Pooh
06-07-2004, 03:00 AM
Q. What was your message to the team in the year-end meeting?
A. We’re halfway to where we need to be. To win a title and to get a ring, you’ve got to win four series; we won two. We were in some ways tantalizingly close in the third series but just couldn’t overcome certain elements. The other message was all of us learned a lot during the playoffs, particularly during the Detroit series, about things we need to do better, both as a team and individually. That’s why this is going to be a very important summer for us. Guys are going to need to continue to develop their games and their skills and the franchise is going to have some decisions to make on personnel and possible trades and the draft and other things. The one thing that I really take as a positive from my experience with this team is, when it was over two nights ago, there was nobody in that locker room that was just happy to get to the conference finals. They’re a competitive group and clearly their eyes are on a bigger prize and that’s a great sign for our team and our franchise.
Q. What do the individual players need to work on?
A. A guy like Jonathan Bender that needs to have a great summer in terms of continuing to develop his body and his game and understanding what our system is about. Jermaine needs to get healthy and he’s had a year to see what playing in this style is about. You can go right down the line. Everybody is going to take things away from this and be able to work on ways to get better or work on ways to help us play our system better. In terms of the staff, we learned a lot about our team, and there will be some things we do a little differently next year because we have better knowledge.
Q. Can you say what those things are?
A. How we approach the game offensively. Defensively, I think we’ll be similar. But knowing now what certain guys are capable of, I think from the beginning of training camp, being able to have that type of knowledge helps us develop our style at the offensive end a little more productively.
Q. How will you change the offense?
A. We will do some things a little differently and some of it will depend on personnel, how our team looks. Right now, I don’t think this team will be back in its exact form next year. I think there will be some changes, either through free agency, the draft or the possibility of trades. There’s going to be some things that are different, without question.
Q. Al Harrington obviously wants to start, but has been unable to do so here. How do you see his future evolving?
A. This has been a tough situation for Al, because I view him as a starter in this league. I know he’s that kind of player. As the summer progresses, we’ll see what takes form. If there was the opportunity for him to be a starter here, that would be great. And if there isn’t, then it may be time for him to move on to another team. But those are decisions that are going to be made by Larry (Bird) and Donnie (Walsh). Whatever happens, Al has had a great year for us. In my mind, he should’ve been the Sixth Man award winner. He had that kind of impact and we had the best record. He had a tremendous year and was one of the major reasons were in a strong position throughout the year and into the playoffs.
Q. Do you feel changes need to be made for this team to reach the championship level?
A. Because our team is still so young, I think it’s very possible that we could just continue to develop moving forward, not make many changes, and that we would be in a strong position next year to be better. But this summer is going to be a busy summer. I expect that there will be some changes and the roster will be different next year. How much I don’t know. That’s going to depend on conversations that Larry and Donnie have and what makes sense for our team. I expect there will be some things that are different.
Q. Is the franchise taking a win-now stance, as it applies to potential offseason changes, or is it still building for the future?
A. That question can only be answered in the context of which players you’re talking about. I really believe the approach Larry and Donnie take will be to continue to try to acquire young talent. Maybe not early 20s-type guys, but we still want to get guys that are entering their prime or maybe in the midst of their prime. If there’s an opportunity to make a move on a guy that’s an older player that would be a championship move, Larry and Donnie would have to make that decision. That’s a tough question for me to answer because I don’t make those decisions. Time will tell.
Q. What's your shopping list of team needs?
A. Outside shooting is something you always need as a playoff team. Size is something you need as a playoff team. Part of the equation for us is the fact this has been kind of an unbalanced roster. There’s been kind of a glut of guys at the small forward spot and there really haven’t been enough minutes. The fact Jonathan was injured early in the year alleviated some of those issues but this summer may well be an opportunity to balance out the roster in terms of positions. But, again, those aren’t going to be my decisions. A lot’s going to depend on what’s out there in terms of guys that are going to be available in trades, and other things.
