2018 - 2019 Indiana Pacers and everything NBA thread

[The Fish]

I'm certain that I'd rather have Lance and his passion over Doug McDermott. Lance is the only reason that second team had any teeth at all. Don't care about McDermott, he might be fine (he might not be), but Lance was Lance. Don't like the move, really at all, understanding that it's not going to make or break the team.

 

Now that LeBron is on my most hated NBA team, it makes it quasi-easier stomach the next however many years the Warriors keep winning it. I don't really care who LeBron get's to go to LA, if it's not Durant or Curry, they're not going to beat the Warrior in 7. I think whatever Boston cooks up will have a better chance at winning it than LeBron (who won't go to the Finals again, YAY!).

[Myles]

40 minutes ago, RockThatBlue said:

True, but the Pacers have at least made the ECF recently.

Good point, but I think that was too long ago to negate recent years.   Since that trip to the ECF the Pacers have:

Missed the playoffs

Lost 3-4 in the first round (Toronto)

Lost 0-4 in the first round

Lost 3-4 in the first round

 

Those same 5 years the Raptors have:

Lost 3-4 in the first round

Lost 0-4 in the first round

Lost 2-4 in the Eastern Conference Finals (so I guess they have made it more recently than the Pacers)

Lost 0-4 in the second round

Lost 0-4 in the second round

 

I'm not a Raptors fan, I just think that the Pacers aren't the fans that should knock them when we haven't done as good as they have.  

[2006Coltsbestever]

57 minutes ago, Myles said:

Good point, but I think that was too long ago to negate recent years.   Since that trip to the ECF the Pacers have:

Missed the playoffs

Lost 3-4 in the first round (Toronto)

Lost 0-4 in the first round

Lost 3-4 in the first round

 

Those same 5 years the Raptors have:

Lost 3-4 in the first round

Lost 0-4 in the first round

Lost 2-4 in the Eastern Conference Finals (so I guess they have made it more recently than the Pacers)

Lost 0-4 in the second round

Lost 0-4 in the second round

 

I'm not a Raptors fan, I just think that the Pacers aren't the fans that should knock them when we haven't done as good as they have.  

We just took LeBron 7 games and could've won the series in 6 actually. Raptors just got swept by LeBron and got blown out in 2 of those games. That is the reasoning behind people's thinking.

[aaron11]

hard to be thrilled with how things have played out.  would have rather kept lance if we knew thad was coming back.  

 

the good news is lebron left, but we are only good enough to go as far as victor carries us.  guess we are hoping for turner to make the leap in year 4 

[2006Coltsbestever]

9 hours ago, Bluefire4 said:

Aaron Gordon was always going back to the Magic and I knew GR3 wouldn't be back. Not too upset about losing Lance either.

 

Funny how many on here expected LeBron to stay and PG to go to LA and it was the opposite.

 

I don't think we have enough to sign Tyreke either. We still have a hole at backup SG and maybe backup PF unless TJ Leaf proves he's ready to play this season.

Vegas odds had PG going to LA. All PG talked about was wanting to be a Laker, most of the media said it was done deal that PG would be Laker even before the season ended. Why wouldn't everyone think PG would be a Laker? I dont know 1 person who didn't think so. Lakers had the Cap room to sign both as well. FWIW I had him and LeBron going to the Lakers. So I was 1 out of 2. With Magic in the FO, I figured LA would get LeBron. Had it been Buss and Kupcheck in the FO, LeBron would've stayed in Cleveland or went to Philly IMO.

[2006Coltsbestever]

2 minutes ago, aaron11 said:

hard to be thrilled with how things have played out.  would have rather kept lance if we knew thad was coming back.  

 

the good news is lebron left, but we are only good enough to go as far as victor carries us.  guess we are hoping for turner to make the leap in year 4 

We got slightly better IMO, McDermott isnt as good as Lance but a much better shooter from 3. His shooting off the bench could be similar to what Korver gives the Cavs. Drafting Holiday was a Good pick and the main reason why we will be better. I think he will play Good as a Rookie and we win 50 games with everyone else back. We will be no worse than a 4 Seed and will win at least 1 Playoff series.

[Chrisaaron1023]

36 minutes ago, oldunclemark said:

a couple of them have to turn into Kevin Love and Chris Bosh who had to forget about how good they were and go stand in the corne

*tears*  I love how you worded that lol. 

 

I saw a potential starting lineup for the Lakers, that'll have Lebron trading half that team away too.

PG. Lonzo Ball

SG. Kentavious Caldwell-Pop

SF. Brandon Ingram

PF. LeBron James

C. JaVale McGee

 

 

 

 

[2006Coltsbestever]

9 minutes ago, Chrisaaron1023 said:

*tears*  I love how you worded that lol. 

