7 Things Indiana Pacers Must Address During the 2015 Offseason
The Indiana Pacers will have their work cut out for them during the 2015 offseason.
That's because Indy will be hard-pressed to regain the contender status it had in 2012-13 and 2013-14, when the team made consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances. This season, the Paul George-less Pacers (with a 25-34 win-loss record through March 2) are a long way off from what they were in recent years.
However, an 8-2 tear from Feb. 4 to March 1 has Indiana back in the playoff hunt.
Even if PG-13 does return this month, the Pacers still face several uncertainties once the 2014-15 NBA season ends. Take, for example, the $12.6 million player option that power forward David West can forgo. If he does, this leaves a gaping hole at the power forward position.
That's just for starters.
It's really all on Pacers president Larry Bird and the rest of the front office to make Indiana competitive year in and year out. When news of PG-13 possibly coming back this season broke on Feb. 3, Bird told the Indianapolis Star's Candace Buckner (via USA Today) he's "always in win-now mode":
"I'm always in win-now mode. I want to win and that's been my goal, to try to get into the playoffs.
Hopefully, down the road, we'll see where Paul's at. We still have no idea whether he's coming back or not, but it seems like every week he's getting better and better. If we do have an opportunity to get into the playoffs and he can get some games under his belt and (then) get ready to go next year (then we could play him).
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So there you have it. Bird is not the type of exec who will tolerate tanking. For the 2015 offseason, he's got to lay out a blueprint which will ensure the Pacers are in the East's upper echelon with PG-13 back in tow.
Retain George Hill as the Starting Point Guard
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The Indiana Pacers have gone so long without a playmaking starting point guard. When they fell just short of the NBA Finals in 2013 and 2014, many fans and observers thought George Hill should concede his starter's role to someone else.
This should not be the case for the 2015-16 NBA season.
Hill has been at the forefront of the Pacers' recent surge. With him as their starter at the 1-spot, they have amassed a 10-3 (.769) record through March 2.
He's missed 39 games this season with a groin injury. Had Hill been around during that span—and had Indy played better in close games (the team is just 3-11 in those matches, worst in the East)—it would have been seeded higher than the eighth spot as of March 1.
If all else, Hill's 15-point, 10-rebound, 12-assist triple-double performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 27 was a firm statement: He's the man for the job.
In his Feb. 28 update, Pacers.com's Mark Montieth considers Hill the team's best point guard since it joined the NBA ranks in 1976:
"This season, with (Paul) George rehabbing a broken leg and (Lance) Stephenson laboring for Charlotte, Hill has been required to play more like a traditional point guard. Combine that with his dedicated off-season workouts and his vow to become more assertive, and the Pacers suddenly have their best point guard since...well, arguably since the beginning of their NBA history, all things considered.
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Despite the temptation to trade Hill for somebody like Ty Lawson—arguably a better playmaker—Larry Bird has sent a clear message: George Hill is still his man.
And that's the way it should be.
Re-Sign Rodney Stuckey and Have Him Come off the Bench
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The Indiana Pacers signed Rodney Stuckey in July 2014 for his veteran savvy. They were also looking for somebody to help offset the loss of Lance Stephenson.
According to HoopsHype.com, Stuckey is on board on a one-year, $1.227 million deal.
Apparently, that isn't enough. Indy should sign Stuckey to a new, multiyear extension.
All he has done is make the Pacers' bench relevant again. Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia's Marc Zumoff mentioned during the telecast of Indiana's 94-74 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on March 1 that the Pacers bench has vaulted to fourth overall in the NBA with an average of 41 points per game.
This is a far, far cry from Indiana's 25 points-per-game average in 2013-14. Back then, the team ranked just 28th in the league, per HoopsStats.com.
Pacers.com's Mark Montieth revealed in his Feb. 22 report that Stuckey actually requested to come off the bench instead of starting. Stuckey has taken on this role since the Pacers' 106-93 road win over the New Orleans Hornets on Feb. 11.
