Why Indiana's changing situation can solve our problems

No way Morey does that.

Martin is a top ten scorer in this league.

 

Yep, and I definitely don't see a bunch of our "assets" being traded to just one team.

Why would another team trade for all of our role players. They'd be stuck in the same situation as us. Especially Indiana, when no one wants to go there in free agency. Trading Granger to the Rockets, Indiana would have to search for a star to build around our role players.

The Rockets aren't the only team that are about to majorly shake up their rosters...I believe the Rockets will be involved in a couple... Maybe even a few multi-team trades where some role players (IMO, should be anyone that isnt a two-way player and/or playmaker) to different teams.

 

Yeah, but we got him by giving up one of the best fourth quarter scorers in the league. The Granger deal makes sen$e, but it doesn't make too much basketball sense in my mind. The Pacers took on James Posey to bring in Darren Collison -- when he had two years left on his deal. Now he has only one year left; he will be involved in any plausible Granger scenario, but I don't think Chase, Hill (bust?) and a probable late 1st rounder is enough for their star player.

Living in Indiana, I do know that some of the fans are high on Budinger (insert Bird joke). But they also really like Courtney Lee -- and he's a local kid. I think he might be a key piece in a Granger deal, along with a Patterson and NY 1st.

I realize we're saving them a considerable amount of money; but I just don't see that making up for the lack of talent returning for them (Hill/Bud). Patterson and Lee are more valued assets and would probably get you a lot further in negotiations with Indiana than Hill/Budinger would get you, IMO.

 

I think we're all just so bored and fed up with mediocracy we will discuss ANY possible trade option just to have something to hope for.

However, this is the first somewhat realistic attempt at putting together a viable trade structure that I've seen in a long time. Although, Hibbert isn't going anywhere. Indiana loves big, plodding (but talented) big men like Hibbert. (i.e. Rik Smits). Especially, since he has so much upside and even more potential upside now that O'brien is gone.

Granger, on the other hand, could possibly be available for the right price. And since he's not a pre-madonna like all the other "stars" we've been trying to trade for, he might actually want to come to a city like Houston since he's been living in Indiana.

At the end of the day, however, I just don't think it'll get done. They're in the same boat as us, in a sense. They know that Indiana, like Houston, doesn't draw exceptional talent through trade. Both cities are just not appealing or cosmopolitan enough like Miami, NY, Chicago, L.A., etc. to draw the superstars. So why let their star go? (IMO, he's more a pseudo star. He's only averaging 21 pts per game and 5.5 boards. Plus, he's almost 28-- not old, but not young either).

The only option? GET LUCKY IN THE DRAFT. Just like we did with Olajuwon. And I believe that is exactly what Morey is doing. Building assets and remaining competitive, but not contenders, until the right trade comes along (unlikely, as I said above, but possible), or the more likely strategy of using those assets to move up in the draft and hopefully get lucky and land a star in the DRAFT. That's how we got Yao (well not moving up, but luck through the lottery), and that's how we got Olajuwon. And don't say "well we got Mcgrady through trade!". He was a bum. Also "Don't say we got Barkley and Clyde through trade!". Well, yeah, but only because they were ring chasing on Olajuwon's back.

So basically, do what Morey is doing, BE PATIENT. I know it hurts. It hurts like hell to see us tread water in the sea of mediocracy. But, if we wait and play our cards right, and not make a move JUST to make a move, then just maybe we'll get lucky. Morey is playing Chess right now, just strategizing, planing ahead, and waiting for the right opportunity to say "Check mate" "Got ya Bit@h!"

 

No worries. I kind of figured that. But sometimes it's hard to discern whether you (as a fairly well-respected poster on this BBS) are joking when you make moderately disparaging comments about me.

We're cool.

 

Now that their head coach is fired, would that help the trader proposal a bit?

 

Most teams, especially ones that have been in the injury boat would dismiss this guy. But if you know anything about his injuries, you'd know that the last year's was a freak accident. You put a high tech brace on and no more shattered knee cap. He decided to get microfracture surgery on the other knee as it should have been done along with the initial but would make recovery difficult since crutches or a wheel chair would be the only solution to months. I say this guy has great timing and is the best post play out there with Duncan like timing. I hope Houston can take the non-jinx and go for what other teams might avoid. Sign Oden next year please.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...mors-pacers-looking-for-youth-to-power-change

Maybe, just maybe Granger could be on his way.

