| Bird Gets His Man Authored by Andrew Perna - July 2, 2006 - 12:44 pm
| Current Featured Columns | | Howard's Role In The Gold For the first time in eight years, there won't be any talk of failure, or the world catching up, only praises for the Olympic champions – that is unless your name is Dwight Howard.
Grading The Deal: Williams To Cleveland In Three-WayMo Williams just barely outperformed the first year of his new contract, but he gives Cleveland's offense a few more teeth.
| |
Shawne is young, having entered the draft after just one season at Memphis, but he’s a polished player. He was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year, and was named to the National All-Freshman Team by The Sporting News.
Standing 6’9” and weighing 225 pounds, he averaged 13.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season.
The question is: What does this mean for Indiana?
The position Indiana has the most problems with has been the controversial point guard spot. Jamaal Tinsley has been on the bench more than on the court, and Sarunas Jasikevicius hasn’t lived up to expectations the Pacers expected when he signed with Indiana last summer. Then there’s Anthony Johnson, a long-time back up, whom I feel is ready to start.
With Connecticut’s Williams sliding down the draft board, the Pacers had the opportunity to make Tinsley very expendable and to take the top point prospect in the draft. Instead, they took Shawne, one of three Williams drafted in the first round, stockpiling talent at the small forward position.
In last June’s draft Indiana took Danny Granger, who turned out to be the steal of the entire class. Danny, a small forward, backed up Peja Stjakovic after he arrived with the Pacers last January. Stojakovic recently, as expected, opted-out of the final year of his contract. Despite the fact that he has decided to become a free agent this summer, Peja has expressed a great desire to return to Indiana this fall.
Assuming Stojakovic re-signs, where does this leave Williams? He’s too talented to park on the bench all year. He’s progressing at his young age, and not playing him might stunt his growth as a player. Behind both Stojakovic and Granger, there wouldn’t be more than a handful of minutes a game.
There are three explanations I could come up with adding another forward into the mix, other than the obvious fact that he’s a talented player.
1.) Peja isn’t as close to returning to the Pacers as people are assuming.
This would move Granger into the starting position, and allowing Williams to become a strong rookie contributor, averaging 10-15 minutes per game. A report of a very lucrative offer from New Orleans late Sunday night makes it look as though Peja might entertain offers elsewhere.
2.) Could Indiana be shopping Stephen Jackson?
If anyone on the Pacers is expected to be traded, most people think that it would be either Jackson or Tinsley. Indiana might move Jackson in order to upgrade at center or point guard. Trading Jackson would allow any one Indiana’s small forwards to get some playing time at shooting guard. It’s not the most probable explanation, but with the way things have gone with the Pacers lately you never know.
3.) Draft help at point guard might have diminished their trading power.
If Indiana is shopping Tinsley, Johnson, or Jasikevicius, then taking Marcus Williams in the draft might have lowered their trading power this summer. Marcus would have given them four capable options at point guard, and any trading partner would negotiate knowing that the Pacers would need to unload at least one of their point guards.
There are plenty of reasons why Bird took Shawne with the seventeenth pick. Of course, Bird says that he was the player the Pacers wanted all along. He’s also a young guy, full of potential that can be developed over the next few seasons. He’s not needed right away and he can polish his skills until they are needed. I’m not saying that he isn’t capable of contributing – I’m just trying to estimate what his role might be.
Bird also mentioned that Williams might end up playing some power forward when Rick Carlisle decides to play small. Watching Danny Granger and Williams in the frontcourt could become a beautiful sight in Indiana for years to come. Larry has always made good draft decisions, so I expect Shawne to become everything Larry expects and more…
Andrew can be contacted at Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com |
