Indy Cornrows: FanPosts

Williams "Thin Ice" is about to Break

Brent Beck — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:47:39 -0000

If you didn't hear the news, Shawne Williams has gotten into a little bit of trouble however, one of the passengers he was driving got charged with possession of marijuana.

Heres the link to Indy Stars, Mike Wells article Pacers player's associate in legal trouble.

Truly disheartening and sad to say the least.

---

Heres the article is posted below:

The thin ice Shawne Williams is standing on with the Indiana Pacers could be getting ready to break.
For the third time since Sept. 2007, one of Williams' associates from his hometown of Memphis has encountered legal trouble in Indianapolis.
Friday afternoon, Carmel police arrested Darrell Smith Jr., 21, a passenger in the car Williams was driving, after discovering Smith had a small amount of marijuana, Lt. Jeff Horner of the Carmel Police Dept. said.
Police stopped the car about 6 p.m. in the 4000 block of East 96th Street.
“Shawne Williams was not charged with anything,” Horner said. “He was given a window tint and seat belt violation. Mr. Smith’s marijuana charge is a misdemeanor.”

The car Williams was driving was not his.

Pacers president Larry Bird said last month the 22-year-old forward is on “very thin ice.”

Bird was unavailable for comment today.

The team issued this statement: “While Shawne Williams was not involved in any arrest or any criminal wrongdoing, we are extremely upset and hugely disappointed he once again has put himself in a position that jeopardizes Shawne’s future as a member of the Indiana Pacers. I plan to meet with Shawne as soon as possible to discuss this further.”

In February, a man wanted on murder charges in Memphis, Tenn., was arrested after leaving Williams' home in a truck registered to Williams. The man, Gary Bohannon, also was with Williams when Williams was stopped for driving without a license Sept. 11, 2007.

Bohannon was found guilty of marijuana possession from that traffic stop. Williams apologized last year, saying he needed to make better choices.

Not the best of news...

captain flitzy — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:17:21 -0000

I know its early and summer league eveything like that...but there's no way that it is exciting to read THIS when checking up on the summer leagues this morning.

via hoopshype.com

Studs: Jerryd Bayless has been the best player to put on a Summer League jersey. He finished with 29 points and 6 rebounds while shooting 8-15 from the field and 13-16 from the line. Bayless is such a skilled offensive player – he’s so versatile, that it’s hard to figure out a way to stop him. His ability to get to the rim will take him far in the NBA.

Studs: Jerryd Bayless is absolutely fantastic out here – he’s making people really wonder how he slid down the draft. With 9 seconds left in regulation, Bayless made an incredibly tough jumper to tie the game on the left side of the basket. Sounds tough enough considering the time circumstances, but what was most impressive was that Bayless was clearly fouled on the play and should have gone to the line as well. Bayless did unfortunately miss the shot with one second left that would have given the Blazers the win

I know Larry's intentions the whole time were to get Rush and they traded back because of saving money and all of that. But this guy had a Pacer hat on during draft night, might be tough to swallow come very soon.

ESPN's City High Tournament

Hoosier@Heart-VolByBirth — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:36:09 -0000

Hello Everyone, I've read the blog for a couple of months now and never had anything to post about but now I think I've found It. ESPN decided to create a Prep Tourney using players hometowns. I know it doesn't fit the blog totally but I felt the fact that had the audicity to leave out Indy was unacceptable. But, give it a read and let me know what you think.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/story?page=cityhighbracket

Shaun Livingston: Low Risk, High Reward

Brent Beck — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:38:21 -0000

With all the current news surrounding the L.A. Clippers focusing on the recent free agent signing of Baron Davis and the controversial loss of All-Star power forward Elton Brand (signed with the 76ers), nobody seems to have said a word about the Clippers renouncing the rights to the once coveted and currently recuperating guard Shaun Livingston.

Livingston, taken by Los Angeles as the fourth overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft, hasn't played since injuring his left knee in a game on Feb. 26, 2007. The Clippers declined to give him a $5.8 million qualifying offer this summer. In becoming an unrestricted free agent, the 6'7", 22 year old point guard is currently looking for work and hoping a team gives him a chance. With the jury still out on his knee, whoever takes a chance on Livingston is going to sign the Peoria, Illinois product at a discount. With open cap space and the ceiling of potential still so high for Shaun Livingston in my mind, the Pacers should take the risk and bring him to Indiana especially if Shaun is willing to sign to a league minimum contract.

In acquiring T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack this off-season, as well as having Travis Diener as their back-up, there would be no pressure for Livingston to play now or rush his rehabilitation. In signing veteran point guard Baron Davis as well as the Clippers impatience with Livingston's rehab, collectively lead the Clippers to letting him walk away, a choice they might later regret.

The Pacers should bring Livingston in by offering him a 2 year contract with a 3rd and 4th year option similar to what a rookie mid-late 1st round draft pick receives. If Livingston doesn't pan out, don't pick up the option in the 3rd year, which would perfectly work out to increase the Pacers cap space right as superstars Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade hit the open market (as well as the likely untouchable LeBron James). But, if Livingston proves the Clippers wrong, gets healthy, and becomes half the player he was projected as a rookie, the Pacers would only add to the their already deep backcourt, allowing Indiana to luxury of trading one of their floor generals to strengthen their front line.

