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spur related because soem want stephen jackson back
Bird willing to trade unruly Pacers
By CLIFF BRUNT, Associated Press Writer
May 10, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird said the team's players will shape up or play elsewhere next season.
The Pacers entered this season with championship aspirations, but they traded an unhappy Ron Artest and dealt with numerous injuries on their way to a 41-41 record and a first-round playoff exit.
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Bird said he likes the Pacers' talent and doesn't plan to make major changes this summer. But he made it clear Wednesday he's done dealing with bad at udes, selfishness and laziness.
"They're the ones that have to make the changes," he said. "If they can't make the changes, yes, we have to look to move them."
Bird said he expects to build around Jermaine O'Neal, despite trade rumors.
"Jermaine O'Neal is our best player on this team. Everybody on this team knows Jermaine's our guy," Bird said. "I can't sit here today and say we're going to pursue to trade Jermaine O'Neal. There's not one time that we ever called anybody and said 'Hey, are you interested in Jermaine O'Neal?'
"I don't know who out there you could trade Jermaine for and get somebody better."
The Pacers also want to re-sign sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic, who came from Sacramento in the trade for Artest. He averaged 19.5 points in 40 regular-season games but missed four of Indiana's six playoff games, all losses to New Jersey.
"When I talked to Peja, he said he really likes it here and tells me he'd like to be here," Bird said.
Those who do return will need to help the team work cohesively.
"I know that a lot of guys were frustrated," Bird said. "There's a lot of things that happened in the locker room. I don't think our chemistry is as good as it could have been."
Players were critical of the team's performance after the series-ending Game 6 loss to New Jersey.
Point guard Anthony Johnson said the culture needs to change, forward Austin Croshere said the team underachieved and O'Neal said the team needs help at center.
Bird didn't argue with Croshere's assessment and made observations similar to Johnson's on Wednesday.
As for center play, he said David Harrison is a young, raw talent who is improving, and Jeff Foster and Scot Pollard are hard workers who through injuries missed a combined 55 regular-season and four playoff games.
"That's frustration (from O'Neal)," Bird said. "I sort of felt bad when I heard that for Jeff and Scotty and David. You have those three guys healthy and playing, that's a pretty powerful unit there."
Stephen Jackson also has been considered possible trade bait, but his return could depend on his at ude. He played in all but one game and averaged 16.4 points this season, but Bird said Jackson spent too much time jawing with officials and taking poor shots.
Jackson also blamed rookie teammate Danny Granger for allowing Vince Carter to score too easily on a key play late in Game 5 against the Nets.
"It's up to Stephen to do the right thing," Bird said. "I don't like some of the things he did this year. If he's back here, which I expect him to be, there's going to be some changes. I don't like our fans booing our players, but some of the things Stephen was doing out on the court frustrated me. I was embarrassed at times."
Bird said coach Rick Carlisle deserves some of the blame for the team's lack of discipline and that Carlisle should expect more from his players.
"I think with everything that happened last year, you could probably look and say yes, he did lose the team at times," Bird said. "But they're good guys and they know what to do to win ballgames. He's a great coach, there's no question."
spur related because soem want stephen jackson back
I wouldn't mind. He's younger than players like Barry and he brings that "fire" to the lineup.
jackson won't stop taking bad shots.
I've read a lot of articles in the Indy papers about SJax last year and he basically believes he's far too good to come off the bench, he argues with refs, coaches and teammates. He's still as erratic as ever and still a turnover machine who plays average defense IMHO. I can't see him real satisfied playing behind Manu and Finley.
I hope we can do better.
manu is limited to 30 minutes a game
sj could even start (ego problem)
and manu could still get his 30 minutes provide a bigger spark off the bench
and play the 4
manu has been effective off the bench in regular season and postseason
not thrilled with sj but he is a long three
pacers could take barry for him
We been over this dozens of times.
As "only a scorer", not only does he take bad shots, he shoots poorly from 3G and FG, just like Nick, their entire careers.
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/stephe...son/index.html
SJax shoots under a career 42% from the field, while the worst team in the NBA shoots a team FG% of .... 42%. His best shooting year was with the Spurs, yet only 43%.
He's 6'8" and fairly agile, but can't avg 4 RB/game. No hustle.
He's a SG, he's got the ball in his hands a lot, but can't avg 3 AST/game. No playmaker, no court vision, no share the ball unless he can't shoot it.
And his AST/T0 ratio is slightly above 1.0.
The problem with Jax is that he thinks he's too damn good for anybody but he doesn't realize that he's been cut for more teams thatn he has been in the league.
And I would think Bird would start cracking the whip on a lot of players who decide to have major ego problems....INCLUDING O'NEAL.
If Jax didn't want to listen to Bowen, Malik and Tim when he was here DURING THE SUMMER OF HIS NEGOTIATIONS, why do you think he'll listen now.
Let him stay where he is.
My god, do we really need another 3-point shooter? Especially one who will cost us as many games as he wins?
We need a center or backup point guard.
Jax!
A big ol' dose of "humble pie" would do him good. Carlisle should bench his ass for a while.
"bench his ass for a while"
.... then SJax would do wonders for team chemistry. He's an immature, dumb balla whose career peaked one year with the Spurs, in spite of him as much as because of him. The Spurs would be really desparate to waste their limited funs on this jerk.
What about Rasho and Barry for Foster and Jackson? Jackson's contract is two years longer than Barry's contract which will save Indiana $7million, if you take into account all contracts involved. Rasho and Foster become FA's in 2009-2010.
Jackson is a much better defender than Barry and he already knows the system. Foster is from San Antonio and he's a madman on the offensive glass.
I don't know if saving $7million would be enough incentive to do the deal.
Why would Indiana take Rasho for Foster? Just to get rid of Jackson?
I am not saying they would. But who would want to take on Jax's contract?
spurs didn't want Sjax back in 03 why would they want him now?
spurs did not want him back because his agent was being a idiot
also he wanted in his contract to start
that got him out of sa
then why didn't the offer him a contract in 04?
The offer they game him 3ys 10 mil was a lowball figure they knew Jackson wouldn't take in order to save face with fans. Now the spurs could say, "we'll we tried but he turned US down". The spurs had a ton of cap room that summer also so money really wasn't an issue, the spurs just don't want Sjax end of story.
Spurs did pursue Jax in 2004- opted for Barry for a shorter term and less money. They were not interested in giving Jax the MLE and all those years
No to jax. We should spend our money on bigmen and not on a SG/Sf who can't play PF.
They wanted him, just not at what his agent was asking for.spurs didn't want Sjax back in 03 why would they want him now?
Seeings Pop has appeared to kill the Twin Towers in favor of small ball, perhaps it's time to revisit Buckets in a Spurs uni.
I'm not totally discounting the idea, but I seem to recall Jax didn't have very good handles for a two. Could he flourish at the three as a defense-first player / spot-up shooter?
Buckets wouldn't be playing the two.
He'd be down at the three like he was before, backing up Bowen. I still think that Pop and RC feel deep down that they could turn him into a Bowen replacement - hard nosed D and then stroking the three ball.
I've been against the guy returning, but like I said - it appears for whatever ignorant reason Pop has decided to kill the Towers system and embrace small ball, so may as well embrace it and start looking for spare parts.
Jackson, in reality, is closer to 6'10. Ask Kori.
He'd be that long 3 we're looking for.
I don't hate the idea.
Any chance they want 'Sho?
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