Q. What do you foresee as Reggie Miller's role next season?
A. First of all, Reggie’s got to decide if he’s going to play. After he makes that decision, then I can talk about it a little bit. Right now, as we are here, if he returns for an 18th year my feeling would be he’d probably be a starter next year. But a lot would have to happen between now and then before it would make sense to get into a serious conversation about that.
Q. Has he given you any indication he is considering retirement?
A. No, he hasn’t. But, at the same time, it’s a huge decision. It’s a decision that’s going to get a lot of attention in the league because you’re talking really about one of the all-time greats when it comes down to what he’s done in this league. It’s a major topic, and I’m not going to sit here and make an assumption without having him say it himself. That isn’t right. If we’re fortunate enough to have him around here another year, that’s going to be a great asset to us again. But that’s a decision that is an important one for him because at this point in time, when you get to be that age, there are a lot of things to consider. But I’m hopeful that he’ll play – very much so.
Q. Will Bender become a more prominent fixture in the rotation next season?
A. Without question, this summer is a really important summer for him, that we spend the time with him to help develop his game to play effectively in our system. He made great strides this year in that vein. He had some stretches where his play was nothing less than breathtaking. But with the occasional injury sprinkled in, it made it hard for him to build a level of consistency. This summer is really key for him because he’s a guy that can do things really no one else on our roster can do. At 7 feet tall he shoots threes, he can post up, he drives the ball, he can block shots. He and Jermaine (O'Neal) are really the two guys, from that size and ability standpoint, can do things very few guys on this planet can do. It’s important we get him ready to have a complete training camp next year and identify where he’ll be playing. I think he needs to play two positions, probably small forward and a finesse, or shooting, power forward.
Q. O'Neal has said it could take up to 6 months for his knee injury to heal, and that he isn't likely to play in the Olympics. What's your understanding of his health status?
A. Bone bruises take a long time to heal so that you can’t see them on the MRI. We had a situation in Detroit where Chucky Atkins had a very similar type of bone bruise. There’s a period after which you can play but the bruise itself isn’t necessarily healed. This is a case where Jermaine is making a wise decision to not play in the Olympics. He needs this summer to get it healed, to get his body back in one piece. Is it a serious injury? I don’t think it’s characterized as serious but it’s one that, if it’s not taken care of, can persist for a while and perpetuate. You just don’t want that to happen.
Q. How aggressively will you approach this summer in terms of offseason programs for the players?
A. We told the guys we’re going to be very aggressive this summer. We’re going to do a lot of traveling to see guys if they’re in other venues. There’ll be the opportunity for guys to be here and work out. The summer league is going to be important for certain of our young veteran players. And we’re going to be very pro-active with really attacking this summer, looking toward the beginning of next October, to get ourselves as ready as we possibly can for that moment. That’s where our next opportunity begins.
Q. It sounds like this could be a momentous summer for the franchise. Is that what you anticipate?
A. I guess the key word is opportunity. This summer is going to be a great opportunity for this franchise, not only to have options in trades, free agency and the draft – or a combination of some or all of those components – but also for us as a staff to really develop the guys that we have and get them ready to compete at an even higher level next year. The combination of those two things – the possibility of changes to the roster and our ability to spend time and work with guys this summer – we just feel is really key heading toward October. That’s why we’re going to be very aggressive and very pro-active.
Q. How does the expansion draft affect your offseason plans?
A. We could lose one player or we could lose zero. There’s 14 players being picked, I believe. The science of who to protect and all of that is something Larry and Donnie will examine. They’ll make the right decision and then we have to wait and see. We may be sitting back with our fingers crossed, hoping nobody gets taken. But it is another component to the summer. It happens before the NBA Draft, so those things are going to have to be examined and decisions are going to have to be made and they’re going to be tough decisions.
Q. Where will Bender spend his summer?
A. He’s going to be in New Orleans a lot of the time and I think he’s going to be here some of the time, too. He’s one of the guys we’ve encouraged to play on our summer league team, just to have a 10-day period with him. That’s a very important time. And we’ll have some other guys on that team, as well. Primoz (Brezec)’s situation is a little clouded because of the situation with his (Slovenian) national team, so we’re not sure if he’s going to be available or not. Jamison Brewer is a guy I’ve talked to about playing. We talked about it with Fred Jones but pending the situation with his shoulder. And James Jones would be the other one. We’re going to have our own team (this year) and we’re going to Utah and it’ll be an important time for us.