Coming into the draft and before his near career ending injury, USA Today said this of Shaun Livingston:

COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Magic Johnson COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: Jalen Rose

ROLE PROJECTION: Starter, future Hall of Famer

POSITIVES: Any team that passes up Livingston for a more polished pearl will not be able to live it down seven years from now. By then, at only 25, Livingston will be able to dominate a NBA game without scoring a single point and eventually will go down as one of the greatest playmakers in NBA history. Not only does he have incredible vision and instincts, but his towering 6-7 frame allows him to get his shot off with very little spacing from his defender, while his outstanding ballhandling protects the rock from grabby opponents. He does not have to operate from the far perimeter, as most guards do, offering him unique passing angles from mid-range. Livingston's height, long arms and ability to palm a basketball let him quickly dish the ball over or around his defender with the flick of one hand.

SHORTCOMINGS: Only one thing can block Livingston from stardom, and that is not improving his long-range shooting. If opponents do not respect Livingston's outside shot, they can crowd him defensively on the far perimeter, preventing him from penetrating to the mid-range area of the floor, which is where he does most of his damage.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "He's outstanding, that's easy. I watched him a lot this year. He has a chance, and (I) hate to compare players because I usually don't do this, but I think he's special like J-Kidd — he can see (the whole floor). — Memphis Grizzlies scout Rodney Heard

I would take Jalen Rose in a heart beat, but hell if we got Magic Johnson, Larry Bird will be getting the Sporting News NBA Executive of the Year award without a doubt.

Poll

Should the Pacers take a chance on Shaun Livingston?

Indy should make a move for Okafor

jdpourciau — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:34:38 -0000

Hey guys, I am excited about the future for the Pacers even though I am a Hornets fan. I think y'all have made some great moves, and you are looking at some serious cap space next year. I have one suggestion, and I am not sure if it has been discussed. I think you should make a move for Okafor.

You have so much money tied up in expiring contracts, that you could do a sign and tradefrontload a deal with Okafor to the tune of something like 16, 14, 12...You could offer them three first round picks, Foster, and Daniels. Or you could try Dunleavy and Daniels, or anything else. If the Clippers are serious about offering Emeka a big deal, I think Charlotte would jump on the idea of getting some picks and a starter instead of letting him go for nothing.

I know this is sacrilege but you might also consider letting go of Granger. I know I know, he is unmovable. My thing is I just don't see how you can have Dunleavy and Granger starting at the same time, and both of them had two good years, and their stock won't get much higher. Trade one of them and get some value for him.

Okafor would be perfect for O'Brien's system and the general personnel that you now have. He is an excellent rebounder and one of the best defensive bigs in the game. He can make up for some of Murphy's shortcomings, and Murphy can give Emeka some space to operate in the paint by being able to shoot the three. The wings will be able to play more agressvie defense because Emeka can erase their mistakes in the paint.

I also think that T.J. and Murphy are perfect for the pick and pop game, but that isn't related to Okafor.

What do y'all think?

T.J. Ford to Wear Number __ ?

Brent Beck — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:51:32 -0000

If check out T.J. Ford's Official Website, he obviously has plans of wearing number 11 for his new team, the Pacers. Believe me if you haven't checked out the link, I will explain, the main image on his website features the Pacers new PG Ford dribbling the rock with none other than Tinsley's old jersey, looks to me like it is officially time to say bye to Jamaal, my question is where is he going, who is going to take him, and how badly is he going to affect our future plans if we can't dump him?

but....

If you check our The Pacer Gift Shop Website, they seem to have a different answer. According to them Ford is going to be dawning Jalen Rose's old number, such a dilemma!

Here was the article posted on Ford's website this afternoon.

Wed, Jul 9th 2008, 10:23

It's Official, TJ is a Pacer

In what can best be described as a formality at this point, the Pacers officially announced that TJ Ford has joined the team. TJ came to Indiana in a deal Toronto that allowed the Pacers to acquire T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston and Roy Hibbert (the 17th overall pick in June’s NBA draft) for Jermaine O’Neal and Nathan Jawai (the 41st pick in the draft).

“I’m excited about this trade and excited to be going to a team that really wanted me,” said TJ.

The Pacer’s makeover doesn’t end with that trade, as 3 other new members will join the club. The Pacers will also be bringing in Jarrett Jack and Josh McRoberts from Portland, as well as the Blazer’s draft pick from this year Brandon Rush.

Indiana head coach Jim O’Brien is excited about the new additions to the roster.

“I think Larry and (General Manager) David Morway did an outstanding job in changing around our basketball team, both with the trades and the picks. Our team will have a completely different look next year. Overall, the seven new players we have give us a completely different look than we had last year and we have maintained the guys that got the majority of playing time at the end of last season.