 

I saw a potential starting lineup for the Lakers, that'll have Lebron trading half that team away too.

PG. Lonzo Ball

SG. Kentavious Caldwell-Pop

SF. Brandon Ingram

PF. LeBron James

C. JaVale McGee

 

 

 

 

This wont be the starting lineup. Why would anyone think Randle would't start? Where is Randle at? Lets say Randle leaves, then Kuzma will start at PF. LeBron will be SF, Ingram SG. When you factor in Randle and or Kuzma, this team + Lance is better than the one LeBron had last year in Cleveland. Kuzma is the real deal and Randle is a BullDog. KCP is better than JR Smith as well, he is much better Defensively and shot 38% from 3. Ingram has all kinds of potential and as much grief Lonzo gets, Lonzo has a Great Basketball IQ and is a Great Passer. He Rebounds well too.

[Chrisaaron1023]

15 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

This wont be the starting lineup. Why would anyone think Randle would't start? Where is Randle at? Lets say Randle leaves, then Kuzma will start at PF. LeBron will be SF, Ingram SG. When you factor in Randle and or Kuzma, this team + Lance is better than the one LeBron had last year in Cleveland. Kuzma is the real deal and Randle is a BullDog. KCP is better than JR Smith as well, he is much better Defensively and shot 38% from 3. Ingram has all kinds of potential and as much grief Lonzo gets, Lonzo has a Great Basketball IQ and is a Great Passer. He Rebounds well too.

Kuzma HAS to start and Lonzo HAS to fix his shot and learn to play off the ball. This will be is the first time Lebron has played with a TRUE PG.. it'll be interesting. 

[Myles]

41 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

We got slightly better IMO, McDermott isnt as good as Lance but a much better shooter from 3. His shooting off the bench could be similar to what Korver gives the Cavs. Drafting Holiday was a Good pick and the main reason why we will be better. I think he will play Good as a Rookie and we win 50 games with everyone else back. We will be no worse than a 4 Seed and will win at least 1 Playoff series.

I think we got slightly worse.   I think Lance is a bigger loss than McDermott is a gain.   We'll see with Holiday, will he show significant improvement in our 2nd team PG production?  

 

Without any other significant signing, I think they finish 4-6 in the East.   That'll give them a fair chance in the first round.   

[2006Coltsbestever]

46 minutes ago, Myles said:

I think we got slightly worse.   I think Lance is a bigger loss than McDermott is a gain.   We'll see with Holiday, will he show significant improvement in our 2nd team PG production?  

 

Without any other significant signing, I think they finish 4-6 in the East.   That'll give them a fair chance in the first round.   

-While I agree Lance brought a different element to the team, he was a sparkplug off the bench and he's a better player than McDermott, McDermott is a much better shooter which is also a key in today's NBA succeeding. I guess I have more faith than you do in Holiday being a Good player. You also have to factor in, last season was the 1st season this core played together with Oladipo, Turner, Bogey, and Sabonis. They will have more experience now and solid Playoff experience due to playing LeBron. I would be real surprised if we finished below the 4 Seed and didn't win at least 1 Playoff series. We will see how much losing Lance affects the team I guess.

 

-Other than Boston, Philly, and Toronto who is better on paper? I could even argue Chemistry wise, only Boston is better.

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 hour ago, Chrisaaron1023 said:

Kuzma HAS to start and Lonzo HAS to fix his shot and learn to play off the ball. This will be is the first time Lebron has played with a TRUE PG.. it'll be interesting. 

If the Lakers don't re-sign Randle, Kuzma would start at PF. As a Rookie he was the real deal, he can shoot the 3 and Rebound really well. He is similar to how Love plays. Lonzo wont play off the ball, I think this is where many people are wrong. He will bring the ball up every play as a PG and make the correct the pass, if it's too LeBron then of course at that point he will be off the ball but he wont really be an Offensive option. He doesn't need to be when you have LeBron, Kuzma, KCP, and Ingram - those 4 guys will get all the shots. McGee and Lance bring that team energy as well. The Lakers will win 48-50 games and probably be a 4 or 5 Seed in the West even if they stand pat. With Randle, they may win 53 or so and may finish 3rd only behind the Warriors and Rockets. Without Randle, this will be the starters:

PG Lonzo

SG Ingram - he will be better, can make the 3, playing SG his HT advantage is big

SF LeBron

PF Kuzma - can be a Very Good stretch 4 and can make the 3

C McGee - basically T.Thompson like, energetic and athletic

6th man - KCP = 38% from 3 and plays Great D

7th man - Lance = sparkplug off the bench!

