What Should Larry Bird Do?
TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
It’s been a rough year for the Indiana Pacers, to say the least. After looking like the best team in the NBA for the first half of last season, things have really gone downhill since; A second half collapse, losing Lance Stephenson in free agency, and losing their star Paul George to a devastating injury.
As training camp approaches for another season, you can’t help but wonder what direction Larry Bird will take for this franchise moving forward.
Let’s look at three possible options Larry Bird has:
1. Rebuild. That’s not a word Pacers fans want to see considering they had to rebuild in recent memory. It’s not a fun process especially when you consider the excitement of the past few seasons. However, it may end up being the best option. By the time Paul George is healthy again, David West will be 35 years old. He could still be a good player by that time, but would he be more valuable to the franchise as a trade chip moving forward? Keep in mind, this current core of players couldn’t get over the Miami hump and that was with Lance Stephenson on the team. The Eastern Conference will be stronger by 2015, and it’s uncertain if the core of George/Hibbert/West/Hill could keep the pace. Acquiring draft picks and young talent to go alongside Paul George for the future looks awfully tempting.
2. Stay the course. Judging from Bird and Vogel’s comments, this seems to be the likely course of action, at least to start the season. “My goal is to win as many games as we possibly can and to get into the playoffs,” Bird said. “Are our expectations lowered any? I don’t think so. We’re going to compete hard. We’re going to do the best to make the playoffs. That’s always one of our goals. And just compete on a consistent basis.” Coach Frank Vogel added: “I think we’re going to surprise some teams. I think those fans that think the season is over before it started are very wrong. And I think they are going to be pleasantly surprised with the grit and toughness that we play with this year. And I think we’re going to be able to compete with the best.” The Chicago Bulls were able to surprise some teams with their play the last few seasons with Derrick Rose out. They also could end up looking smart for “not” blowing the team up and waiting for his return. Of course, every situation with every team is different. If the Pacers stayed the course and ended up sneaking into the playoffs as a lower seed, what good does that really do for the franchise? You could argue that it’s better to attract free agents next year, and that it’s better to keep fan attendance up (which is significant for this team). From a basketball standpoint, however, I’m not sure a 6-8 seeded team in the East is worth sacrificing potential moves for the future. One potential silver lining is a guy like Solomon Hill. This will give him a chance to play and grow. If he can use this season to blossom into a solid player, perhaps staying the course makes a little more sense than how it seems.
3. Wait until the trade deadline to decide. This may be the best of the three options. Bird doesn’t want to give up on the season before it even begins. He may feel it’s in the best interest of the franchise to remain competitive and make some tweaks to improve the team by next year. If things go south, however, don’t be surprised to see Larry Bird pull the trigger on some deals this February. David West has been the heart and soul of this team, and it would crush Pacers fans to see him go. But he’s the best trade chip this team will have at the trade deadline. Larry Bird has to think of the future first instead of thinking about a low-seed playoff team.
Winning 40-45 games is exciting if you are a young team that is trying to reach the playoffs for the first time in a while. Fans of that team would be excited heading into the season. When you are a team that recently had title hopes, however, winning 40-45 games has a completely different feel to it. And if that feels different to a fan, imagine how it must feel to the players. We’ll see how the Pacer players respond to lower expectations after losing their two best players. If the season ever feels like a lost cause to them, it will be difficult for these players to remain hungry and fight for just a playoff spot.
The good news for Pacers fans is, this team has a few guys that have something to prove. Roy Hibbert and George Hill will be asked to step up. After disappointing seasons a year ago, they have their chance to prove the doubters wrong. Newcomer Rodney Stuckey also has a lot to prove this season. Frank Vogel has doubters of his own that he’d like to quiet. These are the main reasons the Pacers will have a chance to remain respectable this season. It could get ugly, or it could still end up feeling like the Pacers have a bright future. It will be interesting to see which direction Larry Bird will end up taking before this season is complete.
Follow Tyler on Twitter: @sports_tys_20
