[sammybuckeye13Participant]

With so many good assets I’d become frustrated by Bird’s lack of assertiveness (and I’m not a Pacers fan), but I just love the Collison deal. He’s a franchise point guard and will do wonders for this team, especially after the point guard controversies they’ve endured in recent years. I’m intrigued by them, they have a superb young core (and especially a building block point guard and center), and they’ll have AT LEAT $23 million to spend next summer.

PG: Darren Collison (22) – 18.9/9.1/1.4 in 43 games as a starter last year, lockdown defender. ESPN already has him pegged as a top 10 PG in fantasy next year.
Lance Stephenson (19) – Big, bruising guard in the Tyreke Evans mold still has massive potential.
SG: Brandon Rush (25) – Not going to be an All-Star anytime soon but it still a terrific shooter from range (1.5 threes per game).
Dahntay Jones (29) – Extremely tough defender proved that he can score when given the opportunity.
SF: Danny Granger (27) – He’s not ESPN’s #5- rated fantasy player for nothing.
Paul George (20) – Very similar to Granger, will likely at least be a better version of Brandon Rush
PF: Tyler Hansbrough (24) – 8.5 and 4.8 in just 17.6 minutes is nothing to scoff at. As he continues to become more comfortable he’ll become a very good role player.
Magnum Rolle (24) – I’m honestly stunned that he hasn’t been signed yet. Terrific in SL, great athlete and has scoring potential.
C: Roy Hibbert (23) – 7-2/278, missed just 1 game last year, avg’d 11.7 ppg and finished 12th in the L in blocks. Really like it.

And that’s just their core of players that are under contract for a couple more years. They still have Mike Dunleavy, who should contribute next year as they wait for his $11 million contract to expire, as well as some still solid veterans in Posey and Foster (when healthy). Amazingly, this team can retain those 9 players listed above and still have $23 million in cap space next year. If they spend that money on a worthy off-guard or center they could really go places, as they now have a franchise pg, sf and borderline franchise center with some great young role players (and George has All-Star potential). IMO, they should go hard after David West (who has an ETO) and Carl Landry next off-season and maybe try nab Caron Butler. That would be a formidable team.

[wisdom123Participant]

possible playoff team- i think paul george will turn out to be a very good player

[wisdom123Participant]

possible playoff team- i think paul george will turn out to be a very good player

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

I expect the Pacers to make a run at the 8th spot in the playoffs…my question is who starts at shooting guard ? Dunleavy has the talent to be a star in this year…but he’s been up & down since he’s been in the nba…Rookie Paul George might be a sleeper..butis he ready to start? Brandon Rush is a good shooter ..but he eems like he’ll be more effective coming off the bench…who plays power foward? even though he only played 28 games his rookie year Hansbrough looked like a future starter.but not right now..maybe they deal for vet..but who’s out there? they have plenty of bargaining chips…..

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

I expect the Pacers to make a run at the 8th spot in the playoffs…my question is who starts at shooting guard ? Dunleavy has the talent to be a star in this year…but he’s been up & down since he’s been in the nba…Rookie Paul George might be a sleeper..butis he ready to start? Brandon Rush is a good shooter ..but he eems like he’ll be more effective coming off the bench…who plays power foward? even though he only played 28 games his rookie year Hansbrough looked like a future starter.but not right now..maybe they deal for vet..but who’s out there? they have plenty of bargaining chips…..

[The8thDeadlySinParticipant]

I think that the starter has to be Jones… Collison has shown that he can score a little bit and we all know that Granger can fill it up.. Where I come from, you sandwich great defenders with great scorers..

Which means that if you have great scorers at the PG and SF spots, then you should have a defender at the SG spot…

[The8thDeadlySinParticipant]

I think that the starter has to be Jones… Collison has shown that he can score a little bit and we all know that Granger can fill it up.. Where I come from, you sandwich great defenders with great scorers..

Which means that if you have great scorers at the PG and SF spots, then you should have a defender at the SG spot…

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

For the Pacers to be a factor in the East, they need Roy Hibbert to take his game to the next level. He has the size (7’2 275lbs) and offensive skills to be an All-Star Center, he has all the tools except he lacks “assertiveness”. All their other additions are nice, but Hibbert is the main key for this team.

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

For the Pacers to be a factor in the East, they need Roy Hibbert to take his game to the next level. He has the size (7’2 275lbs) and offensive skills to be an All-Star Center, he has all the tools except he lacks “assertiveness”. All their other additions are nice, but Hibbert is the main key for this team.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

8thDeadlySin

The deal with this team is… They have solid defenders at the 1 and 3! So you throw in Dahntay Jones, and you have one of the best perimeter defending teams in the L. And if Roy Hibbert can improve a bit more, you’ll have one of the best defensive teams in the L.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

8thDeadlySin

The deal with this team is… They have solid defenders at the 1 and 3! So you throw in Dahntay Jones, and you have one of the best perimeter defending teams in the L. And if Roy Hibbert can improve a bit more, you’ll have one of the best defensive teams in the L.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I’d start Jones at the two and Foster, IF he’s healthy, at the four. That gives you a great mix of scorers in Granger, Collison and Hibbert and defenders in Jones and Foster. Foster is also the best rebounder remaining on the team.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I’d start Jones at the two and Foster, IF he’s healthy, at the four. That gives you a great mix of scorers in Granger, Collison and Hibbert and defenders in Jones and Foster. Foster is also the best rebounder remaining on the team.

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

He’s a franchise point guard

Slow down now. He had one good season. Let’s not overrate him.

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

He’s a franchise point guard

Slow down now. He had one good season. Let’s not overrate him.

[durantula83Participant]

The Pacers aren’t done dealing just yet. I refuse to believe they will drop Hansbrough in the starting line-up already. They’ll do everything they can to turn Ford into a valuable big man, my only fear is that they would have to sacrifice a young player on top of that. I don’t see the Pacers getting into the playoffs just yet.

[durantula83Participant]

The Pacers aren’t done dealing just yet. I refuse to believe they will drop Hansbrough in the starting line-up already. They’ll do everything they can to turn Ford into a valuable big man, my only fear is that they would have to sacrifice a young player on top of that. I don’t see the Pacers getting into the playoffs just yet.

[Author]

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