Comments on: Larry Bird to Fire David Morway, Replace Him with Kevin Pritchard

By: Answering the Pacers’ Remaining Offseason Questions | Eight Points, Nine Seconds

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 17:43:46 +0000

[...] Yovanovich: How about OJ Mayo? After the botched deal that eventually led to David Morway’s departure from the Pacers, I’d like to sign Mayo just to see if he’s worth all the trouble. [...]

By: Realist

Realist — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 04:05:05 +0000

Mayo doesn’t stink as your 7th or 8th guy.

By: rob

rob — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 21:14:20 +0000

Guys, Mayo and Crawford both stink. Like Russell Westbrook and Kobe, they score because they shoot a lot. If Morway prevented the Pacers from acquiring those two, HE should be executive of the year. Leonard is great and will get better as players improve until they are 25. None the less, George Hill is a good player and a good fit with the Pacers. If you want a good NBA team you keep good young players (Hill, George) and you don’t kid yourself about “developing” players after the age of 27 or so. They are not going to improve.

That being said, Pritchard seems like a good basketball guy and LB should have who he wants as his business guy.

By: dwain

dwain — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 21:05:33 +0000

White would be an awesome addition to the team.Hard worker with great skillz, he would put his head down and keep working to get better. i still say Nash is the answer here, for a couple of years, and i really think with improvement and camps Lou and Fez can handle the big situation behind Roy. If they can pull Nash(or an equivalent) maybe trade Jones and DC(give him a chance to start somewhere) for future picks to make room on the bench for White and Nash.
i got a feelin Larry has the plan though and from the way this season went i am willing to let it unfold….

By: gregor t.

gregor t. — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 04:20:34 +0000

The Hill for Leonard trade worked out good for both teams. That is why the Pacers are coming on strong and the Spurs have four titles. Smart moves that help the team. I dont pull for the Spurs but love what they have done as an Old ABA team. If the Pacers stay on track, there time will come. Anybody liking what Royce White, 6’8 270 with an endorsement from the the Mayor, could bring to the Pacers bench? He could at least body up to Lebron. Just spitballin’ picks at 26.

By: Realist

Realist — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 22:19:36 +0000

Agree 100%, Ian.

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:38:46 +0000

I am so tired of hearing how Leonard is a sure star and how the Spurs robbed us in the Hill-Leonard trade.

Yes, Leonard had an outstanding season with the Spurs. But we was playing on a team with 3 star players and an abundance of depth. He was never asked to do more than his role required. He shot a high percentage on 3s but didn’t shoot very many (and without having seen the games, I’m guessing most of those were corner 3s). He rebounded very well and got steals, but he also played on a very fast paced team that would crush most of their opponents by overwhelming them with wave after wave of depth.

Asking Leonard to play off the bench with a scoring challenged Pacers second unit would have resulted in far more forced shots and far fewer easy opportunities to shine in low pressure situations. His numbers wouldn’t have come close to what he did in SA.

Hill had to play point for much of the year (not really his natural game) and take a lot of clutch shots often late in the clock under heavy pressure. He provided steadiness and stability and experience to the team. Yes, its possible that someday Leonard will be a star while its likely Hill will not significantly improve. But the idea that this was some how a slam dunk for the Spurs is a total exaggeration.

By: N

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 20:56:01 +0000

I think that the pacers should take Draymond Green in the draft if he’s still available. He fills the void at backup SF, is a good defender, and will be ready to play right away. Having that said, I think that the pacers should use Collison as trade bait if they plan on commiting to G. Hill with a new contract. DC still has value and a trade that sends him and Hansborough for a decent SG or big is probably the pacers best bet going forward. I’m a believer that Lance Stephenson can effectively play a bigger role for the Pacers going forward as well. At one time Larry did say that he thought he was the most skilled player on the team.

By: Joe B

Joe B — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 17:05:05 +0000

To add a different ripple to this, though, a previous blog post asks if Lance Stephenson can be the Pacers sixth man. He seems like a mix of JC and Mayo, physically, and he was drafted as a scorer who can create his own shot. Because Bird has said he is “bullish” on Lance and really likes him, does this point to abandoning bench guard scoring pursuits in favor of giving Lance the chance to do, supposedly, what he was drafted to do: score? Last year, Lance was not ready. A summer to grow, full training camp….could be interesting.

By: Joe B

Joe B — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:50:56 +0000

Pritch will be great and has a good relationship with Bird, which means no unexpected moves/ behind the scenes shenanigans.

The Pacers do need someone who can truly create his own shot and drive to the basket with confidence: this is what the playoffs show us each year. Is that Mayo, Crawford, the development of Hill, someone unexpected? All three lack consistency, but the Pacers are trying to prove they can win with five above average players and no superstar, rather than 1-3 superstars surrounded by below average players. Maybe, just maybe, the bench scoring is upgraded at the guard position and the Pacers acquire a promising back-up center in the draft, making the Pacers clearly the third best team in the East.