NBA Rumors: Why Pacers Must Sign Eric Gordon to Win 2013 Championship

This offseason, the opportunity will present itself for the Pacers to go after SG Eric Gordon, as he will be a restricted free agent.

The only sensible move for Indiana to make is to go after him and bring Gordon back the state. If they don't, then we're not going to see the Pacers step up and challenge the East's elite. 

Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star quoted Gordon saying he would be interested in possibly coming back to Indiana.

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"It's going to be interesting...It's all about whatever happens, happens. Coming back here would be a lot of pressure, but I think it would be good for the fans. We'll see. You never know where this summer will take me."

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When you look at the Pacers' starting five, it's hard to identify a true weak spot, but there is something missing from the squad. 

Pos.	Player	PPG
PG	Darren Collison	11.5
SG	Paul George	12.1
SF	Danny Granger	18.2
PF	David West	12.6
C	Roy Hibbert	13.9

I know it's hard to point out a true weak link there, but here's the problem. Granger is not a good enough scorer to lead a team like that, even if the other starters are all solid contributors.

With Granger's average, you want a second scorer who brings in better than roughly 14 a night. The Pacers don't have that. 

If Granger was up above 20, the need for Gordon wouldn't be pressing at all, but he is not a reliable enough offensive weapon to be depended on from night to night.

Also, looking at that lineup, you notice that the three leading scorers are all in the frontcourt. A team with a dominant group of forwards will easily beat the Pacers, as Collison and George are not prolific enough to carry the load. 

That all changes with Gordon. While he's missed most of this season with an injury, Gordon has a career scoring average of 18.1 points and is only 23. He is a cornerstone player to build a backcourt around, which significantly opens things up for Granger and the other top scorers. 

Reading what he said, Gordon is clearly not opposed to going to Indiana. They don't need to worry about him falling victim to a big market. 

The Pacers need to invest the money they will have in bringing in the star shooting guard. Doing so would give them a foundation to be contenders for the title in not only 2013, but for years after.

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