Smith: Should the Pacers tank?
By TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
To tank, or not to tank? That is the question.
Some Pacers fans want to see their team fight hard and make the playoffs. Other fans want to see them tank to get a top draft pick. All fans want the best future possible for the team, so which direction should the Pacers go? You can make arguments for both sides.
Typically, NBA teams don’t succeed when they’re stuck in the middle- Not good enough to win a title, but not bad enough to get a top draft pick. That’s probably the exact category the Pacers fall into this season. Most of the time, teams would be better off rebuilding than hoping for a low playoff seed. For this team, however, I’m not convinced that’s the smarter choice.
(Photo by Pacers Sports and Entertainment)
You may ask: “What good would it do for the franchise to barely make the playoffs, lose in the first round, and then get a lower draft pick as a result?” It’s a valid point, and something that Larry Bird has to wrestle with.
I don’t think the Pacers will tank this season, and here are some reasons why:
1. They’ve repeated that making the playoffs is their goal: Well, isn’t that what they’re suppposed to say? Maybe. But guys like Frank Vogel, Larry Bird, David West and others are far too competitive to show up to work every day and not do everything they can to win. Not only that, but consider what the playoffs do for a fan base. The franchise has finally been getting the fan support it deserves the last few years, and there’s something to be said about keeping that excitement up.
2. Bird has proven he doesn’t need a top draft pick to draft well: Back in 2009-2010, the majority of Pacer fans wanted a full-on tank after a poor first half of the season. They saw a great draft class coming and wanted the Pacers to land someone like Evan Turner with a top pick. When the Pacers finished the season by winning 10 of their final 14 games, fans were upset that they missed an opportunity to land a top pick. They slipped to the number 10 pick overall. Who did they take? Just some guy named Paul George. Even though the 10th pick is still a high selection, it just goes to show that it’s not always the top picks that succeed. Danny Granger was the 17th overall pick. Roy Hibbert was the 17th overall pick. Lance Stephenson was the 40th overall pick. The way Solomon Hill is developing early this season, he might join this list of impressive Larry Bird draft selections himself.
3. Winning brings more opportunity: Sure, tanking the season gets you a higher draft pick. But making the playoffs probably means your players are developing at a higher level, you are more attractive to free agents, and team morale remains high before you reload for next season. If Larry Bird truly feels that next year’s team can be a contender again, making the playoffs this year might help those chances more than tanking.
Don’t get me wrong: Larry Bird will absolutely be looking more towards next season than this one. That is the smart thing to do when your star player is injured. I fully expect guys like David West and Chris Copeland to be on the trade block, with possibly a few other names joining them. If Bird sees a trade that helps next year’s chances, he will pull the trigger.
There’s also a chance that the Pacers tank later in the season. If they’re clearly out of the playoff picture and see several trade opportunities arise, they may end up losing quite a bit in the final few months. But right now, it’s only November. This team has too much talent and too much pride to throw in the towel this early. There are too many guys with something to prove as well: Frank Vogel, Roy Hibbert, Chris Copeland, Solomon Hill, Donald Sloan, and George Hill when he returns- This is a long list of guys who either have a chip on their shoulder from last year, or want to prove their worth with this opportunity. It’s also the Eastern Conference, which is improved but still far inferior to the West. If you want a full-season tank, it’s not going to happen here.
Even though next season is the focus, it doesn’t mean this season has to be a lost cause. The positive signs of this year will build the foundation for the next. This team could end up being years away from title contention, or they could make the right moves and have a legitimate shot next season. There are a whole lot of questions that will be answered over time. Until then, fans should at least enjoy the heart this team has shown, and the message they are trying to send to the NBA: “Hurt or not, we won’t back down.”
Follow Tyler on Twitter: @TylerSmith_ISL
I agree with everything you said. I don’t think looking towards next season by trading West and Copeland for prospects/picks is full out tank mode. Its smart business and smart basketball. West is more valuable going forward as a trade chip. If you can trade any non foundation pieces (guys not in the plans 2 yrs down the road) then you have to. Clear playing time for project players and new foundation pieces.