8th man - Wagner = Interesting Big, he had a Great tournament with Michigan and can shoot, can play the 4 or 5.

[aaron11]

i like holiday, him and McDermott will have to match or raise what lance and joe young did.

 

i think lance, holiday and sabonis would have been an interesting bench.  

[2006Coltsbestever]

15 minutes ago, aaron11 said:

i like holiday, him and McDermott will have to match or raise what lance and joe young did.

 

i think lance, holiday and sabonis would have been an interesting bench.  

Holiday will be a nice sparkplug off the bench IMO. Is he Lance - NO, Lance is crazy and just different. Holiday may very well end up being a better player though. Here is what our lineup looks like as of now:

PG Collison

SG Dipo

SF Bogey

PF Thad

C Turner

6th Man = Sabonis

7th Man = Holiday

8th Man = McDermott

9th Man = Joseph

-We are 9 deep! That is a 50 win team and a 4 Seed in the East. When it comes to the Playoffs who knows how that will play out because we have better Chemistry than Philly and Toronto.

[Colts_Fan12]

4 hours ago, Myles said:

So at this time, how much have the Pacers improved or declined?

Currently I don't see them being better than last year.   We'll see what other signing they make.  

I honestly think we got worse so far we lost lance who was a spark and GR3 and have only added McDermott who plays no D and is only a shooter 

[2006Coltsbestever]

2 minutes ago, Colts_Fan12 said:

I honestly think we got worse so far we lost lance who was a spark and GR3 and have only added McDermott who plays no D and is only a shooter 

What about Drafting Holiday? Also our core has only played together for 1 year, year 2 will be better. If we don't win at least 50 games I would be shocked. People saying we got worse aren't adding in all the factors. They are just looking at Lance/McDermott.

[Myles]

3 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

What about Drafting Holiday? Also our core has only played together for 1 year, year 2 will be better. If we don't win at least 50 games I would be shocked. People saying we got worse aren't adding in all the factors. They are just looking at Lance/McDermott.

I admire your optimism, but I cannot realistically say we improved yet.   They do have the money to make one more addition.   I think we stayed about the same at most.   I think some of the chemistry lost to Lance will negate the overall chemistry, although it may end up a wash.  

[Colts_Fan12]

9 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

What about Drafting Holiday? Also our core has only played together for 1 year, year 2 will be better. If we don't win at least 50 games I would be shocked. People saying we got worse aren't adding in all the factors. They are just looking at Lance/McDermott.

He will hardly play this year the minutes will belong to Joseph and DC I'm not saying we will be bad we just did get worse with LBJ leaving we should have done more with our cap to improve and try to make the finals

[2006Coltsbestever]

We still could add another player so it's not quite over yet. We will just have to see what happens. I do think Holiday is going to be a good one.

[Myles]

Any chance that McDermott has any untapped potential?   Or is it known what you can get from him.  

He was the 11th pick in the draft a couple years ago.  

 

[w87r]

We released Jefferson, saving $6m.

 

https://hoopshype.com/rumor/1193171/

 

Keith Smith: Sources: The Indiana Pacers have waived veteran big man Al Jefferson. Cap hit of $4 million. Could be stretched.

 

– viaTwitter

 

So, not sure of the exact figure, but that should get us up around $11-$12m in space. 

 

Still a lot more than most teams. I think we probably sign 3 more guys.

2 to fill up cap and one exception.

 

Going to be interesting

[w87r]

After taking a look. Looks like we have $12.1m in cap space.

 

Could free up about $3m more by releasing Poythress and Anigbogu(Probably keep him now that Al has been released.)

 

And could add additional $2.7m if they stretch Jefferson's contract.

 

Could realistically get to $18m easy.

 

Then have an $8.7m non taxpayer mid-level exception at their disposal.

 

[w87r]

Top FA options remaining:

Julius Randle(LA rescinded tender)

Marcus Smart(RFA)

Tyreke Evans

Jabari Parker(RFA)

Zach Lavine(RFA)

Luc Mbah a Moute(could be under radar signing there, solid 3+D)

Avery Bradley

Wayne Ellington

Rodney Hood(RFA)

DaMarcus Cousins(guess it wouldn't hurt to look into.)

 

Will leave the list there, hopefully we land 1 or more of these guys.

 

[w87r]

Seeing some news that Tyreke Evans has agreed to a 1yr $12m deal with the Pacers.?

 

Not sure of source, but it is out there.

