Why Indiana's changing situation can solve our problems

Neither Jones is within reach with our record, unless the Rockets trade away Martin and Scola to get significantly worse.

 

I think the Pacers firing Jim O'Brien might end the chances that they trade Granger this season.

 

Or maybe its the other way around... i dont see them trading Hibbert but granger and a salary dump is still a possibility especially if the deal is too good to pass up.

 

It's going to be hard to attract a real coach if they trade Granger and offer up a roster of scrubs worse than Jim O'Brien had to work with. I just don't see it happening.

Also, any new coach will probably sell management on the idea that he can get the most out of Granger and Hibbert and get them into the playoffs. I think this firing kills any thoughts they had of trading Granger, IMO.

 

Or they could say let's move Grainger with Posey for picks or young cheap players and start over behind Hibbert.

The pitch to any new coach is we have a young C, picks, and only $15 Mil committed going into 2012. No matter what happens with the CBA we will have max cap room for you to build the roster with.

That is just as attractive as hanging onto Grainger.

 

There are other variables at work here. To my knowledge, Bird does not have a contract past the current season. And after Granger and James Posey, the next Pacer has a contract of $2.9M/year.

The Pacers are fundamenatlly a young team. And the ownership may be leaning toward a full house cleaning...O'Brien, Granger and Bird.

What we don't know....how will the Pacers' fans react to this action?

As far as a coach...the NBA is never short of people (current assistants, former college coaches, former players) wanting a challenge and/or experience. The names of Eric Musselman or Mike Montgomery or Mike Brown are out there.

 

I agree, but I think Pacers fans are tired of the 'challenge'. This was supposed to be year three of Larry Bird's three-year rebuilding plan and it has failed miserably. I think Pacers fans might commit suicide if Musselman or Montgomery is given the job -- that's what I was getting at when I said 'real' coach. There will always be someone desperate to break into the gig and take a bad situation.

Indiana is third from last in attendance, barely beating out the Kings and Nets. Can they afford to trade their most marketable player in a salary dump? I mean, I believe they were offering home heater giveaways to their fans earlier this year just to try to drum up support. That franchise strikes me as once that's on their last lifeline.. I just can't see them trading their best/most marketable player.

Of course, it's all my opinion -- you guys could be right.

 

As long as the team is making 2012 look very attractive to cp3,williams,or howard, thats cool with me.

I could see granger for scola and battier and then trade miller and lee for thabeet. Granger would make up for the loss scoring wise for scola and patterson could make up for battier. Thabeet is a center holding the spot down for howard,but the rockets get to evaluate him until then. If they dont get howard and thabeet shows some defensive and rebounding promise, at least now the rockets would have a legit rim protector. D-Williams,Martin,Granger,Patterson,and thabeet would be a really good core. Williams would be the closer, patterson the 4th option as a pick and pop, martin and granger handling most of the other scoring duties.

If the got howard,then brooks would probably be in with howard,granger,martin,and patterson. A cp3 situation shapes up like the williams scenerio.

 

Agreed, every move should be made with summer 2012 in mind.

If we lose out on the free agents then, so be it, but we have to try.

Without an All-Star in place though, it will be difficult to attract Howard, unless someone like D-Will or CP3 would come along as well.

Martin is someone we have to keep, he's the kind of volume wing scorer a PG or C would love to have.

 

Houston just isn't the right trading partner for Indy. They know they can't sign a superstar in free agency, they won't give up Granger without one in return, even if it's an old declining one.

 

The more I've found out about Thabeet, the less I'm interested, Leeb. I just don't get the fascination with the guy. How is he possibly be worth Lee based on what we've seen so far?

 

Yao Ming (his contract pays for itself)
Jordan Hill (athletic PF; IND is one of the few teams who might need him)
Chase Budinger (nice young SF prospect who IND fans can "relate to")
Ishael Smith (young PG needed to make salaries match; worth a flyer for IND)

for

Danny Granger (a star player who might actually be available)
James Posey (owed $7.6M next season; a large part of the price to get Granger)
T.J. Ford (salary dump for IND but an expiring contract; at least a nice "local hero returns" story)

IND saves ~$9M this season and ~$16-17M next season. The Pacers have been hemorrhaging money recently, so they could really use the savings. Throw in the NYK 2012 pick, maybe they've got themselves a deal?

Just a thought.

 

The Pacers want Budinger and Scola.

You know it's true...

I think we can have Granger if we want him. I have a hard time believing that Bird would turn down a Scola/Battier/Budinger type deal.

 

Good trade, but the Pacers can only take back 3 players. Unless of course someone was being cut.

 

Great job Bima! Now with what's left, how about a 2nd trade to get Nene? What could we offer that would make Denver bite?

 

Jim O'Brien was recently fired, does that change anything?

 

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2010/07/indiana-giving-pacers-335-million-to-stay/

 

Rush & Hibbert get more consistent playing time, Dunleavy gets traded?

 

For that much in cost savings, they can afford to waive a guy like A.J. Price. Or maybe trade him to a team that will waive him so they can re-sign him in 30 days (although they'll have to waive someone else to do that).

Thanks. I like for my "random trade ideas" to actually make some semblance of sense for both teams.

Unfortunately, if THAT is the trade to get Granger, I don't know if Denver would be willing to give up Nene for whatever is left over. Perhaps Battier along with one/both of Lee and Patterson gets it done? (Personally, I'd prefer not to trade Patterson or Lee but realize that Lee is one of their most sought-after assets.) But they'd have no first rounders to offer in the near future if they give IND the 2012 NYK pick.

 

Maybe,but Dunleavy is not needed in Houston.