Q. There's been quite a bit of speculation that Associate Head Coach Mike Brown is in line to become a head coach elsewhere. Is this a major concern?
A. There’s a strong possibility that we could lose him. But that’s just a byproduct of having good people that coach at a high level. One of the reasons Gregg Popovich agreed to let Mike come here is that he knew he’d have a higher level of responsibility and he knew this would be an opportunity for Mike to become a head coach. I’m not worried about that. In fact, if the right situation comes up for Mike, it would be great for him to have that opportunity. Of course, we’d have to find somebody to replace him, which would be tough, but it’s part of the business and it’s a part I had to deal with when Kevin O’Neill got the job in Toronto. I really had to form a completely new staff, which was a challenge.
Q. Are there any untouchables on the roster?
A. That’s really for Donnie and Larry to say. I don’t think Jermaine O’Neal’s going to get traded. That’s my feeling. But that’s something you have to talk to them about.
Q. Considering the changes that were made last summer, do you think this team actually overachieved?
A. That question is one to be answered by our ownership and our management people. I don’t view it that way because I had strong belief in guys like (Jeff) Foster, in his ability to step in and play a key role. Fred Jones was a nice surprise and now looks like a very good draft choice two years ago, and looks like a guy who’s going to be a solid player in this league for a long time. I’m always reluctant to talk about that, because then it sounds like you didn’t expect to be good, and I knew we had a chance to be very good, if we committed to certain things – if we committed the defensive end, if we committed to sharing the ball, and if we committed to winning. And the team did that, so I guess I’m never surprised at what can happen when you have a group that commits to those things.
Q. Are you comfortable with Jamaal Tinsley as the starting point guard?
A. I really like Jamaal and I like how he approached the entire season. At this point in time, looking toward next year, it’s his job to lose. I think stating anything other than that would be inaccurate. He’s earned that distinction, pending what may or may not happen this summer. There could be a major trade and all of a sudden there could be some other guy. But right now he looks like the guy for next year.
Q. Why did Scot Pollard never become a prominent member of the rotation?
A. I’m surprised the way the season went, relative to Scot. I expected him to be a major part of the rotation. But on a nightly basis it came down to whether we were playing big teams or small teams. If we were playing big teams, he’d play. If we played small teams, Croshere played. Both of those guys were great about it. It was not an easy situation. Even though Pollard didn’t play much, he brought a lot to our team with a veteran presence. The guys just had a sense for the fact he’d been deep into the playoffs and was just a real positive force even though he didn’t play much. Those were all positive things. And at the same time, he’s a better player than was demonstrated this year, based on his minutes. He just is. I know that from seeing him every day in practice and knowing how he works and knowing how he played in Sacramento. It was a different kind of situation because Al really played four full-time, Foster emerged as a legitimate starter and Jermaine was going to be out there at least 36, 38 minutes every night. And we didn’t have major injuries, either, which could’ve tipped the scales to where he would’ve played a lot. And if he had, he would’ve played well.
Q. Was losing in the conference finals an experience the team needed to go through in order to take the step to championship contention?
A. Well, we certainly have to learn from the experience. There are a lot of new things you go through when you get to the conference finals for the first time. I know that from my experience last year with the Pistons. They were much better prepared this year for those types of pressures, those types of difficult situations, having been through it before. So it bodes well for our future on the one hand. Yet, on the other hand, it’s not a consolation. I felt we were in a strong position to win the series. ... You just never know what things happen along the way that facilitate you getting there quicker or that may make it tougher. Injuries, this year, played a part in the conference finals. How big a part would be a topic for a lively debate. But you’ve got to make the right moves and have good fortune to get through healthy and stay intact that way. This summer, for us, is going to be about putting ourselves in a strong position to do that – to get our bodies strong to be able to endure a 100-game season, to get the roster set up as well as it can possibly be to compete at a high level not only in the regular season but deep into the playoffs. The work started yesterday, the day after the Detroit series was over, and it’ll be a busy summer.