“An area of particular concern for us last year was the point guard spot,” O’Brien said. “We certainly feel with Travis (Diener) returning and the addition of T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack we have solidified that position. We feel getting Maceo, Rasho and Josh really gives us solid depth up front. Brandon gives us a guy who can very quickly impact both ends of the court. Defensively, we think he can be a high-level stopper and we also think Brandon has the potential to create his own shot on a regular basis as well as give us spacing on the court. Roy gives us size and low-post scoring. At the end of every game, he’s still going to be 7-2, which is a real important factor for us.”

Poll

What number do you hope Ford ends up using?

Moving On Up

Brent Beck — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:38:38 -0000

2008-09 NBA Rookie Class: Top 50

By David Thorpe, Scouts Inc.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/rookies/rankings

1	Michael Beasley	MIA	19	PF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
1	Analysis: He made it look like it was just another game for ... more
2	Greg Oden	POR	20	C	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
2	Analysis: This is based on his playing on two healthy legs, naturally. ... more
3	Rudy Fernandez	POR	23	G	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
3	Analysis: I love players who have been productive in the best leagues ... more
4	Kevin Love	MIN	19	PF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
4	Analysis: I know his athleticism and overall physique are in question, but ... more
5	Derrick Rose	CHI	19	PG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
5	Analysis: Looked tentative and a bit sluggish early. Struggled using ball-screens, as ... more
6	O.J. Mayo	MEM	20	SG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
6	Analysis: Obviously, a talent like Mayo should rank higher. But the Grizzlies ... more
7	Danilo Gallinari	NYK	19	SF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
7	Analysis: Another highly skilled and experienced player from Europe, Gallinari is in ... more
8	Brook Lopez	NJN	20	C	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
8	Analysis: Hustled up and down the floor, but struggled to make plays. ... more
9	Brandon Rush	IND	23	SG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
9	Analysis: Has a beautiful outside stroke and is ready to defend -- ... more
10	Russell Westbrook	SEA	19	SG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
10	Analysis: A special "glider" on the floor, like Monta Ellis and Leandro ... more

11	Courtney Lee	ORL	22	SG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
11	Analysis: Created some shots, but left a lot more out on the ... more
12	Jerryd Bayless	POR	19	PG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
12	Analysis: Should be looked at as a serious scoring option off the ... more
13	Roy Hibbert	TOR	21	C	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
13	Analysis: Highly skilled and smart. And huge, too. Should be able to ... more
14	D.J. Augustin	CHA	20	PG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
14	Analysis: Ultra-quick with the ball, and a good shooter, too. His natural ... more
15	Joe Alexander	MIL	21	PF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
15	Analysis: The league loves athletic energy guys, and Alexander is that and ... more
16	Jason Thompson	SAC	21	C	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
16	Analysis: The most surprising pick of the draft, Thompson is multitalented and ... more
17	Donte' Greene	HOU	20	SF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
17	Analysis: Pure shooters like Greene can find their way into the rotation. ... more
18	Robin Lopez	PHO	20	C	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
18	Analysis: An agile and aggressive big, Lopez symbolizes the new Suns, who ... more
19	Nicolas Batum	POR	19	SF	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
19	Analysis: I know that most stat gurus don't like him, but it's ... more
20	George Hill	SAS	22	PG	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
20	Analysis: A surprising draft choice for the Spurs, but one that makes ... more

Orlando Pro Summer League Game 1: Pacers 95 Magic 78

Brent Beck — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:34:00 -0000

[Thanks for the recap, Brent! Hard to take much from these games but at least the Pacers had a better day than the Bulls. Don't imagine they enjoyed seeing Michael Beasley put up 28 and 9 on them in 22 minutes . I know, it was a meaningless summer league game. - Cornrows]

July 7, 2008			1	2	3	4	OT	Score
		Indiana Pacers Oklahoma City	25 23	20 15	26 20	24 20	0 0	95 78		Box Score Recap

To watch the Pacers play during the Orlando Pro Summer, click here, but I must admit after watching the first game of the camp, the announcing was somewhat peculiar and not too informative. The games are aired via broadband for free on the Orlando Magic's website, I recommend muting your volume unless you enjoy inside jokes, giggling, and long conversations about Alfredo sauce and the Ellen show.

Not getting much insight from what was actually going on during the game itself, I had to come to my own conclusion albeit the only player the announcers seemed to extremely enjoy watching on the Pacers was, surprisingly, Vladimir Golubovic. One still must keep in mind, although Golubovic was talked about during the game more than any other player involved, including the 4th overall pick of the draft in Russell Westbrook, I still would likely conclude the announcers talked more about what they thought Oklahoma City should name their franchise than the players on the court. With an e-mail coming in from a viewer claiming the name of the O.K.C. team had been narrowed down to the Barons, Thunder, or Thunder Birds, the announcers came to the justly conclusion that the team will now be known throughout the Orlando Summer Pro League games as, you didn't guess it, the Oklahoma City Thunder Cats (Be sure to tune in they are a real treat.)

