| Summer Of Dread Authored by Andrew Perna - July 6, 2007 - 2:55 pm
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Entering the offseason after missing the playoffs for the first time since the early part of the nineties, things aren’t as bright as usual in the Heartland. Ron Artest, and even Stephen Jackson, might be long gone, but instead of character issues the Pacer now suffer from an anemic roster. Lacking a first round pick for the first time since the 2003, but for the third time in a seven year span, the Pacers were unable to obtain any immediate help in last week’s draft (No, Stanko Barac doesn’t count).
That, along with their lack of funds to make a play in the free agent market, will likely leave their roster with more holes than Peyton Manning found in the Chicago secondary during February’s Super Bowl. Their franchise cornerstone, Jermaine O’Neal, has been involved in trade rumors for the better part of the offseason, but Larry Bird doesn’t seem intent on shipping J.O. out of town.
Boston, New Jersey, and Los Angeles are the names that have been entered in the Jermaine sweepstakes, but none have made a strong enough play to appease Larry Legend. Bird has repeatedly commented on the rumors, stating that he’ll only move O’Neal if the deal is right. With that said, let’s assume for the purpose of this column that Jermaine is still in blue-and-gold this fall.
The Pacers aren’t short on talent, if you’re looking at their wings. Danny Granger and Shawne Williams have the front office drooling, but neither were ready to become the number two scoring option following the departure of Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington in January. Granger is the likely candidate to assume that role this season, with Williams still needing some time to mature and get his NBA legs. Assuming neither is dealt this summer, Indiana shouldn’t need to look for a small forward anytime soon – unfortunately that’s all Pacer fans have to be excited about these days.
They are weaker at point guard this summer than they have ever been before, and that’s saying something. After waiving Orien Greene, who didn’t deserve a spot anyway, they’re left with Jamaal Tinsley and Darrell “I’m closer to fifty than I look” Armstrong. That’s bad. I mean real bad. You can’t count on Armstrong for more than ten to fifteen minutes a night (and that was last season), and I don’t think there’s enough Tylenol in the Hoosier State for new coach Jim O’Brien to play Tinsley thirty to thirty-five minutes a night (let alone for eighty-two games).
Adding a free agent point guard should be Larry Bird’s highest priority this summer, but there isn’t anyone in their range that will solve all the problems Tinsley and Armstrong will create for the team. And the fact that the Pacers are no longer a perennial contender in the East won’t help them attract anyone worth getting excited over.
A shooter is something else Bird needs to address sooner rather than later. They have the bodies to play the position, Mike Dunleavy and Marquis Daniels, but they lack a pure shooter to instill fear into their opponents. It’s possible that Williams could be groomed to play the two, but he’ll be more comfortable playing the three (which might cause playing time issues with Granger once he’s established).
The addition of Kareem Rush will give them another body to use, in the event that they lose Daniels once again, but I’d consider him more of a scorer than a shooter. When Dunleavy came into the NBA it was expected that he’d excel as a shooting guard because of the mismatches his size would create, but that hasn’t been the case. Mike shot less than thirty-two percent from beyond the arc last season, which ranked behind guys like Keith McLeod and Jamaal Tinsley (ouch).
It’s possible that Dunleavy will settle into his role with the Pacers this season, but that won’t cure Indiana’s shooting woes. By the way, did I mention that they were the worst shooting team in the NBA last season? Reggie must be convulsing.
If they keep Jermaine, they’re set at the four. O’Neal might struggle through injuries more often than people would like, but he’s still one of the best power forwards in the game. If he misses significant time, like he has in recent years, than he’ll be considered overpaid. If he plays more than seventy games, he’ll more than likely earn his contract.
Ike Diogu will back O’Neal up. He’s talented, but his size will never allow him to play at a high level at his position. A lot of Pacer fans value Diogu a little high and I think it’s because they want to feel as though they got something great out of the Golden State deal. Troy Murphy will also spend some time at the four, but he’s a power forward trapped in a small forward’s body.
That leaves the center position. For years Jeff Foster has patrolled the paint for Indiana, but his lack of offensive skills are finally beginning to show without a huge amount of firepower on the rest of the roster. Foster is great for double-figure rebounds and superior defense, but if you count on him for more than a few put-backs each night you’re going to be disappointed.
Foster is one of my favorites, but the Pacers need someone with more offensive skills to, at the very least, share time with him. David Harrison might be good for a locker room laugh, but he seems capable of little else on the court. If he remains on the team, he’ll likely be fighting for his future this season.
Assuming they have the pieces, but the Pacers might want to make a play for Washington’s Brendan Haywood. He’s inconsistent, but he has improved his offensive skills over his career. He’d be an upgrade over Foster offensively, while Jeff could still bring energy to the floor in doses. Splitting time with someone like Haywood would also help Foster contribute more consistently, as he has suffered from various injuries throughout the years as well.
As they stand, Indiana has the talent to fight for a playoff spot in the improving Eastern Conference. Whether or not that talent can pull things together and produce enough wins, is another story.
If Bird makes a move involving O’Neal, the Pacers might be closer to next year’s Lottery than they are currently. However, some might consider moving O’Neal, and his $20 million contract, to be the first step towards turning the Indiana ship around.
But as Benjamin Franklin once said, “Even a small leak will sink a great ship.”
How do you think Indiana can turn it around? Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com |