Q. Why did Scot Pollard never become a prominent member of the rotation?
A. I’m surprised the way the season went, relative to Scot. I expected him to be a major part of the rotation. But on a nightly basis it came down to whether we were playing big teams or small teams. If we were playing big teams, he’d play. If we played small teams, Croshere played. Both of those guys were great about it. It was not an easy situation. Even though Pollard didn’t play much, he brought a lot to our team with a veteran presence. The guys just had a sense for the fact he’d been deep into the playoffs and was just a real positive force even though he didn’t play much. Those were all positive things. And at the same time, he’s a better player than was demonstrated this year, based on his minutes. He just is. I know that from seeing him every day in practice and knowing how he works and knowing how he played in Sacramento. It was a different kind of situation because Al really played four full-time, Foster emerged as a legitimate starter and Jermaine was going to be out there at least 36, 38 minutes every night. And we didn’t have major injuries, either, which could’ve tipped the scales to where he would’ve played a lot. And if he had, he would’ve played well.
Q. Was losing in the conference finals an experience the team needed to go through in order to take the step to championship contention?
A. Well, we certainly have to learn from the experience. There are a lot of new things you go through when you get to the conference finals for the first time. I know that from my experience last year with the Pistons. They were much better prepared this year for those types of pressures, those types of difficult situations, having been through it before. So it bodes well for our future on the one hand. Yet, on the other hand, it’s not a consolation. I felt we were in a strong position to win the series. ... You just never know what things happen along the way that facilitate you getting there quicker or that may make it tougher. Injuries, this year, played a part in the conference finals. How big a part would be a topic for a lively debate. But you’ve got to make the right moves and have good fortune to get through healthy and stay intact that way. This summer, for us, is going to be about putting ourselves in a strong position to do that – to get our bodies strong to be able to endure a 100-game season, to get the roster set up as well as it can possibly be to compete at a high level not only in the regular season but deep into the playoffs. The work started yesterday, the day after the Detroit series was over, and it’ll be a busy summer.
A. We’re halfway to where we need to be. To win a title and to get a ring, you’ve got to win four series; we won two. We were in some ways tantalizingly close in the third series but just couldn’t overcome certain elements. The other message was all of us learned a lot during the playoffs, particularly during the Detroit series, about things we need to do better, both as a team and individually. That’s why this is going to be a very important summer for us. Guys are going to need to continue to develop their games and their skills and the franchise is going to have some decisions to make on personnel and possible trades and the draft and other things. The one thing that I really take as a positive from my experience with this team is, when it was over two nights ago, there was nobody in that locker room that was just happy to get to the conference finals. They’re a competitive group and clearly their eyes are on a bigger prize and that’s a great sign for our team and our franchise.
Q. What do the individual players need to work on?
A. A guy like Jonathan Bender that needs to have a great summer in terms of continuing to develop his body and his game and understanding what our system is about. Jermaine needs to get healthy and he’s had a year to see what playing in this style is about. You can go right down the line. Everybody is going to take things away from this and be able to work on ways to get better or work on ways to help us play our system better. In terms of the staff, we learned a lot about our team, and there will be some things we do a little differently next year because we have better knowledge.
Q. Can you say what those things are?
A. How we approach the game offensively. Defensively, I think we’ll be similar. But knowing now what certain guys are capable of, I think from the beginning of training camp, being able to have that type of knowledge helps us develop our style at the offensive end a little more productively.
Q. How will you change the offense?
A. We will do some things a little differently and some of it will depend on personnel, how our team looks. Right now, I don’t think this team will be back in its exact form next year. I think there will be some changes, either through free agency, the draft or the possibility of trades. There’s going to be some things that are different, without question.