The Pacers next games you can tune in are as followed:

Tuesday, July 8, 2008
3rd Game vs. Chicago (Tip-off roughly around 7:30 pm)
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
3rd Game vs. Miami (Tip-off roughly around 7:30 pm)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
2nd Game vs. Orlando (Tip-off roughly around 5:30 pm)
Friday, July 11, 2008
1st Game vs. New Jersey (Tip-off roughly around 11 am)

Even with the horrific play-by-play the announcers actually weren't joking all that much in their abundance of praise for Golubovic. The 7 foot unknown center from Serbia truly did have an amazing game and played most of the minutes. Golubovic seemed like a tenacious rebounder, and true physical specimen. Being only 22 years old, Bird could have struck gold in this young talent, if you read his DX:DraftExpress.com NBA prospect page, he looks to be a player that was overlooked in Serbia because he lacked "fundamentals", but after watching him suit up with the Pacers today I am starting to think the Serbians were far from right in the pre-judgement of this young talent, to me he looked like a bigger version of Dennis Rodman but you got to remember he wasn't exactly going up against top-notch talent. In the end my player of the game was clearly Golubovic, hopefully he can keep it up. The second best performer was Earl Calloway who put up 16 points, and showed some promise at the point, my player I was let down by. Andre Emmett, even with scoring 15 points, 10 in the 4th quarter on 4-4 shooting, why? Because I was hoping for a little of this:

Lets start praying Andre blows up, averaging over 25 ppg in Europe, being the top scorer in Texas Tech history, and having abilities to throw down nasty dunks like this, in my mind, at the least gives him a shot!

For the record, in further researching our surprise big man of the day, Golubovic. His DraftNet prospect rating might give you a better idea of how far under the radar this guy has been flying (if you didn't check the link, his overall rating was a solid zero across the board). Another tidbit of information, former number one overall pick Shawne Williams scored 13 points, not bad, still hoping for better!

Poll

Of the roster hopefuls, who do you hope makes the Pacers?

Where are they now? Rik Smits

Brent Beck — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:53:31 -0000

[I saw this today and had an absolute blast watching it. I knew he was into motocross bikes but had no idea how he was able to ride them. Now I do. Thanks for the post, Brent! - Cornrows]

Rik Smits, "The Dunkin' Dutchman", featured here in a great update by ESPN Videos on what one of the Pacers fans most beloved and most memorable centers of all time is up too since his playing days in the NBA. Enjoy, to be honest, how couldn't you? We love you Rik, in my mind Smits is hands down the best center in Indiana Pacers history!

In further researching Riks unfathomable new hobby on the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) official website, I found that "The Dunkin' Dutchman" really is a legitimate contender in the racing circuit he now competes.

In the Gallery of Champions Smits recent honors include:

- 2006: Ultimate Four-Stroke Champion (Intermediate) in the Northwest Maico & CZ Post-Vintage Motocross Series

- 2003: Tommy McDermott Trophy (Outstanding performance in cross country)

In digging even deeper into Riks retirement hobby it was also found that his sponsorship for his newly found love is provided by Metro Racing and the Indianapolis National Speedway, could the Pacers drafting the Hollander 2nd overall in 1988 NBA Draft be the source of Smits post-retirement endeavor, maybe, Indianapolis is nicknamed "The Racing Capital of the World"!

In an article posted in 2006 on "The Dunkin' Dutchman" racing vintage bikes in the AHRMA, Smits answered a few more questions about his new hobby that ESPN.com didn't touch base on, here are a few of those answers that should help you fill in some blanks:

How did Rik start out racing motorcycles?

- Riding on a Berini 50cc bike when he was seven years old in Eindhoven, Holland.

How did Rik start racing in the AHRMA?

- Rik got hooked on vintage motocross racing by attending an AHRMA event with his friend Brian Borshoff, who was entered in a cross country race, and just happened to have a spare bike in the trailer. "I've seen this trick before," Rik thought to himself! Brian offered Smits the bike to race, as Rik said "the rest is history."

What is Riks favorite bike?

- 1981 Maico 490, #45

What is Riks favorite track to race?

- Mid-Ohio because it was where he had his first won an AHRMA race in 2005

Rik Smits Trivia:

Wears a size 20 shoe.

Has appeared in video games NBA Jam Tournament Edition, NBA Hangtime, and NBA Jam Extreme, and the TV show Pros vs. Joes.

Once wore Pacers jersey number 24, but switched to number 45, which was originally worn by former Pacers teammate Chuck Person.

His favorite TV Show is Double Dare (1976 game show), and claims to be a huge fan of Gene Wood.

Rik Smits was in the Eddie Murphy movie Coming to America. "While playing at Marist College; His footage playing against St. Johns Redmen at the Madison Square Garden was in the movie Coming to America (1988)";The Holiday Festival, as the Red Foxes previously appeared in the 1987-88 season. That year, Marist was defeated by St. John's and Memphis.

Poll

Should the Pacers retire Rik Smits #45?

Pacers in the Mix for ROY

Brent Beck — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:34:00 -0000

In his article, Rookie Watch: Who are the early favorites for ROY?, David Thorpe of ESPN.com, predicts Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert (the Pacers #11 and #17 selections in the NBA draft) to be among the top fifteen rookies with the best chance of earning the all coveted NBA Rookie of the Year honors. Here is what Thorpe had to say about our young talent, enjoy!