 

No link, but google Evans and Pacers

[MTC]

19 minutes ago, w87r said:

Seeing some news that Tyreke Evans has agreed to a 1yr $12m deal with the Pacers.?

 

Not sure of source, but it is out there.

 

No link, but google Evans and Pacers

 

 

[w87r]

3 minutes ago, MTC said:

 

 

Yeah that was one of the sources I wasn't sure of.

 

Still haven't seen any big names announce, hopefully its true.

[MTC]

30 minutes ago, w87r said:

Yeah that was one of the sources I wasn't sure of.

 

Still haven't seen any big names announce, hopefully its true.

 

I am not holding my breath. Nothing is official until Woj or Sham tweets it out. 

[oldunclemark]

41 minutes ago, MTC said:

 

 

This is big....  if true...I've never heard of Sneaker Reporter

..

[oldunclemark]

Lakers signed Rajan Rondo....what does that mean for Lonzo?

New Orleans signed Julius Randle

[MTC]

 

This is where the Cousins rumor is coming from. What a joke. People believe anything.

[oldunclemark]

.....Cant start Evans because that would put McDermott and Bogdonovic on the second team and they are too similar.

 

 

But a second team of Joseph, Evans Sabonis, McDermott and Leaf..

....a lot of offense there

[RockThatBlue]

10 hours ago, Myles said:

Good point, but I think that was too long ago to negate recent years.   Since that trip to the ECF the Pacers have:

Missed the playoffs

Lost 3-4 in the first round (Toronto)

Lost 0-4 in the first round

Lost 3-4 in the first round

 

Those same 5 years the Raptors have:

Lost 3-4 in the first round

Lost 0-4 in the first round

Lost 2-4 in the Eastern Conference Finals (so I guess they have made it more recently than the Pacers)

Lost 0-4 in the second round

Lost 0-4 in the second round

 

I'm not a Raptors fan, I just think that the Pacers aren't the fans that should knock them when we haven't done as good as they have.  

Yes true but a lot of those years the pacers were like 7 or 8 seeds. Toronto has been a top 3 seed several times and didn't do much of anything. I think thats worse.

[w87r]

11 minutes ago, MTC said:

 

I am not holding my breath. Nothing is official until Woj or Sham tweets it out. 

Me either, but the numbers line up pretty good to what I was posting prior 

[RockThatBlue]

8 minutes ago, oldunclemark said:

Lakers signed Rajan Rondo....what does that mean for Lonzo?

New Orleans signed Julius Randle

Lonzo will be gonzo. No way Rondo signed if he didn't think he would be starting.

[oldunclemark]

2 hours ago, w87r said:

We released Jefferson, saving $6m.

 

https://hoopshype.com/rumor/1193171/

 

Keith Smith: Sources: The Indiana Pacers have waived veteran big man Al Jefferson. Cap hit of $4 million. Could be stretched.

 

– viaTwitter

 

So, not sure of the exact figure, but that should get us up around $11-$12m in space. 

 

Still a lot more than most teams. I think we probably sign 3 more guys.

2 to fill up cap and one exception.

 

Going to be interesting

I reading that the Pacers may bring AL Jefferson back at a minimum vet salary.

..Can you do that? Can you release a guy, pay him his guarantee and bring him back at lower pay?

[RockThatBlue]

9 minutes ago, MTC said:

 

This is where the Cousins rumor is coming from. What a joke. People believe anything.

Pacers don't have the money to sign Cousins even if this was true.

[oldunclemark]

I;m a little uneasy about Tyreke Evans because no one else is reporting him coming to Indy..

...all they say is that he met with the Lakers this morning

Just now, oldunclemark said:

I'm a little uneasy about Tyreke Evans because no one else is reporting him coming to Indy..

...all they say is that he met with the Lakers this morning

 

[21isSuperman]

6 hours ago, Myles said:

Any chance that McDermott has any untapped potential?   Or is it known what you can get from him.  

He was the 11th pick in the draft a couple years ago.  

 

It's certainly possible.  You never know how a guy will respond in a new situation with a new team.  That's what happened to Oladipo, even though a lot of people were writing him off.  Not saying it'll happen for sure, but for a young guy like him, he could certainly show some growth to his game

[Luck is Good]

Cousins just signed with the Warriors. That starting lineup is death. He’s going to have to put his ego aside though to fit in with that team

[oldunclemark]

3 minutes ago, Luck is Good said:

Cousins just signed with the Warriors. That starting lineup is death. He’s going to have to put his ego aside though to fit in with that team

Its real...$5.3 for one year..

..I agree..he's a tough fit on and off the court for them...and I dont see him being ready to start the season

 

But they can afford to gamble