Q. Al Harrington obviously wants to start, but has been unable to do so here. How do you see his future evolving?
A. This has been a tough situation for Al, because I view him as a starter in this league. I know he’s that kind of player. As the summer progresses, we’ll see what takes form. If there was the opportunity for him to be a starter here, that would be great. And if there isn’t, then it may be time for him to move on to another team. But those are decisions that are going to be made by Larry (Bird) and Donnie (Walsh). Whatever happens, Al has had a great year for us. In my mind, he should’ve been the Sixth Man award winner. He had that kind of impact and we had the best record. He had a tremendous year and was one of the major reasons were in a strong position throughout the year and into the playoffs.
Q. Do you feel changes need to be made for this team to reach the championship level?
A. Because our team is still so young, I think it’s very possible that we could just continue to develop moving forward, not make many changes, and that we would be in a strong position next year to be better. But this summer is going to be a busy summer. I expect that there will be some changes and the roster will be different next year. How much I don’t know. That’s going to depend on conversations that Larry and Donnie have and what makes sense for our team. I expect there will be some things that are different.
Q. Is the franchise taking a win-now stance, as it applies to potential offseason changes, or is it still building for the future?
A. That question can only be answered in the context of which players you’re talking about. I really believe the approach Larry and Donnie take will be to continue to try to acquire young talent. Maybe not early 20s-type guys, but we still want to get guys that are entering their prime or maybe in the midst of their prime. If there’s an opportunity to make a move on a guy that’s an older player that would be a championship move, Larry and Donnie would have to make that decision. That’s a tough question for me to answer because I don’t make those decisions. Time will tell.
Q. What's your shopping list of team needs?
A. Outside shooting is something you always need as a playoff team. Size is something you need as a playoff team. Part of the equation for us is the fact this has been kind of an unbalanced roster. There’s been kind of a glut of guys at the small forward spot and there really haven’t been enough minutes. The fact Jonathan was injured early in the year alleviated some of those issues but this summer may well be an opportunity to balance out the roster in terms of positions. But, again, those aren’t going to be my decisions. A lot’s going to depend on what’s out there in terms of guys that are going to be available in trades, and other things.
Q. What do you foresee as Reggie Miller's role next season?
A. First of all, Reggie’s got to decide if he’s going to play. After he makes that decision, then I can talk about it a little bit. Right now, as we are here, if he returns for an 18th year my feeling would be he’d probably be a starter next year. But a lot would have to happen between now and then before it would make sense to get into a serious conversation about that.
Q. Has he given you any indication he is considering retirement?
A. No, he hasn’t. But, at the same time, it’s a huge decision. It’s a decision that’s going to get a lot of attention in the league because you’re talking really about one of the all-time greats when it comes down to what he’s done in this league. It’s a major topic, and I’m not going to sit here and make an assumption without having him say it himself. That isn’t right. If we’re fortunate enough to have him around here another year, that’s going to be a great asset to us again. But that’s a decision that is an important one for him because at this point in time, when you get to be that age, there are a lot of things to consider. But I’m hopeful that he’ll play – very much so.
Q. Will Bender become a more prominent fixture in the rotation next season?
A. Without question, this summer is a really important summer for him, that we spend the time with him to help develop his game to play effectively in our system. He made great strides this year in that vein. He had some stretches where his play was nothing less than breathtaking. But with the occasional injury sprinkled in, it made it hard for him to build a level of consistency. This summer is really key for him because he’s a guy that can do things really no one else on our roster can do. At 7 feet tall he shoots threes, he can post up, he drives the ball, he can block shots. He and Jermaine (O'Neal) are really the two guys, from that size and ability standpoint, can do things very few guys on this planet can do. It’s important we get him ready to have a complete training camp next year and identify where he’ll be playing. I think he needs to play two positions, probably small forward and a finesse, or shooting, power forward.
Q. O'Neal has said it could take up to 6 months for his knee injury to heal, and that he isn't likely to play in the Olympics. What's your understanding of his health status?
A. Bone bruises take a long time to heal so that you can’t see them on the MRI. We had a situation in Detroit where Chucky Atkins had a very similar type of bone bruise. There’s a period after which you can play but the bruise itself isn’t necessarily healed. This is a case where Jermaine is making a wise decision to not play in the Olympics. He needs this summer to get it healed, to get his body back in one piece. Is it a serious injury? I don’t think it’s characterized as serious but it’s one that, if it’s not taken care of, can persist for a while and perpetuate. You just don’t want that to happen.