(Keep in mind the list was of the top twenty rookie prospects heading into the 2008-09 season, which includes the likes of Greg Oden and Marc Gasol)

10. Brandon Rush, SG, Pacers
Has a beautiful outside stroke and is ready to defend -- a perfect fit in Indy. Newly acquired point guard T.J. Ford will get him shots in half-court sets and in transition.

15. Roy Hibbert, C, Pacers
Highly skilled and smart. And huge, too. Should be able to get minutes on this team and be a half-court option right away.

and who says big Hibbert doesn't have versatility?

Pacers 2009 Salaries

Brent Beck — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:42:22 -0000

With much debate about Chad Ford's numbers and estimation of where the Pacers will be standing when its all said in done with the cap relief they will get from the expiring contracts they have coming up in the summer of 2009, I dug in and did some research and believe I have a pretty good guestimate of where the Pacers will stand. Looks to me like the Living Legend has the Pacers looking like a strong player in the summer of 2009 free agency, pretty exciting to say the least!

Indiana Pacers 2009 Roster/Salary Data:

Troy Murphy:
2009 Salary: $11,047,619

Mike Dunleavy:
2009 Salary: $9,780,992

TJ Ford:
2009 Salary: $8,500,000

Jamaal Tinsley:
2009 Salary: $7,200,000

Danny Granger:
2009 Salary: $3,289,684 (Qualifying Offer)

Jarrett Jack:
2009 Salary: $2,899,798 (Qualifying Offer)

Shawne Williams:
2009 Salary: 2,416,066 (Team Option)

Travis Diener:
2009 Salary: $1,740,000 (Player Option)

Brandon Rush:
2009 Salary: $1,611,800

Roy Hibbert:
2009 Salary: $1,312,800

Josh McRoberts:
2009 Salary: $500,000 ($427,163 in 2008)

---

Marquis Daniels
2008 Salary: $6,860,000
Jeff Foster
2008 Salary: $6,175,000
Rasho Nesterovic
2008 Salary: $8,400,000

2009 Cap Relief: $21,435,900

Take a break from the numbers... Brandon Rush is the man!

The 2008 Rookie Salary Scale (Rush and Hibbert):

Pick	1st Year: Guaranteed	2nd Year: Guaranteed	3rd Year: Team Option	4th Year: Team Option	Qualifying Offer
1	$4,019,000	$4,320,400	$4,621,800	$5,828,090	$7,576,520
2	$3,595,800	$3,865,500	$4,135,200	$5,218,620	$6,810,300
3	$3,229,200	$3,471,300	$3,713,500	$4,693,860	$6,158,350
4	$2,911,400	$3,129,700	$3,348,100	$4,235,350	$5,586,420
5	$2,636,400	$2,834,200	$3,031,900	$3,841,420	$5,093,720
6	$2,394,600	$2,574,200	$2,753,800	$3,491,820	$4,658,090
7	$2,186,000	$2,349,900	$2,513,900	$3,192,650	$4,281,350
8	$2,002,600	$2,152,800	$2,303,000	$2,929,420	$3,948,850
9	$1,840,800	$1,978,900	$2,117,000	$2,697,060	$3,654,510
10	$1,748,800	$1,879,900	$2,011,100	$2,564,150	$3,492,380
11	$1,661,300	$1,785,900	$1,910,500	$2,535,230	$3,470,730
12	$1,578,200	$1,696,600	$1,815,000	$2,501,070	$3,441,470
13	$1,499,300	$1,611,800	$1,724,200	$2,463,880	$3,407,550
14	$1,424,400	$1,531,300	$1,638,100	$2,426,030	$3,374,600
15	$1,353,100	$1,454,600	$1,556,100	$2,385,500	$3,334,930
16	$1,285,500	$1,381,900	$1,478,300	$2,267,710	$3,186,140
17	$1,221,200	$1,312,800	$1,404,400	$2,157,160	$3,045,910
18	$1,160,200	$1,247,200	$1,334,200	$2,052,000	$2,911,790
19	$1,107,900	$1,191,000	$1,274,100	$1,962,110	$2,797,970
20	$1,063,600	$1,143,400	$1,223,200	$1,886,170	$2,702,890
21	$1,021,000	$1,097,600	$1,174,200	$1,870,500	$2,695,390
22	$980,200	$1,053,700	$1,127,200	$1,854,240	$2,684,950
23	$941,100	$1,011,700	$1,082,200	$1,836,490	$2,672,100
24	$903,400	$971,100	$1,038,900	$1,817,040	$2,656,510
25	$867,200	$932,300	$997,300	$1,796,140	$2,638,530
26	$838,500	$901,400	$964,300	$1,738,630	$2,566,220
27	$814,300	$875,400	$936,400	$1,689,270	$2,505,180
28	$809,300	$870,000	$930,700	$1,679,910	$2,503,070
29	$803,400	$863,700	$923,900	$1,667,640	$2,501,460
30	$797,600	$857,400	$917,200	$1,655,550	$2,483,320

---

Pacers estimated 2009 Salary: $48,123,759

Keeping in mind the Pacers are likely going to trade Tinsley for a player of equal value, not likely with an expiring contract, or simply buy him out, meaning his salary will still count against the Pacers in 2009.