His stats since then (through March 2): 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. The Pacers' record during that span: 5-1.
It's been quite some time since Indy had a sixth man the caliber of a Detlef Schrempf, who won consecutive NBA Sixth Man of the Year awards in 1991 and 1992 with the Blue and Gold.
Rodney Stuckey could very well be the Pacers' most valuable sixth man in the next few years.
Re-Sign Luis Scola
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It hasn't been just George Hill and Rodney Stuckey who have been making a statement lately. Power forward Luis Scola is also serving notice he still deserves to be around in 2015-16.
There's nothing flashy about Scola's game, but he gets the job done. During his two-year tenure in Indianapolis, Scola has averaged 8.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists off the bench, per Basketball-Reference.com.
However, it's the intangibles which make Scola so valuable to the Pacers' cause.
Take, for example, his three deflections which led to several fast-break points for Indiana during its 106-95 road win against the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 20. Scola had another key strip job late in the Pacers' 93-86 triumph over a LeBron James- and Kyrie Irving-less Cleveland Cavaliers a week later.
Consider Scola and David West among the big men with the quickest hands in the NBA.
8Points9Seconds.com's Justin Ochoa further explained Scola's value prior to the start of the 2014-15 NBA season:
"I don’t care that he runs at the speed of molasses or that slipping a deck of cards beneath his feet at the peak of his vertical leap is probably impossible. The guy is a pure professional both on and off the court and that is the type of player Indiana likes, wants and needs to surround their young talent.
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Scola is on the last year of a two-year deal that pays him $4.5 million this season. Should West decide to bolt, Scola should somehow help offset this loss.
And besides, should Indiana be in the hunt for an NBA title in 2015-16, Scola is one of those veterans who deserves a championship ring.
Have a Plan B Should David West Leave
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The last thing the Indiana Pacers want is for their heart and soul, David West, to leave.
According to HoopsHype.com, West has a player option for 2015-16 worth $12.6 million. Will D-West elect to exercise this option so he can stay in Indy with Paul George in tow for a possible title run next year? Or will he forgo this option so he can possibly end his career with a title ring somewhere else?
We really don't know what his plans are.
This is precisely why Larry Bird and Co. must have a Plan B in case West bolts the Pacers.
Grantland.com's Zach Lowe reported on a possible deal involving West for Toronto Raptors forward Terrence Ross and a first-round draft choice before the NBA's Feb. 19 trade deadline:
"Trading West could accelerate a mini-rebuild, but West's $12.6 million player option for next season is an unpleasant pill. Corey Brewer quietly declined his own player option to grease his trade to Houston, but West's option is much bigger, and he can't afford to close off any paths to money as he approaches 35. It's unclear whether any team—Toronto, Charlotte, or someone else—is primed to surrender a first-round pick for West.
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Well, nobody traded a key player and surrendered a first-rounder in order to accommodate West's huge player option. This could be a sign that he will stay in Indy next season.
Still, Indy can scour the free-agent market for serviceable power forwards. While LaMarcus Aldridge and Paul Millsap are unlikely to leave their respective teams due to the success they're enjoying, the Pacers may have a more realistic shot at landing either Brandon Bass or Amir Johnson.
Have a Plan B Should Roy Hibbert Leave
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It's not just David West who may wind up leaving Indianapolis.
Center Roy Hibbert also has a player option of his own for 2015-16. His is valued at a whopping $15.5 million. This is part of the mammoth $58 million deal he signed prior to the 2012-13 NBA season.
Yes, Hibbert has been a picture of inconsistency throughout his seven-year stint with the Pacers. While we've seen him swat and alter shots with reckless abandon, we've also seen this 7'2", 290-pound behemoth record zero-point, zero-rebound games as well.
It's great to see Hibbert (10.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.8 BPG) gain some semblance of consistency in 2014-15. In spite of the many criticisms he's had to endure, he is still a two-time All-Star whose defensive presence helps Indiana limit its opponents to 96.7 points per game through March 2 (good for fifth in the NBA).
