Pacers Overhaul Over The Summer

[Pooh]

Indiana overhauls over the summer

By Mark Montieth
[email protected]
September 28, 2003

The start of training camp Tuesday should come as relief to the Indiana Pacers' front-office personnel. After feeling like they've been running wind sprints over the past 21/2 months to keep up with all the changes, they can turn that duty over to the players.

Only three months ago, it appeared the Pacers would head into the next season much like they ended the previous one.

But since then, Larry Bird has taken over the basketball operations from Donnie Walsh, Rick Carlisle has replaced Isiah Thomas as coach, Scot Pollard has replaced Brad Miller at center and Anthony Johnson and Kenny Anderson have replaced Erick Strickland and Tim Hardaway in the backcourt.

Add a new staff of assistant coaches and a revamped scouting department, and it's no wonder Walsh considers this the most strenuous off-season of his 17-year tenure in the front office.

It wasn't until Thursday, in fact, that he was able to complete all the business of the off-season and direct his attention forward.

"It was the first day I could say, 'That's it, let's go to training camp,' " said Walsh, now the CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment. "There was a great relief to it."

The Pacers head into camp a franchise-on-the-fly in many respects.

Bird, out of the NBA the past three seasons, is still getting acclimated to the job.

Carlisle, hired a month ago, has yet to sell his house in Detroit and can't move into his house in Indianapolis until Oct. 6. He also has yet to meet with some veteran players, and two of his assistant coaches are still learning how to navigate the city.

Players, jolted by an unexpected off-season coaching change, will come to camp with clean slates. But most will have uncertain roles.

"Is it an ideal situation? No," Carlisle acknowledged. "Is it workable? Absolutely."

The Pacers open practice at Conseco Fieldhouse on Tuesday with nine players who have three or fewer seasons of experience. The veterans of four or more seasons report Friday, a concession won by the NBA Players Association in exchange for expanding the first round of the playoffs from five to seven games. Eleven more players will join camp then.

With the Pacers' first exhibition game on Oct. 8 and the regular season opener on Oct. 29, camp will amount to a cram session. With a new coaching staff, it will be that much more frenzied.

"The reality is veterans camp is a little shorter than it normally is, so it's important we use that time to the maximum," Carlisle said. "We're going to have to bring a lot of things quickly. Time is at a premium."

The Pacers are surrounded by questions heading into camp. Here are five:

1. How will Carlisle approach camp with a new team and so little time?

By emphasizing defense.

His teams in Detroit the past two seasons were among the NBA's best defensively. Last season the Pistons allowed fewer points per game (87.7) than any team in the league, a style born from necessity since they lacked offensive options.

He'll have more scoring options with the Pacers, but that doesn't mean he wants to back off defensively. The Pacers will play man-to-man. They'll have some flexibility, such as switching on picks in certain situations, but will focus on a simple, aggressive style.

"It's a tough, physical style of defense," Carlisle said. "It's a playoff style. There's accountability built into every part of the system, so everybody has a job to do. It's a five-man responsibility to stop the other team from scoring at all times.

"It's the ultimate test of a true team. I believe you build your team from the defense outward. I like the fact we have some diverse offensive weapons on this team and I believe in being able to flow offensively. But to do that we can't compromise our posture or our disposition at the defensive end."


2. Who will start at point guard?

Time will tell.

Carlisle sees no point in declaring a starter now. He regards Tinsley and veterans Anderson and Johnson as candidates and will let the process play itself out.

"It's wide open," Carlisle said. "It's nothing against Jamaal. He's a good player and I respect his game. But the two other main guys competing for that job are very serious guys and tough-minded veterans."

Tinsley has been somewhat mysterious this summer. He's spent most of it in Atlanta and New York and has been difficult to reach, even for team officials. But from personal observation and reports from Tinsley's agent, Walsh is confident he's had a productive off-season.

Walsh and Bird offered strong statements about Tinsley earlier in the summer that left his future with the team in doubt, but the at ude toward the third-year point guard is more positive now.

"The feeling here is that he's a great prospect at the point guard position," Walsh said. "He's got a lot of talent. The focus on the position had more to do with the fact he's a two-year player. Now we've got guys around him who can help him."

Walsh said Tinsley, whose weight surpassed 210 pounds at times over the past two seasons, is down to 185. He's also worked with a shooting coach in an attempt to improve his flat-footed perimeter shot. According to Walsh, he hit all three 3-point attempts in a charity game at Madison Square Garden recently.


3. Who plays center?

Pollard, acquired in a trade with Sacramento in July when the Pacers risked losing Miller to free agency, heads into camp the most likely starter.

Pollard lacks Miller's shooting touch but is regarded as a better defender and rebounder and a more hard-nosed player.

Carlisle, however, considers this position open as well. Jeff Foster also rates as a starting candidate, and Carlisle said it's possible power forward Jermaine O'Neal could move into the middle.

"I don't rule anything out," he said. "There are a lot of possibilities because of the flexibility of this roster."


4. Then who has starting jobs locked up?

O'Neal and Reggie Miller. After that, it's up for grabs.

"I come into this with no preconceived notions and no agenda," Carlisle said. "It's all about winning."

Carlisle sees the uncertainty over roles and playing time as a potential positive influence, one that promotes compe ion and eliminates complacency.

"There are a lot of things to sort out, but I like the challenge of those problems rather than not having answers to those questions," he said. "It will work itself out."

Carlisle said he believes the Pacers can have one of the best benches in the NBA, just as he had in Detroit, and reminds that players who don't start often finish games.

"Guys are going to have to be accountable here because of the depth and the ability we have on the team," he said.

5. Is Reggie ready?

Apparently.

Miller had surgery on his right ankle on May 19 after playing with two damaged ankles throughout the season. He averaged just 9.2 points on 28 percent shooting in the first-round playoff loss to Boston.

He's said to be on schedule in his rehab and should be able to participate in most of the training camp sessions. Carlisle was in Malibu, Calif., early in September and saw Miller on the first day he was able to participate in a live scrimmage with members of Pepperdine's team.

"I've talked to him on the phone several times since and things are positive," Carlisle said.

Carlisle doesn't want to predict what the 38-year-old Miller might be able to accomplish during the regular season.

"Last year he was not healthy; he was under 80 percent," Carlisle said. "Let's let him get healthy first, then we'll find out. I just know Reggie Miller is a special person and one of the unusual players in the history of the game. It's a privilege for me to work with him."

[pacersrule03]

4. Then who has starting jobs locked up?

O'Neal and Reggie Miller. After that, it's up for grabs.

I'm suprised Artest doesn't have a starting job already. I'm just anxious for the season to start to see what our starting lineup will be.

[Pooh]

Perhaps Carlisle is trying to see where Artest's brain is at right now. He probably won't get a good indication until everyone is in camp and practicing together.