The other factor that could change the salary cap is where the Pacers will be positioned in the 2009 NBA Draft. If they receive first overall pick they would be paying their incoming player roughly 4 million, the 2008 chart shouldn't be too far off from what next years rookie salaries will be.

Additionally, if the Pacers decide to keep Shawne Williams on the roster until next season, and simply don't re-sign Williams. That could put the team an additional 2 million under the salary cap. In my mind it is more likely the Pacers will trade Williams rather than wait that long, which could add a player of equal value to their roster, making Williams a push in projecting the Pacers 2009 salary.

Estimated 2009 NBA league Salary Cap: $57-58 million

Check out this article to see a list of the 2009 FA: http://www.indycornrows.com/2008/6/26/558996/pacers-to-be-about-16-mill

"Reggie Miller," Rush said. "I want to try to be the next Reggie Miller. That’s my whole take."

Brent Beck — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 02:52:21 -0000

With the interview Rush had with a sports writer for The Kansas City Star, KU's Rush ends up with Indiana at NBA draft, this kid is really growing on me. Read the article here for yourself, enjoy!

By J. BRADY McCOLLOUGH

The Kansas City Star

It just wouldn’t be right for Rush’s draft night to go off without a hitch. When it comes to getting to the NBA, Rush only knows unforeseen twists and turns. On Thursday, the script flipped again when the Portland Trail Blazers picked Rush 13th overall and then traded him to the Indiana Pacers in a package for No. 11 pick Jerryd Bayless.

Ten minutes after the trade was announced, Rush was still looking for a Pacers cap. The trade hadn’t been officially passed by league officials, but Rush didn’t care.

"I might have to switch with Bayless," Rush said.

All awkwardness aside, Rush’s night couldn’t have gone much better. A year after tearing his ACL and wondering whether he would ever be the same player again, Rush, a Kansas City native, was selected in the draft lottery.

"People doubted I would be the same player," Rush said.

Yet, here he was on Thursday morning, hanging out with his relatively small entourage in the lobby of the Westin Times Square, looking corporate already with a white dress shirt and black slacks.

"It didn’t really hit me until I woke up this morning, like, today is the day my dream comes true," Rush said. "It was taking forever for a while."

When Rush says forever, he means it. Remember, he wanted to turn pro out of high school but eventually decided to go to college. He wanted to go after his sophomore year at Kansas, but the most fortuitous injury in KU history occurred and Rush was forced to hang around for one more year. Rush has no regrets. But it still felt like forever.

"I think it was better I did it this way," Rush said. "If I would have come out of high school, my freshman year or sophomore year, I don’t think I would have been in the green room. I don’t think I was that type of player that would be in the green room."

Rush found out that he was invited to the green room on Sunday. That was the first tangible sign that he had moved himself into prime position during his tour of workouts over the last two months, the first sign that he had indeed made it.

On Thursday morning, that made Rush think about all the doubters back in his hometown, like a principal at Westport High School who predicted that the youngest of the three Rush brothers would "amount to nothing," according to Rush.

"She’s wrong," Rush said. "Big time.

"I think this will be a nice thing to go back and slap everybody in the face for doubting me."

Rush was accompanied by his brother, Kareem; his best friend from KC, Tim Blackwell; and an uncle. Blackwell, who played with Rush as a kid and went to UMKC, said he was speechless about being in the Big Apple with his childhood buddy.

"Anytime someone makes it like this that you know, it’s just amazing," Blackwell said. "I’m just happy for him."

Kareem Rush knew what it was like for Brandon, growing up in his and JaRon Rush’s shadow.

"People looked at him under a microscope," Kareem said. "Brandon has accomplished more than me and JaRon both accomplished in our college careers. I’m proud of him."

Rush arrived in the green room — it is actually not a room, but a closed-off area that everybody in the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden could see very clearly — about an hour before the draft. He sat around and sent text messages on his iPhone.

"I just can’t wait for this to be over," Rush said.

The last few months have been a whirlwind. Rush moved to Chicago and worked out with renowned basketball trainer Tim Grover and a physical therapist. He worked out in front of 10 teams — a very large number — and tried to leave everything he had on the court each time.

"It’s a lot of pressure," Rush said. "You don’t know what teams are really interested in you. Everything, I did to the extreme. I hustled every time I stepped on the court."

Rush’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Rush impressed the Pacers from the beginning. Actually, he impressed everybody, it seemed.

"Literally, as much as anybody in this draft," Bartelstein said, "everywhere he’s gone, he’s done extremely well."

Bartelstein got the news of the planned pick-and-trade deal with Portland and Indiana and relayed it to Rush. It was Rush’s job to field questions as if he knew nothing of the trade, which also included a swap of Indiana’s Ike Diogu and Portland’s Jarrett Jack. Rush handled the task admirably, talking about Portland’s young talent and great organization.

When Rush was picked, he walked through a throng of fans, all trying to give him five or share pounds of the fist. Yells of "Rock Chalk!" were mixed in with pleas for the attention of "B-Rush!"

Before long, Rush would put on a different cap. Rush had already made the connection that being a Pacer meant possibly playing on the same team with Kareem, who is a free agent and could re-sign with Indiana.

"Nothing like a little sibling rivalry," Kareem said.

