Kevin Pritchard speaks
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
You could summarize Kevin Pritchard’s end of season press conference like this: “Don’t rule anything out.”
Could the Pacers bring back the entire core? Don’t rule it out.
Could they make some big changes? Don’t rule it out.
Could Turner/Sabonis still work out? Don’t rule it out.
Could their new coach be experienced or inexperienced? Don’t rule either out.
The truth is, Kevin Pritchard is always transparent in these press conferences. I don’t believe he was withholding information. I believe he is being completely honest with that mindset heading into this off-season: Lots of things are on the table, and decisions will be made after a lot of thought.
You may think you know what the Pacers will do before next season, but nobody can be completely certain.
Here are some of the key quotes from Kevin Pritchard from Monday’s presser:
•On Coaching:
“We have to figure out a way to communicate better with players, and maybe have more of a modern approach and playing more of a modern game. I’m not ruling out anything right now. We can go with experience, or an up and comer, or outside the box.”
“It’s up to me to step up to the plate and find the right person to lead the locker room again. You look at some of the hirings the last few years- they’re all over the board. Our process is starting with a big pool and making it smaller as we go. We’ve started those conversations and have identified some things we are looking for. I just want the best person possible. Let’s dig deep and keep an open mind.”
•On Victor Oladipo:
“Victor and I have a good dialogue. We were communicating yesterday. It’s easy to jump the gun and say you have to do something. We don’t feel any rush to make any quick decision. We have him for another year. After next year, we can engage in negotiations”
“He wants to win. There will be a time when him and I sit down. If we can show we can win, we’ll have a chance to keep him. If anything changes, we would let each other know. We have a great relationship. Our goal is to make it work.”
“We came out of things okay with the Paul George situation. But that’s not my goal to go down that road. I’ve not heard anything other than he does want to be here and make it work here. I’ll take that at its face. I think we’re building around a couple players. We’ve built this around I believe 5 really solid players. Victor is incredibly important. He has another year. We want to make this a great place for him and every player.”
•On potential roster changes:
“We keep getting to the playoffs. We had the fourth best record in the East. That’s something we’re proud of. But at the end of the day, we want to do well in the playoffs. We have to be better prepared for the playoffs.”
“When talking to Myles and talking to Domas, the very first thing they each said was, ‘I want to play with Domas’ and “I want to play with Myles.’ We can make it work.’ I think one can play spread and one can play the post. We’re still studying the numbers.”
“I like this group coming back. I think we have a foundation of good players. Do there need to be some changes? Maybe. But those won’t happen without a lot of thought behind it.”
Pritchard also mentioned the possibility of moving up in the draft, using their full mid-level-exception to sign a player, and being open to the trade market. He talked about how continuity is still important to them, but everything is on the table. My prediction continues to be the following: The Pacers will make one big trade this off-season, and a few signings. I may be in the minority, but I still believe Oladipo is a Pacer next season. With the right coaching hire, this team could be in the mix in the East.
