player (Snow) and improve our frontcourt by trading Cat and Rice (for example), he would do it in a heartbeat. Anyone can see what's wrong with this team. I expect him to take a closer look at training camp, but I think it's quite obvious that Yao Ming's Rockets would be better off with a revamped backcourt. My dream backcourt looks like this, and I hope we try to make something very similar happen: Francis/Pike/Snow taking up all the minutes.
like i said before, w/ bird its 'my way or the hi-way'. just read the latest of the o'neil saga, bird just said if he is not happpy, they will move him. for some of you who keep writing about trading for o'neil, these type of players are what they call 'coach killers', biggest whiners around and will be happy only if they have their things their way. i wonder what guys like him ever think where they would be if there were no NBAs around. this guys done NOTHING, barely makes the playoffs in the east and things he runs the freakin team.
About the BYC thang.... Brad Miller makes $7 mil this year (according to hoopshype) and if I remember, Mercer makes about $6; and Indiana received Ferry and Pollard, about $10 mil.....shouldn't the Pacers have a $3 mil trade exception? Not that they would use it, but don't they have the trade exception to offset any trade of Artest, O'Neal, Foster, et al?
I don't know the exact amount, but they definitely dumped salary in the Miller trade, so they have a trade exception. Of course, for the proposed deal to work, the Rockets would also have to have a trade exception.