 

As much as i like BR, quoting them on Clutchfans is like a sin or something.

 

What happened to TJ Ford? Did we waive him? or is he the "Twill" backing up Lowry?

 

It said nothing about trading Granger. I think you are reading too much into Hansbrough and Paul George getting more playtime. Paul George got playtime at the expense of Mike Dunleavy not Danny Granger. Dunleavy, Foster, and Ford are expiring. They are not in the teams plans.]

The 4th quarter line up at the end of last night's game had Dunleavy(starter) riding pine, while Paul George was with the starting lineup, including Granger. George played some some SG and some SF.

 

But the point remains that if they are going to play George over Dunleavy, they are obviously going young and developing their talent. Granger is a finished product. Where does he fit in with a bunch of guys on rookie contracts that are developing their games? He belongs on another team.

 

You clear capspace by wiping Yao, Scola and Kmart off the books and get two lottery picks for rebuilding. Not that bad a trade if you ask me.

 

How much cap room can they get to add another player after Dunleavy and co leave?

 

It's not a youth movement. It's a play better players movement.
He's more interested in packing the expirings for a star. At the beginning of the season, Bird talked about getting lots of capspace after 2011 and signing a free agent. Lately, he has talked about the uncertainty of new the CBA and trying to get a free agent and a possible lockout.

In a recent interview, he seems to be more interested in packaging the expirings for a big player, instead of waiting for the end of the season and also about making a run for the playoffs. It doesn't seem that he is ready to trade Granger and go into rebuilding mode at all.


http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/01/24/indianas-larry-bird-eager-to-make-big-trade-undecided-on-futur/

 

Dunleavy's days are numbered, whether or not there is a trade.

Paul George will take Dunleavy's starting role, as soon as he is gone. That's certain.

 

Yes, I read that. And then I thought about it and I was reminded it was Larry Legend, one of the biggest trash talkers and ball fakers in history. And then I thought about what they could get for those expirings. And then I thought about their financial problems. And then I thought about Bird getting them locked into an alleged superstar contract. And it all adds up to a big fake misdirection by Larry. Who is out there that they can get? They need a power forward. They've got their PG. They've got swing men. They've got a big man. They need a superstar PF. Trading Granger for Melo doesn't make them that much better. Where's the superstar PF someone is waiting to unload. If they wanted to get someone, the guy that probably makes the most sense is Zach Randolph. They could flip part of their expirings and Hansbrough and get Zach. I would be willing to bet Memphis would bite if they could save a few dollars. But does it really help Indy and put them in a long term competitive situation? Are they going to re-up Zach for $10 million per year??? Just don't see it. Who else is out there? Well, possibly Scola. But for what price? We need a big man. Don't see us giving them Scola for an expiring Jeff Foster. Scola has more value than that.

The wise thing Indy should do, given their status as a borderline playoff team at best with financial problems, would be to move Granger and Posey out and go with a total youth movement. Trade those guys for expiring contracts, plus possibly a young player and a future pick. Then they could roll with:

Collison
Rush
George
Hibbert
Hansbrough or other young big

Making the eighth seed does absolutely nothing for them.

So, the short of the long is I don't believe what Larry said. I think he was trying to throw everybody off. I think for the right deal, he'd move Granger and Posey.

 

After the expirings they are left with only $34 mil in team salary. The minimum team salary for 2010-11 is $44 mil. If they trade Granger for expirings and draft pick, they would have only $22 mil.

They would need to fill the roster out. It makes little sense to sign a $15-22 mil player, if they are in rebuilding mode. It makes even less sense to sign a bunch of roleplayers to take make the minimum salary requirements.

 

Having all that cap space puts Indy in a perfect position to give guys front loaded contracts, kinda like OKC did with Nick Collison......so that they continue to have cap flexibility going forward. Don't you see this?

 

Get rid of Granger to give a scrub a frontloaded long term contract,
so they have cap flexibility in the next season to a max player to join a rebuilding youth movement,
which was started by getting rid of old Granger in his 20's because he was too old to play with the youth movement.

I definitely see it, man!