The Pacers fell just short of the NBA Finals in 2013 and 2014 with Hibbert as their man in the middle. It would still be good to see him back in blue and gold next season, his inconsistencies notwithstanding.
However, should Hibbert decide to forgo his player option, Indiana will be very thin at center with Ian Mahinmi and Shayne Whittington. Attractive unrestricted free-agent options include Marc Gasol and DeAndre Jordan, but their teams' success in recent years may prompt them to re-sign.
Other good options for Indiana would be Brook Lopez or Al Jefferson, in case they also decide to forgo their player options worth $16.8 million and $13.5 million, respectively. Indy can also size up Lopez's brother, Robin, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
The bigger question looms: Will another team take a chance on Hibbert's massive salary for 2015-16? Stay tuned.
Release Chris Copeland, Re-Sign Lavoy Allen and Donald Sloan
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The Indiana Pacers should not re-sign Chris Copeland.
Copeland, whose two-year deal is expiring after the 2014-15 NBA season, certainly has had his moments. In Paul George's absence, he averaged 12.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in 28.7 minutes per contest back in November.
However, when the Pacers got most of their injured players back, Copeland quickly became an afterthought. He logged just 11 minutes and scored three points in two February contests. He has sat out 12 games due to coach's decision during the first two months of the year, and has shot just 36.3 percent for the season.
Copeland is not the best defender when he's on the floor, but he's still too good to be mired on the bench like a Greg Kite or Mark Pope. Larry Bird and Co. should do him a favor by not re-signing him if they have no intention of utilizing his skill set.
Indy should develop Croatian hotshot Damjan Rudez instead. He can shoot well if he's on (35 percent from three-point distance), but is one-dimensional and an inferior defensive player. Nonetheless, he has had his share of playing time and can be a more valuable shock trooper as time goes by.
Donald Sloan has suffered the same fate as Copeland. Sloan, a third-string point guard, averaged 11.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in 31.1 minutes in November. He saw action in just three games in February and didn't score a solitary point.
The difference between Copeland and Sloan is this: Copeland deserves a better opportunity somewhere else. Sloan has proved his worth this year, recording 31- and 29-point games. If Indiana decides not to renew C.J. Watson's expiring contract, Sloan should be seriously considered as George Hill's chief reliever.
Put it this way: Sloan could be another Haywoode Workman or Anthony Johnson for the Pacers.
As for Lavoy Allen, he has shown that he can be a good offensive rebounder off the bench for Indiana (2.4 per game) when healthy. The Pacers could use somebody in the mold of a Jeff Foster, so it would be a good idea to re-sign him.
Draft Wisely
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Of the Indiana Pacers' nine draft picks since 2010, only three have made a significant impact.
Obviously, Paul George is one. Lance Stephenson and Solomon Hill are the other two. Kawhi Leonard would have looked good in Pacers blue and gold when the team drafted him four years ago, but we're happy we got George Hill instead.
Turn the clock back even further, and Indiana has had limited draft-day success since Bird became Pacers president in 2003. Not counting those already mentioned, those who have made a difference include Danny Granger, A.J. Price and Tyler Hansbrough.
That's it.
This writer recently wrote about which 2015 NBA draft prospects Indy should keep its eye on. Among them are the following:
- Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, Guangdong Southern Tigers (Chinese Basketball Association)
- Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville Cardinals
- Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky Wildcats
- D'Angelo Russell, PG/SG, Ohio State Buckeyes
Should the Pacers make the playoffs and get a lower draft pick, Grant would be an attractive prospect because of his versatility and playmaking ability (16.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 6.6 APG this season).
Regardless of whoever Larry Bird and the front office choose, it's about time the Indiana Pacers get somebody who will have a long-term impact on the team.
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all stats are current as of March 3 and are courtesy of ESPN.com. All salary information is provided by HoopsHype.com.
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