Brandon wasn’t too worried about a possible battle with Kareem for playing time. He was thinking bigger. Much bigger.

"Reggie Miller," Rush said. "I want to try to be the next Reggie Miller. That’s my whole take."

---

I Really Was Overlooking My Love For Jarrett Jack Too:

and Lets Get Roy Hibberts Back Too!

and i'm and kind of starting to feel this guy... you never know.

then again.... not really..

Poll

Brandon Rush is the next _ _ .

Now What

Colts Homer — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:15:36 -0000

What we know: The Pacers of 2007-08 are nothing like the Pacers will we see on the court in November. 7 new players, and my guess is all of them will be on the 15-man roster. The team is more fit for an up-tempo style with the loss of Ike Diogu and David Harrison. However, there is still work left to be done.

Shawne Williams and Jamaal Tinsley are gone. I am sure of that. The question is where will they be next year and who will take them. Here is a breakdown of the teams that will and won't take them. Tinsley will be bought out IMO, so that leaves Williams.

Williams

Since his best potential is in an uptempo system, he will be traded to a team that plays one.

Golden State, Phoenix, Memphis, LA Lakers, Utah, Denver, New Orleans, and Orlando would be the teams that he would fit in the best with.

Take out Orlando, Denver, and Memphis for already being set at that position.

GS, PHO, LAL, UTAH, and NO.

Here are the 3 best trades I could find from these teams.

Williams to NO for Julian Wright

Williams & Diener to LA for Trevor Ariza

Williams to PHO for Grant Hill

I'll go with Williams for Grant Hill. Leadership for a rebuilding team can't be stressed enough.

With this trade happening, the Pacers should look at 5 UDFAs for the summer league team: Mike Green from Butler, Reggie Williams from VMI, Josh Duncan from Xavier, Rob Kurz from Notre Dame, and David Padgett from Louisville.

Now let's look at the rosters:

Summer league:

PG: Mike Green
SG: Brandon Rush/Reggie Williams
SF: Josh McRoberts/Josh Duncan
PF: David Padgett/Rob Kurz
C: Roy Hibbert

15 Man Roster

PG: TJ Ford/Jarrett Jack/Travis Diener
SG: Mike Dunleavy/Brandon Rush/Kareem Rush
SF: Danny Granger/Grant Hill/Stephen Graham
PF: Troy Murphy/Maceo Baston/Josh McRoberts
C: Roy Hibbert/Jeff Foster/Rasho Nesterovic

Send Mike Green and Josh Duncan to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League.

Give Bird's Decisions Some Time

pacers33 — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:23:33 -0000

With Larry Bird making the unpopular decision of trading Jerryd Bayless for Brandon Rush, it leaves many people mad and confused. It is easy to see why. We traded a potential star in this league for well, Brandon Rush.

Many people don't think Brandon is a good decision for the Pacers. I think he is. He can defend with some of the best prospects in this draft, and he can also score. If we would've kept Bayless, what would we do with T.J. Ford? If Bayless does become a star, the teams that will feel the real effects of passing up on Jerryd are Charlotte and Seattle who both took point guards.

Hibbert on the other hand is a 7'2" 278 pound center. He is highly skilled and could add a nice element to the Pacers offense. The only other choices Bird had at #17 were, Marreese Speights, DeAndre Jordan, and Darrell Arthur who teams passed over due to a kidney issue. Hibbert was a solid enough choice here.

Here issome of what nbadraft.net has to say about him: Center with great size and strength ... Has soft hands, excellent touch on his shot ... Strong rebounder ... Very good free throw shooter, (around 80%) which is especially important for a center ... Strong character guy ... Hard worker, has shown great improvement in his skill level, body and conditioning in his time at Georgetown ... Has transformed himself into a legitimate prospect ... More athletic than he appears ... Body strength and agility seems to still be developing, his upside is very intriguing considering how much he improved in the past year ... Good vision and passing ability ... Calm demeanor, never gets out of control or loses his cool ... Has the size to block shots inside without jumping ...

For those of you who are still mad about the draft Bird has said he is not done and there is much work to do.

And even if the Pacers are bad this year we can look forward to next year's draft class for hope.

Proof Herb Simon is the Man

Brent Beck — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:43:10 -0000

When hearing Larry Bird say that the Pacers owners Herb and Mel Simon were going to be in town for draft night you might have been thinking big whoop or what is that going to do for us. Having Herb there to be honest, is going to do a lot more than one would think.

In reading two time NBA executive of the year Wayne Embrys biography The Inside Game, early in the book Embry talks of the days leading up to the 1986 NBA Draft, a time when Embry was recently released from his GM duties with the Milwaukee Bucks and at the time was working with the Indiana Pacers as a draft consultant and scout. Leading up to the draft the opening for the Pacers GM spot was filled by, you know who, Donnie Walsh, subsequently Embry accepted the job as the GM of the Cleveland Cavaliers. In not being announced as the Cavs GM before the draft Simon and Walsh still wanted Embry to help them with the draft as the Pacers had the 4th pick in the draft and Cavs the 8th, they saw no conflict of interest.

