Why Indiana's changing situation can solve our problems

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110125/SPORTS04/101250340/Pacers-guard-Ford-takes-latest-demotion-stride

"When given a talented but plodding center to work with in Hibbert, O’Brien proved to be a traditionalist at heart, after all. The Pacers offense was restructured to feature Hibbert both in the high post and the low post, while Indy’s pace and 3-point attempts dipped accordingly. Hibbert played well, and for the first time in four seasons the blueprint for improvement in Indiana seemed clear.
Since that point, however, Hibbert’s production has plummeted. After averaging 18.3 points and 10.0 rebounds a game in October and 15.6 points and 9.4 rebounds a game in November, Hibbert has dropped to just 7.8 points and 7.6 rebounds a night in January.
Roy Hibbert’s stat production over the 2010-11 season.Rob Mahoney Roy Hibbert’s statistical production over the 2010-11 season.
Hibbert scored 12 points Sunday night against the Denver Nuggets, but it was the first time he had reached that mark this month. For comparison’s sake, Hibbert topped 12 points in 10 of the season’s first 11 games.
A closer look at Hibbert’s monthly splits reveals another interesting wrinkle: his minutes per game have dropped significantly in each month this season, which would seem to account for his regression from a quasi star to a role player. He played 21.8 minutes per game in January, a strangely low average given the Pacers’ lack of competent alternatives at center."


5 interesting developments in indiana:

1. clearly, hibbert's play has declined in indiana. he seems a bit frustrated, the coaching staff seems baffled, and the situation might turn tenuous. i know they said he was off limits to other teams two months ago, but this may quickly change, if it hasn't already.

2. furthermore, o'brien is on the hot seat. he may not be back in indiana next year. i smell rebuilding..

3. also, collison has turned out to be a disappointing acquisition, after excelling last year in chris paul's absence in NO.

4. they want to get rid of TJ ford. they tried to buy him out for 3mil, he said no. they already have two young backup PGs they're comfortable with. the ford situation here.

5. they were willing to trade granger, still are.


AS SUCH, i think the pacers provide us with answers to our problems..

hibbert is the defensive presence we so dearly lack. tall center, great shot blocking ability, size to plug the lane. he's got a good offensive game too.
granger is the consistent scorer we desperately need, the go-to-guy with some semblance of star potential. he can create his own shot and is one of the more efficient wing players in the game. he's got superior size at his position, and oh yeah, he plays great defense.
TJ ford is an expiring 8mil, certainly not a bad backup PG, great vision and leadership on the court, amazing passing skills and pace, just don't let him shoot the ball or guard bigger PGs, it gets ugly. oh, and he's a hometown kid, me like that.

HOW WE can solve their problems..

what they have now is not tenable, they have some good young players but the core is far from solid, the coach is in a very unstable position, hibbert and collison are not playing to their potential, they want to clear space, larry bird may not return next year (his contract is up and he's thinking about leaving), and lastly, they're in that "god damn it if we make the playoffs we play the HEAT and if we don't we get the LAST lottery pick" position, which we are very familiar with. that's no good, they won't get a franchise rookie next year and their playoff ambitions are futile. so, i suggest giving them cap relief, giving them picks, and giving them young cheap talent to help build a solid core. BROOKS IS A GREAT PLAYER, we all know that, despite his recent play and kyle's superior play. budinger and hill have great potential, small contracts, and play well together. yao's contract is pure gold to a rebuilding team, and, offering them draft picks gives them the key to rebuilding.

here's a trade proposal:

To Rockets (approx 21 mil)
Granger
Hibbert
TJ Ford

To Pacers (29 mil - 6 mil trade exception = approx 23 mil)
AB
Budinger
Hill
Jeffries
Yao's contract
2nd Rd 2011 Clippers Pick (most likely a top 7 2nd pick)
Knicks 2012 1st Rd Pick
Rockets 2014 1st Rd Pick

i doubt they'd shoot that down. they would at least consider seriously.


THAT GIVES US:
Lowry/Twill/Ish
Martin/Lee/Twill
Granger/Battier/Lee
Scola/Hayes/Patterson
Hibbert/Miller/Hayes

me like. you like?

 

i'd like to edit the trade proposal.. i realized that trading ford away wouldn't make sense for them since he's an expiring 8mil, instead they should trade posey away, who's making 6.5 mil this year and 7 mil next year.

so..

ROCKETS GET
Granger
Hibbert
Posey

PACERS GET
Yao
Aaron
Bud
Hill
Jeffries
The 3 Picks
Trade exception

 

based on this trade, indiana would have cap relief in the form of:

17 mil - yao ming
10 mil - mike dunleavy
7 mil - jared jeffries
7 mil - jeff foster
8 mil - tj ford
5.5 mil - jamaal tinsley

that totals to around 45 mil in cap relief starting july 1st. they would be in the best position among nba teams to sign 2 max free agents.

not to mention the fact that they add a 6 mil trade exception, two promising young players in hill and budinger, and they would get insurance this year on yao's contract.

 

my mistake, you're right. though i think i do understand how a trade exception works, i wasn't thinking correctly.

 

AB, hill, bud, 3 picks, and a potential 45 mil in cap room? i say you and bird can blow me.

 

this trade abides by the stepien rule, you're not counting the picks correctly. you cannot trade rockets guaranteed picks in consecutive years. NYs pick was never a rockets guaranteed pick.