Q. How aggressively will you approach this summer in terms of offseason programs for the players?
A. We told the guys we’re going to be very aggressive this summer. We’re going to do a lot of traveling to see guys if they’re in other venues. There’ll be the opportunity for guys to be here and work out. The summer league is going to be important for certain of our young veteran players. And we’re going to be very pro-active with really attacking this summer, looking toward the beginning of next October, to get ourselves as ready as we possibly can for that moment. That’s where our next opportunity begins.
Q. It sounds like this could be a momentous summer for the franchise. Is that what you anticipate?
A. I guess the key word is opportunity. This summer is going to be a great opportunity for this franchise, not only to have options in trades, free agency and the draft – or a combination of some or all of those components – but also for us as a staff to really develop the guys that we have and get them ready to compete at an even higher level next year. The combination of those two things – the possibility of changes to the roster and our ability to spend time and work with guys this summer – we just feel is really key heading toward October. That’s why we’re going to be very aggressive and very pro-active.
Q. How does the expansion draft affect your offseason plans?
A. We could lose one player or we could lose zero. There’s 14 players being picked, I believe. The science of who to protect and all of that is something Larry and Donnie will examine. They’ll make the right decision and then we have to wait and see. We may be sitting back with our fingers crossed, hoping nobody gets taken. But it is another component to the summer. It happens before the NBA Draft, so those things are going to have to be examined and decisions are going to have to be made and they’re going to be tough decisions.
Q. Where will Bender spend his summer?
A. He’s going to be in New Orleans a lot of the time and I think he’s going to be here some of the time, too. He’s one of the guys we’ve encouraged to play on our summer league team, just to have a 10-day period with him. That’s a very important time. And we’ll have some other guys on that team, as well. Primoz (Brezec)’s situation is a little clouded because of the situation with his (Slovenian) national team, so we’re not sure if he’s going to be available or not. Jamison Brewer is a guy I’ve talked to about playing. We talked about it with Fred Jones but pending the situation with his shoulder. And James Jones would be the other one. We’re going to have our own team (this year) and we’re going to Utah and it’ll be an important time for us.
Q. There's been quite a bit of speculation that Associate Head Coach Mike Brown is in line to become a head coach elsewhere. Is this a major concern?
A. There’s a strong possibility that we could lose him. But that’s just a byproduct of having good people that coach at a high level. One of the reasons Gregg Popovich agreed to let Mike come here is that he knew he’d have a higher level of responsibility and he knew this would be an opportunity for Mike to become a head coach. I’m not worried about that. In fact, if the right situation comes up for Mike, it would be great for him to have that opportunity. Of course, we’d have to find somebody to replace him, which would be tough, but it’s part of the business and it’s a part I had to deal with when Kevin O’Neill got the job in Toronto. I really had to form a completely new staff, which was a challenge.
Q. Are there any untouchables on the roster?
A. That’s really for Donnie and Larry to say. I don’t think Jermaine O’Neal’s going to get traded. That’s my feeling. But that’s something you have to talk to them about.
Q. Considering the changes that were made last summer, do you think this team actually overachieved?
A. That question is one to be answered by our ownership and our management people. I don’t view it that way because I had strong belief in guys like (Jeff) Foster, in his ability to step in and play a key role. Fred Jones was a nice surprise and now looks like a very good draft choice two years ago, and looks like a guy who’s going to be a solid player in this league for a long time. I’m always reluctant to talk about that, because then it sounds like you didn’t expect to be good, and I knew we had a chance to be very good, if we committed to certain things – if we committed the defensive end, if we committed to sharing the ball, and if we committed to winning. And the team did that, so I guess I’m never surprised at what can happen when you have a group that commits to those things.
Q. Are you comfortable with Jamaal Tinsley as the starting point guard?
A. I really like Jamaal and I like how he approached the entire season. At this point in time, looking toward next year, it’s his job to lose. I think stating anything other than that would be inaccurate. He’s earned that distinction, pending what may or may not happen this summer. There could be a major trade and all of a sudden there could be some other guy. But right now he looks like the guy for next year.
