Jermaine O'Neal: To Stay or Not To Stay?

It's been a rough year to be an Indiana basketball fan.  In a state that prides itself in such rich basketball tradition, neither the Pacers nor the Hoosiers represented that pride this season.

So where do these teams go next?  For the Hoosiers, Tom Crean has come in and is doing a great job with what he was given.  I think the Hoosiers are in good hands and will be contenders again in two seasons.

But as for the Pacers, there are many questions. 

It is assumed that the Pacers are not a good basketball team these days.  But I don't know if that is necessarily true.  Even former coach Rick Carlisle said when he left, "That team is one player away from being serious contenders."

This year's team almost made the playoffs, despite key starters Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley missing a ton of games.  They have some talented scorers, but are weak as a whole on defense.  But the biggest question for this team is what to do with Jermaine O'Neal?

Does he have a lot of trade value still, and who do you try and get for him?  Do you just simply try to dump him off so you can get some money for free agency and trades?  Or do you give him one more shot to prove he can still play and stay healthy?  A healthy Jermaine O'Neal, and this Pacers team is already a playoff team.  Then you add the number 11 overall pick to that, and there are possibilities for this team.

There has also been talk of trading for a higher pick.  Whatever the case, Larry Bird has to make this team a contender again.  They need to dump Jamaal Tinsley once and for all, and start fresh at the point guard position.  They need to bring in atleast one good guard defender.  And they need to really make a smart decision in the draft.

Maybe the Pacers and Hoosiers are both another year away from being contenders again.  But whatever it takes, it is time for these teams to make Indiana proud once again.... and soon.