Fixing the Indiana Pacers

So this started out as me talking to and kind of joking with my dad a few days ago, but I think I have the solution to what ails the Indiana Pacers. A proposal of sorts for Larry Bird, an answer to the question “what do we do/where do we go now?”

Blow the whole thing up. Embrace Lance Stephenson. Become the Bad Boys. Yeah, you know the Bad Boys Mr. Bird, they beat on you. You took some games from them, they took some from you. But at the end of the day, nobody wanted to mess with the Bad Boys. And not generic bad boys in Indiana like Ron Artest and Jermaine O’Neal tried to be. Literally and beat em up, hardcore defensive team…but one that can also score.

Time to stay “blue collar” and drop the “gold swagger.” So here is what you do in my possibly demented mind:

Start with free agency where you have five guys to decide on and two more whose salary cap hit you lose.

First thing is first: pay Lance Stephenson the money you pay Evan Turner and send Evan on his way. Will this be enough for Lance? I’m not really sure. But, going from his $1 million dollar contract to Evan Turner’s $6.6M would be a major step up for a guy who contributed so much more.

Let Lavoy Allen and Rasual Butler walk away. $4.4M total salary for the season for two guys who combined for 150 points? No thanks.

Let Andrew Bynum hobble away. It was worth a shot, right? Well, probably not in reality. But paying Bynum any more money would be silly. Sillier than my theory on how to rebuild this team.

Losing the $1.4M combined cap hit for Orlando Johnson (who you waived this spring) and Ben Hansbrough.

Automatically through free agency, you are getting rid of five guys who provide nothing. Any money at all to resign them would be pointless. In 2014-2015, you spent about $67.5 million against your $58.7M salary cap. So why let any of those five inflate you more. Only Lance is worth the effort.

But you can’t stop there. Not by a long shot. Why? Because you signed Paul George to a dumb contract. Even losing those five guys, your salary would now be about $71.8 million because Paul’s salary goes up TEN MILLION DOLLARS next year. For a guy who had 1 point in the first half of a crucial Eastern Conference Finals game. So what next?

Trade away the big money.

First of, trade Paul George, Luis Scola, Donald Sloan and future considerations or draft picks ($19.7 M value) to Oklahoma City for Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson ($17.9 M value).

Is this far fetched? Probably. Probably extremely. But, it would let OKC (also in need of some kind of overhaul) to get another star to package around Kevin Durant and maybe they can get along better. The honeymoon has ended for Westbrook and Durant, so why not make this move if you are OKC to improve? George brings a different game to the table and with the money OKC could save by using the amnesty on Kendrick Perkins, they can get a credible point guard to replace Russell. For Indiana, it unloads more contracts so they have future flexibility and you have a true point guard that can take Lance Stephenson off the ball.

Money saved: $1.8 million

Second, trade Roy Hibbert and a future first round pick ($14.9 M value) to the Charlotte Hornets for Josh McRoberts, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, 9^th pick in 2014 Draft and 45^th pick in 2014 draft (7.7 M initial value).

The reality is that Hibbert still has trade value and now is the time to unload him. The trade essentially would break down to Hibbert for Kidd-Gilchrist and the 9^th pick. The steal of this trade would be Josh McRoberts, who will be a (at best) 10 point, 7 rebound a night guy. BUT, if you are following my theme and making your own Bad Boys, then McRoberts is your Bill Laimbeer. He’ll clothesline LeBron for fun, if you don’t believe me, then YouTube it. Meanwhile, Hibbert is 7’2’’, valuable and can play ball so Charlotte would want him as a proven commodity. Kidd-Gilchrist would be an added element because he has yet to prove himself and will come cheaper than a year ago and probably in the future. If he breaks out, like he may possibly do, this would be a great pick up. If he washes out, then you still have gotten this 9^th draft pick.

Money saved: $7.2 million

Third, trade CJ Watson and Ian Mahinmi ($6.1 M value) to Detroit for Chauncey Billups and Andre Drummond ($5.1 M value).

Detroit can reload a new center with potential as they have grown weary of Drummond, Indiana can have another backup for David West and now Josh McRoberts. It is a lateral move that would be cheaper for the Pacers. Dropping Watson to add the aged Billups does nothing but give you an experienced voice off the bench from a guy who won’t play much. A player/coach type of guy who has more of an overall upside because of his knowledge than Watson ever will.

Money saved: $1 million

So now you are draft ready and have saved yourself $10.4 million in trades while acquiring Russell Westbrook, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and a lottery pick with some other pieces that will help turn up the physicality.

So Adam Silver is at the podium now on Draft day. What do you do?

Draft Aaron Gordon (PF, Arizona) with the 9^th pick. He’s a physical specimen and athletic in the post like a young Kevin Garnett. Is he that good? Probably not. But, his unique skill set allows you to throw out multiple different looks between him, David West, McRoberts and Drummond.

Draft Andre Dawkins (SG, Duke) with the 57^th pick. A pure shooter for the league who can develop and who you have time to develop. By moving Stephenson to the 2-guard and having plenty of talent in your guard space, you can send Andre over to Fort Wayne and let him be a Mad Ant while he gets used to the NBA pace. He’ll help you in the future, just not now.

Based on the 2013 salaries of the 9^th (Trey Burke) and 56^th (Peyton Siva) picks (the 57^th pick hasn’t and probably won’t play in the NBA), these picks are worth $2.5 M and $400 K respectively. Brings up your salary to about $64.4 million.

But we aren’t done yet Mr. Bird. Now we amnesty George Hill. $8 million for George Hill? Nah. Plus, he’s a weird guard. He’s a point guard player in a wing body. And I know what you want to say…”then who will back up Westbrook? If Lance is now a two, Reggie Jackson is really a two and Chauncey Billups won’t play or suit up much, then why would we amnesty George Hill?”

Because, you sign Mario Chalmers. One, he is talented and would be a terrific backup for Westbrook. Two, he can be hot headed and fit into your new scheme I’ve given you. Three, it is a thorn in the side of the Miami Heat. Take one of theirs. That’s what they did to the Boston Celtics. Is Chalmers as much of a hurter as Ray Allen? No. But you are taking one of their originals, one of the clan who has to be weary of how the “big three” yell at him and treat him. And, you can get Chalmers for HALF of what you pay George Hill. Your salary now lies at 60.4 million, still over your cap but $7 M less than 2013-2014.

Your starting lineup for 2014-2015: Russell Westbrook, Lance Stephenson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, David West and Josh McRoberts.

Yes, it is radical. But does Indiana need radical? Yes. Do you want to beat LeBron or do you want to BEAT LEBRON?!?!

Will any of this happen? Not a chance. But we can dream can’t we? If only they’d make me the GM.