Raptors Offer For Jarrett Jack Too Rich For Pacers

by Tom Lewis on Jul 12, 2009 8:38 AM EDT in News Comment 21 comments

According to Mike Wells, Jarrett Jack signed the offer sheet from Toronto last night and has the deal at 4 years for $20 million, which takes the numbers outside the range the Pacers would likely match. The Pacers have seven days to match the offer, but to do so would be a surprise and also put the team back in a precarious salary cap situation. A $4 million per year offer would've made the Pacers think long and hard before letting Jack go, but $5 million per year is simply too rich for the Pacers to consider matcing.

Doug Smith has the story from a Toronto perspective including the point that Jack played at Georgia Tech with Chris Bosh, whom the Raptors are trying to keep in Toronto when his contract is up at the end of next season.

My head tells me letting Jack go is the only move here for the Pacers, considering the limitations in his game. My heart will always have me rooting for Jack and watching his progress with Toronto. There's even a small part of me that hopes the Pacers rue the day that Jack left town after his game fully matures. That day may never come but for Jarrett's sake I hope it does.

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ahh that sucks

We definitely can’t match that. Our PG situation isn’t great. I’m of the opinion that we were lucky to have a relatively healthy year for Ford. Even if he is healthy again, our backups are Diener and Price. And if Ford does get hurt, we’ll be in a rough spot…

"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."

by psvirsky on Jul 12, 2009 8:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

uh-oh

this isn’t good

by kookygoddess on Jul 12, 2009 9:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

stay the course....

The Raptors are going to pay $5M a year for a back up point guard? WOW!!! I just don’t think JJ was that great. He is a backup point guard in this league. Plain and simple.

Having Jack will NOT keep Bosh in Toronto. Hmmm.. let me see, play with Jarrett Jack and continue as a lottery team or go win a championship with Kobe, Lebron or Wade.

Good thing we drafted Price. I heard he looked great in Orlando at summer league. He will be growing up quick this year.

by davis72 on Jul 12, 2009 9:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

absolutely have to let him go. This contract is ridiculous.

Lets see if get ripped apart for 4/20M for JJ like we did for our “massive” contract to jones (4/11M)

how much money has toronto spent this off season? for THAT team???

stay the course bird… stay the course….

by dbcb on Jul 12, 2009 10:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

oh well

this seems like a big opportunity for a.j. price to grow to his full potential. he really did well in orlando. he’s got the moves already, although he still needs to address certain aspects of his game. a rough gem.^^ as for j.j., best of luck.

by kookygoddess on Jul 12, 2009 12:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

JJ1

I gather we will all be checking off the calendar for the first meeting between our two teams.
I cant remember who won the head to head battle between the two teams last year,or was it a split.
As a Rap fan,trust me we will welcome JJ1 with open arms.

by d279 on Jul 12, 2009 1:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Jarrett is an extremely likable guy. He’s going to be one of my favorite one year Pacers ever. Hate to see him leave, but I’ll enjoy seeing how he does with Toronto.

by goodlucksaturday on Jul 12, 2009 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

GOOD!

GREAT!! To be honest. TJ ford can hold this team up, AJ can back him. Larry Bird needs to Stop trying to be the Coach and Watch, surrond this guy with a team and Watch him!!

TJ Ford- Needs a Big, and a Wing, he has that with Granger and Hibbert, and If Dunleavy Comes back healthy that would be a Plus. These are the ingredients he Needs to Carry out his Type of Gaurd Fashion, These are the Same things He had in High School (Texas 5A champs Back to Back) and in College (texas first final four) He is a passer first, The guy had to score if granger was off, they had no other scorers, so in-turn, he looks like a bad fit. Yes, Injuries have hurt him but this has to be the greatest come back of ANY player from a NECK Injury. All the Great PG’s in the League are surronded by more than 1 player EXCEPT TJ, he has Granger!!! Im all for TJ leading the team, he TOOK the BUCKS and RAPTORS to the playoffs. But all was when he was able to be a point guard. The GUY can really see the court.

PG-TJ PG-TJ
SG-GRANGER SG-Jones
SG-Dunleavy SF-Granger
PF-TH PF- TH
C-HIBBERT C-Hibbert
(Dream line up) (Playoffs)

by BBcoach09 on Jul 12, 2009 1:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hmmmm.

Not sure I would use the mid level exception on a backup combo guard. Jack has great personality and all but I doubt it’s worth the mid level. I think he made a wise business decision in the end, can’t blame him for that. Good luck to him in Toronto.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work.
-Thomas Edison

by W.Diesel on Jul 12, 2009 6:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

For anyone who watched..

the whole season last year, it was IMPOSSIBLE not to love Jack. He played so hard, came up big so many times, and was just a joy. For that matter, anyone who watched the whole season, it was very tough not to be upset with TJ. With the inconsistincies, the injuries, the coming off the bench, he did have some great games, but he didnt give us what we needed. I hope he does this year, but I would have never thought that we would go into this year with him as our number one. Diener is NOT a first backup point guard in this league. When Ford goes down again, who in the world is confident with Diener being the point? I think Price would step in, and here’s to wishing for the best.

by captain flitzy on Jul 12, 2009 7:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This is why we should have drafted Patty. I think we all agree that Price is going to be a solid backup. Why didn’t we draft Patty, who has the chance to be a good starter? It is just so annoying.