Q. Why did Scot Pollard never become a prominent member of the rotation?
A. I’m surprised the way the season went, relative to Scot. I expected him to be a major part of the rotation. But on a nightly basis it came down to whether we were playing big teams or small teams. If we were playing big teams, he’d play. If we played small teams, Croshere played. Both of those guys were great about it. It was not an easy situation. Even though Pollard didn’t play much, he brought a lot to our team with a veteran presence. The guys just had a sense for the fact he’d been deep into the playoffs and was just a real positive force even though he didn’t play much. Those were all positive things. And at the same time, he’s a better player than was demonstrated this year, based on his minutes. He just is. I know that from seeing him every day in practice and knowing how he works and knowing how he played in Sacramento. It was a different kind of situation because Al really played four full-time, Foster emerged as a legitimate starter and Jermaine was going to be out there at least 36, 38 minutes every night. And we didn’t have major injuries, either, which could’ve tipped the scales to where he would’ve played a lot. And if he had, he would’ve played well.
Q. Was losing in the conference finals an experience the team needed to go through in order to take the step to championship contention?
A. Well, we certainly have to learn from the experience. There are a lot of new things you go through when you get to the conference finals for the first time. I know that from my experience last year with the Pistons. They were much better prepared this year for those types of pressures, those types of difficult situations, having been through it before. So it bodes well for our future on the one hand. Yet, on the other hand, it’s not a consolation. I felt we were in a strong position to win the series. ... You just never know what things happen along the way that facilitate you getting there quicker or that may make it tougher. Injuries, this year, played a part in the conference finals. How big a part would be a topic for a lively debate. But you’ve got to make the right moves and have good fortune to get through healthy and stay intact that way. This summer, for us, is going to be about putting ourselves in a strong position to do that – to get our bodies strong to be able to endure a 100-game season, to get the roster set up as well as it can possibly be to compete at a high level not only in the regular season but deep into the playoffs. The work started yesterday, the day after the Detroit series was over, and it’ll be a busy summer.
Q. Why did Scot Pollard never become a prominent member of the rotation?
A. I’m surprised the way the season went, relative to Scot. I expected him to be a major part of the rotation. But on a nightly basis it came down to whether we were playing big teams or small teams. If we were playing big teams, he’d play. If we played small teams, Croshere played. Both of those guys were great about it. It was not an easy situation. Even though Pollard didn’t play much, he brought a lot to our team with a veteran presence. The guys just had a sense for the fact he’d been deep into the playoffs and was just a real positive force even though he didn’t play much. Those were all positive things. And at the same time, he’s a better player than was demonstrated this year, based on his minutes. He just is. I know that from seeing him every day in practice and knowing how he works and knowing how he played in Sacramento. It was a different kind of situation because Al really played four full-time, Foster emerged as a legitimate starter and Jermaine was going to be out there at least 36, 38 minutes every night. And we didn’t have major injuries, either, which could’ve tipped the scales to where he would’ve played a lot. And if he had, he would’ve played well.
Q. Was losing in the conference finals an experience the team needed to go through in order to take the step to championship contention?
A. Well, we certainly have to learn from the experience. There are a lot of new things you go through when you get to the conference finals for the first time. I know that from my experience last year with the Pistons. They were much better prepared this year for those types of pressures, those types of difficult situations, having been through it before. So it bodes well for our future on the one hand. Yet, on the other hand, it’s not a consolation. I felt we were in a strong position to win the series. ... You just never know what things happen along the way that facilitate you getting there quicker or that may make it tougher. Injuries, this year, played a part in the conference finals. How big a part would be a topic for a lively debate. But you’ve got to make the right moves and have good fortune to get through healthy and stay intact that way. This summer, for us, is going to be about putting ourselves in a strong position to do that – to get our bodies strong to be able to endure a 100-game season, to get the roster set up as well as it can possibly be to compete at a high level not only in the regular season but deep into the playoffs. The work started yesterday, the day after the Detroit series was over, and it’ll be a busy summer.