Our needs for an experienced backup PG and SF need to be answered. Tinsley could be had for a year. But can he play, and would he compliment Wade, help Chalmers, and make Beasley better as a SF? Can’t wait to see. Must have been hard to be a Pacers fan for a while though. I’ve seen teams implode before, and the inmates can’t run the asylum. It’s frustrating waiting while others improve, but these bloated contracts tied to insane personalities and skills that don’t mesh can destroy us for years. Miami’s stuck on guarantees that wouldn’t start in Europe. I’d rather see a team built to be a SA Spurs, than another 1-year wonder like our title run. Thanks again guys, and good luck.

daniyal on 2011 FA Class: I don’t have a complete list handy, but it certainly will be less exciting than net summer’s…at least, not as sexy. However, as noted, the Pacers aren’t a big player in the FA market, and they’ll probably be looking to bring in quality players through trades, which opens them up to a broader range of opportunities.

Coyotecane: “Jamaal Tinsley: Truths and Myths” is probably a 1,000-page tell all book that could only be written by somebody with a lot more inside info than I (or perhaps any on person) would have. I don’t think the public problems will be anywhere near as severe if he’s…elsewhere. Neither the history nor the suffocating contract will be there to exacerbate any difficulties. However, there are real issues that could create real problems in a new locker room.

As to skills, that has never been his problem…other than perhaps his overestimation of his shooting ability. The things I’d worry that he might have lost would be timing and quickness. The timing will come back with play, but the quickness might be a victim of father time. (And, for his relatively inimpressive physique, he was always much, much quicker than people gave him credit.)

As far as fitting under Riley/Spoelstra…that’s a difficult call. I don’t know Spoelstra’s style, so I won’t speak at all on that. Here, he was closest to a “winning point guard” under Carlisle. Rick basically acted as his Jamaal’s judgment and Basketball IQ. Unfortunately, Rick isn’t what you’d call a people person, and the “softer side” of the relationship appears to have been something of a train wreck. As an outsider/distant observer, I’d characterize Jamaal as “fragile”, so…you can’t take that FWIW.

Leaving aside all the touchy-feely stuff, the biggest basketball issue with Jamaal was that he simply couldn’t stay on the floor. For whatever reason, (everyone in Indy has their own pet theory) he could not be counted on to play 70+ games. Perhaps the time off will have allowed his body to be better in this regard. Whatever else happens, if Tinsley “fails” in his new environment, the far and away most likely reason will be health/absence issues.

Thanks to all of you for reading the article and for these questions. Jared and I could probably come up with some really good columns from some of this. Hope to hear from you again.

While it won’t help with the cap numbers, it will be additional welcome financial relief.