All aboard the Jahvid Best rickshaw!

by rollonubears on Jul 12, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

too bad he got hurt so quickly

"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."

by psvirsky on Jul 12, 2009 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is unfortunate, but you can’t say that the exact same thing would happen in Indy. He is just having a bad month.

All aboard the Jahvid Best rickshaw!

by rollonubears on Jul 13, 2009 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Completely Agree.

This guy is a bonafide starter in the league. I watched 70-75 Pacer games last year and Jack’s play was far superior (in my opinion) to TJ. At the beginning, inconsistencies and ball handling miscues left me wary of Jack’s capabilities but he slowly won me over with his toughness, leadership, tendency to finish strong and attack the basket, and ability to set up our scorers with easy buckets. TJ showed me he enjoys shooting elbow jumpers.

Unfortunately, the $5 million/year is “out of our price range”, but I still hope Larry thinks twice about it. Jack is younger than TJ why can’t we give him the $5 mil and unload TJ’s abominable $8 mil/year contract? Easier said than done I suppose.

by Liffick on Jul 13, 2009 12:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

hes a bonafide starter for a non-contending team, but his role for a good team is a back up pg or sg…

His 4 assists a game with 2 turn overs point against his “ability to set up our scorers with easy buckets.” His per was 13 which is below average (15 is average). He is also a poop defender at the pg.

Everyone is down on Ford, and I don’t love him either, but statistically he was a much better player last year than Jack. And has been for his career. I just wish we had a system that he fit into better.

by dbcb on Jul 13, 2009 7:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

J Jack

Good Luck Jarrett in Toronto…As for my beloved Pacers…We still have a viable PG in TJ Ford..We can keep him or pull off a good deal for a good floor general…I also feel A.J. Price will be better than anticipated…The guys been through so much and he wants to prove he can play with the big boys…He looked good in UConn…There will be something done in the next week or so…Go Pacers….Good Job Larry…Build us a Champion!!!!!

by RMiller4Life on Jul 12, 2009 8:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

bye bye Jack

You were great to watch for a season, but this contract is not what the team needs. The 2010-11 season will be the decisive one money-wise and the team cannot have this big contract there. That season should be the one when the team makes a run via trades for stars and a culmination of great drafting. A 4yr/20m contract for a point guard would severly hamper this team. I’m fine with Ford/Diener/Price. Maybe the team can sign someone in free agency, but right now I still think we make the playoffs, especially if Dunleavy plays at some point in the season.

"I saw a commercial on late night TV, it said,'Forget everything you know about slipcovers.' So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were."
-Mitch Hedberg

by Colts Homer on Jul 13, 2009 2:08 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

my biggest concern is the injury issue.

Ford has been known to get hurt and when he does he is REALLY hurt.

Diener is always hurt.

I don’t want to see games where diener or god forbid a rookie second round pick has to start. Those are games where you are already behind the baseball and we cannot afford the throw games away if we want to make the play offs this year.

this is part of the reason I would have rather had a PG drafted in the first round since it was a real position of need but that is neither here or there

by dbcb on Jul 13, 2009 7:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Raptors Perspective

I see you guys are a bit divided on the Jack/Ford issue. Reminds me a bit of Calderon/Ford in Toronto.

I do think T.J. is more than capable of running a team and, with the Pacers’ financial situation, they probably won’t be able to keep Jack at this price.

As a Raptors fan I’m more than excited, This guy has, in my opinion, shown himself to be a capable starter/fantastic backup in the league. He can play both guard spots, is tough as nails, supposedly practices hard, and is a good leader. Plus, he’s a good friend of Chris Bosh. We’re happy to have him.

Now, if one of you can explain the logic of this Dahntay Jones signing to me…

by Vittorio De Zen on Jul 13, 2009 1:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Jones

Wish I could. Only thing I can come up with is that they think he is a lot better defensively than he really is. Other than that I don’t know. I guess we need bodies on the roster and he wasn’t too expensive.

by ThirtyOne on Jul 13, 2009 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

depth behind rush/granger

defensive presence… even if he is a bit overrated defensively he is much better than what we have

toughness on the card and a bit of swagger

we have signed him through his prime years.

cheap… averages 2.75 a year. If this deal with 2 year for 5.5 million no one would care. everyone is stuck on the 4 year thing. It isn’t like he is making 8 million a year and would be impossible to trade if need be.

by dbcb on Jul 13, 2009 6:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs