Post by duce on May 6, 2007 14:50:57 GMT -5
Pacers Off-Season Report
There was one expectation for Indiana in 2004, and that was a championship. Surely nobody would have suspected they would blow a 3-0 playoff series lead to Elton Brand and the Chicago Bulls. The Pacers had the upper hand on Chicago all season long, albeit in part to injuries on both sides. Still, after the Pacers took a commanding 3-0 lead the Bulls found a way. Elton Brand proceeded to dominating Tim Duncan - an unthinkable task and accomplishment - and well, the Bulls were suddenly "hot at the right time" as they went on to beat both the Pacers and the dominant Detroit Pistons.
The Pacers didn't have a perfect team. Though very content with their back court, not many were impressed with it. However they played very well throughout the series. The shocking downfall of Tim Duncan seemed to be the main factor. As much responsibility as Tim had in that series, it's no surprise that Indiana would be in trouble if he didn't at least bring his B-game. However embarrassingly and terribly the 2004 season ended for them, the only choice is to move on.
Duncan watches the season diminish..
And that brings us to the off-season. One in which the Pacers do not have to worry about any franchise players. They managed to lock down Tim Duncan through 2011 and Kevin Garnett through 2010. What does this mean in the big picture? Well, it means that the Pacers are championship contenders for the next 6 seasons at very least. Virtually nobody in the league wanted to see that happen but what's done is done.
What about the rest of the team though?
Grant Hill hopefully will have a couple of great seasons left in him. As should Doug Christie and Jamie Feick, who are considered to be great 5th starters/6th men by the general manager. Ousmane Cisse has a ton of years ahead of him as a great roll player but is entering his contract year. Troy Hudson got a lot of money this off-season because of his excellent performance in the playoffs, but whether he lives up to that deal is very questionable.
The Pacers need more long term stability from the PG, SG and SF. They drafted Donta Smith, which is obviously a gamble even if it was low in the draft. It can only be a mystery as to if and how these needs are addressed. To top this off they do not own a draft pick in 2005.
Could this young athlete be a draft steal?
To sum it up, this team will need to find a way to replace some of their aging roll players in the future. They do not want to become too dependent on their stars when they are in their 30s. The short-term looks great, but the long-term needs some fixing.