Pacers through 57 games this season and last

[trojanfan12]

You better hope that Golden State doesn't rest their stars in our two April meetings with them because that's probably your last remaining hope of winning this bet at this point...

I don't have a bet with you...



And if you say you made a mistake because all us Lakers fans look alike...you're a racist.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Cap space means nothing if the top guys aren't willing to take it.

What free agent do you see signing there when the 76ers , Lakers , who have better young talent, will have cap space too?

Welcome to purgatory.

Don't pack light because both you and I will be here for awhile.

*standings*

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Are you comparing Miami and Indy? That's not a good comparison.
Durant went to the NBA champions. I think that if the Pacers win a title, they will have an easier time bringing in talent. It is getting to that point that will elude them.

Like I said in an earlier post, they do a great job with what they have.

Sure. While we're at it, let's go right ahead:

• 2010 Heat through 57 games: 29-28
• Current Pacers through 57: 33-25

I'm not going to sit here and say we'll be able to land a LeBron/Durant caliber player. But, with an abundance of cap space we'll have opportunities that not many teams have.

The 2019 FA class will include Kemba Walker and Kawhi Leonard (because yeah, he's sure a guy that craves the big market bright lights, LOL). Terry Rozier will also be a restricted FA that summer assuming he don't sign an extension before then.

This summer, there's always a possibility that we can buy low on someone like Otto Porter, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Wilson Chandler, Al-Farouq Aminu, or Moe Harkless. There's a long list of ways we could go...It's just a matter of keeping our options open and not make a knee-jerk reaction move.

Word is also already out there that we could be interested in Aaron Gordon:

NBA free agency rumors: Aaron Gordon drawing interest from Suns, Mavs, Pacers

 

[SJ76]

Is this a brag thread?

 

[Myles]

Sure. While we're at it, let's go right ahead:

• 2010 Heat through 57 games: 29-28
• Current Pacers through 57: 33-25

I'm not going to sit here and say we'll be able to land a LeBron/Durant caliber player. But, with an abundance of cap space we'll have opportunities that not many teams have.

The 2019 FA class will include Kemba Walker and Kawhi Leonard (because yeah, he's sure a guy that craves the big market bright lights, LOL). Terry Rozier will also be a restricted FA that summer assuming he don't sign an extension before then.

This summer, there's always a possibility that we can buy low on someone like Otto Porter, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Wilson Chandler, Al-Farouq Aminu, or Moe Harkless. There's a long list of ways we could go...It's just a matter of keeping our options open and not make a knee-jerk reaction move.

Word is also already out there that we could be interested in Aaron Gordon:

NBA free agency rumors: Aaron Gordon drawing interest from Suns, Mavs, Pacers

We'll have to wait and see. Hasn't worked in the past 20+ years though.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

We'll have to wait and see. Hasn't worked in the past 20+ years though.

It happens quite often, actually. Blake Griffin is a Piston for heaven's sake.

And why is he a Piston??? Because the large market team, the Clippers, didn't believe they would ever build a contender around him in the circumstances they were given.

 

[tlance]

It happens quite often, actually. Blake Griffin is a Piston for heaven's sake.

And why is he a Piston??? Because the large market team, the Clippers, didn't believe they would ever build a contender around him in the circumstances they were given.

Blake Griffin is not a franchise changer. He produces all star stat lines, but is not going to get anybody over that 50 win hump to make a team truly relevant.

Hell, the Clippers look better with the spare parts they acquired than they did with him. Neither the Clippers or the Pistons are on a pathway likely to make them contenders.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Blake Griffin is not a franchise changer. He produces all star stat lines, but is not going to get anybody over that 50 win hump to make a team truly relevant.

Hell, the Clippers look better with the spare parts they acquired than they did with him. Neither the Clippers or the Pistons are on a pathway likely to make them contenders.