Here is an excerpt from The Inside Game, giving Pacers fans an inside look at the Pacers "War Room" on draft day, keep in mind 1986 was the last time the Pacers had a new GM in charge since this years draft, making Simon all that more involved (just like he will be this year with Bird).

"When we assembled for the draft, I told Herb Simon and Donnie that the Cavs had traded for the first pick. Their main concern was whether the Cavs would take Person, but I assured them that would not happen. The first round went pretty much as expected, although we were surprised to see that Georgia Tech point guard Mark Price was not taken in the first round. He was a player the Pacers wanted to team with Vern Fleming in the backcourt.

Dallas had the second pick in the second round and was shopping it. Herb looked at me and said, 'Wayne, you have a good relationship with Rick Sund from your days together in Milwaukee. Call him and see what it would take to get the pick.' I made the call and we made a deal.

There was euphoria in the room because we had never expected to come out of the draft with Person and Price.

In the midst of a round of handshakes, the phone rang. It was Sund, the Dallas general manager.

"Big Man,' he said, using the nickname I had picked up in Milwaukee, 'I must apologize. While we were talking, Norm Sonju made a deal with Cleveland for the pick.' (Sonju was the Dallas president.)

I shouted into the phone, "Rick that cannot happen. We had a deal."

All eyes turned turned to me, and I had to explain what had happened. I was visibly upset, not to mention embarrassed that my integrity was being called into question. But Herb Simon was more upset than I was. He called me outside the room and gave me a verbal lashing the likes of which I had not experienced since growing up on my grandfather's farm. Herb showed me courage and passion. I had witnessed his temper throughout the year as I listened to him and his brother, Mel, go at it. Never did I think I would be the recipient of his wrath.

I could only try to convince him that I had no knowledge of the Cavs' involvement with the Mavericks. In fact, once things calmed down, I called Gordon and asked him to reconsider the deal. He turned me down, and as it turned out, it was one of the better deals in the history of the franchise. I had to eat crow for a week, but eventually Herb and Donnie were convinced I had nothing to do with the deal.

For a while, they tried to get a draft pick as retribution. The Cavs resisted, insisting they had done nothing wrong. Donnie later wrote a letter absolving all of us. I was glad that chapter in was closed.

I was even happier that Mark ended up in Cleveland. In later years, I told Mark that, for a moment, he had been a Pacer. His tenure was not much shorter than mine. I was there a little more than a year. Then we both became Cavaliers."

---

Mock Draft Updates:

Draft Express updated on Wed Jun 25th at 10:36:39 PM

Pacers

Kosta Koufos C
19 years old; 7'1"; 245 lbs.
Ohio State, Freshman

Pacers
From
Raptors

Robin Lopez PF/C
20 years old; 7'0"; 255 lbs.
Stanford, Sophomore

Pacers

George Hill PG/SG
22 years old; 6'2"; 180 lbs.
IUPUI, Junior

Stop the hate, embrace Shawne Williams! He is only a 22 year old kid, "thin ice" means no more mistakes, so can we stop pigeon holing the kid into the category of Tinlsey, "Cap-N-Jack", and Ron-Ron? Please, another mistake and I will shut up, but until then the sky is the limits for Williams and Pacers fan to realize that.

Poll

Do you want the 22 year old Shawne Williams to be apart of the Pacers youth movement and rebuilding process?

Could Dunleavy Be On the Move?

pacers33 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:53:40 -0000

Mike Dunleavy may be one of our most enticing assets on the trade market. He is coming off a career season, but previously had a career filled with inconsistancy, lack of confidence, and having the heavy weight on his shoulder of being the 3rd overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft.

He set that aside this year and sent his career in a new direction.

Mike set career highs in points per game(19.1), assists per game(3.5), 3pt. FG%(42.4%), and FT%(83.4%). Mike also played in and started every game this season for the Pacers. Mike's productivity will likely never be higher while he is on the Pacers due to Danny Granger stepping into a bigger role.

If Larry does have trade conversations with other teams involving Mike, as this article suggests, there infact would not be a better time in my mind to do so.

Indy Cornrows: FanPosts

Williams "Thin Ice" is about to Break

Not the best of news...

ESPN's City High Tournament

Shaun Livingston: Low Risk, High Reward

Should the Pacers take a chance on Shaun Livingston?

Indy should make a move for Okafor

T.J. Ford to Wear Number __ ?

It's Official, TJ is a Pacer

What number do you hope Ford ends up using?

Moving On Up

Orlando Pro Summer League Game 1: Pacers 95 Magic 78

Of the roster hopefuls, who do you hope makes the Pacers?

Where are they now? Rik Smits

Should the Pacers retire Rik Smits #45?

Pacers in the Mix for ROY

Pacers 2009 Salaries

"Reggie Miller," Rush said. "I want to try to be the next Reggie Miller. That’s my whole take."

By J. BRADY McCOLLOUGH

The Kansas City Star

Brandon Rush is the next _____ _____ .

Now What

Give Bird's Decisions Some Time

Proof Herb Simon is the Man

Do you want the 22 year old Shawne Williams to be apart of the Pacers youth movement and rebuilding process?

Could Dunleavy Be On the Move?

Brandon Rush is the next _ _ .