Nevertheless, I give the Detroit front office tremendous props for not being satisfied with mediocrity and making a boom-or bust move like that. Barring a significant choke job in Miami, they won't be making the playoffs this year. Time will tell if they'll be good, be they won't be short on intrigue in the coming years. Not only that, but playing his home games in Detroit as opposed to L.A. will keep Griffin focused on basketball and less on the extracurricular bullshit like he was before.

 

[Myles]

Nevertheless, I give the Detroit front office tremendous props for not being satisfied with mediocrity and making a boom-or bust move like that. Barring a significant choke job in Miami, they won't be making the playoffs this year. Time will tell if they'll be good, be they won't be short on intrigue in the coming years. Not only that, but playing his home games in Detroit as opposed to L.A. will keep Griffin focused on basketball and less on the extracurricular bullshit like he was before.

Ultimately what Griffin does for Detroit is keep them out of a shot at a high draft pick and a championship caliber team. It sucks that todays NBA is that way, but it is what it is. Developing a team from the draft doesn't work if you don't have a top 5 pick. Free agency signings are as important as the draft now. Small markets in rural areas aren't attractive to top free agents. All of that screws the Pacers.

 

[trojanfan12]

Ultimately what Griffin does for Detroit is keep them out of a shot at a high draft pick and a championship caliber team. It sucks that todays NBA is that way, but it is what it is. Developing a team from the draft doesn't work if you don't have a top 5 pick. Free agency signings are as important as the draft now. Small markets in rural areas aren't attractive to top free agents. All of that screws the Pacers.

Yeah, the Pacers problem is that they are a good team. That sounds weird to say, but it's true. In the NBA, the worst thing you can be is a good team, especially in a small market. It puts them in that purgatory where they can't ever draft high enough to get a star through the draft, but aren't good enough to be anything more than a 1st or 2nd round playoff exit.

To attract top FA's, a small market team has to have a star or 2 and they can typically only get those through the draft.

Imo, for small market teams to become contenders, they need to take the Warriors route. Be really bad for a few years, get high draft picks to develop a star or 2 of their own to attract FA's to put them over the top.

 

[Myles]

Yeah, the Pacers problem is that they are a good team. That sounds weird to say, but it's true. In the NBA, the worst thing you can be is a good team, especially in a small market. It puts them in that purgatory where they can't ever draft high enough to get a star through the draft, but aren't good enough to be anything more than a 1st or 2nd round playoff exit.

To attract top FA's, a small market team has to have a star or 2 and they can typically only get those through the draft.

Imo, for small market teams to become contenders, they need to take the Warriors route. Be really bad for a few years, get high draft picks to develop a star or 2 of their own to attract FA's to put them over the top.

100% correct. I guess there is a trade off. Do you want a team to suck for a few years to get a chance at getting those top players or would you rather be competitive (but not championship quality) each and every year. I think I'd rather be good each year.

 

[bksballer89]

...As well as a cream puff schedule between now and March 10th. You know as they say - Why search for a solution when you could just give away the problem???

So about that cream puff schedule through March 10th......

Pacers are currently 2-2 in this stretch with losses to Atlanta and Dallas.

Next 4 games are against Milwaukee (2X), Washington, and Utah

 

[HurricaneDij39]

100% correct. I guess there is a trade off. Do you want a team to suck for a few years to get a chance at getting those top players or would you rather be competitive (but not championship quality) each and every year. I think I'd rather be good each year.

Well Cuban just got fined 600K for his comments on tanking, and there's a reason for it. The bottom line is it rarely actually works. You owe it to the fans attending games to put a competitive product on the court. And besides, that top tier pick you're "tanking" for is far more likely to be the next Jabari Parker or Jahlil Okafor than he is the next LeBron James these days anyway.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

So about that cream puff schedule through March 10th......

Pacers are currently 2-2 in this stretch with losses to Atlanta and Dallas.

Next 4 games are against Milwaukee (2X), Washington, and Utah

Probably just the basketball Gods having their way and the fact that we might have played a bit over our heads prior to these last two games.

If nothing else, it could prove to be a blessing and keep our guys hungry enough for the matchups against the Milwaukee and Washingtons of the world that will have great effect on playoff positioning.