Updated: Jan. 6, 2007, 2:12 PM ET
O'Neal says parting ways with Pacers may be bestESPN.com news services


Another disgruntled NBA franchise player who wants to win now, not later, has popped up in Indiana.

Pacers veteran Jermaine O'Neal voiced his displeasure with the direction of the team Thursday following a loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Jermaine O'Neal
Forward-Center
Indiana Pacers

Profile
2007 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
28 19.3 10.6 3.0 .461 .732


"We're a very average team right now," O'Neal told the Indianapolis Star. "We're going to be average until we decide as players that we want to win and do the right things we're supposed to do to win. If we don't do it, we're going to mingle around .500, get in the playoffs and then be out."

The constant Pacers inconsistency has O'Neal thinking about his future with the team. Although clearly frustrated, O'Neal, who is averaging a team-high 19.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game, said his first choice is to remain with the team. But he did not rule out that a change may be necessary.

"If I can't take this team to another level, I truthfully believe we should go our separate ways at the end of the season," said O'Neal, according to the Indianapolis Star. "I'm saying in general, the bottom line is you play to win. If we don't have a system set to win a championship, if we don't have the crew to win a championship, then what are we doing?


"I'm getting to the point, I'm in my 11th year, I don't want to play 82 games and then exit to watch somebody else pop champagne. ... I'm tired of that."
-- Jermaine O'Neal
"I'm getting to the point, I'm in my 11th year, I don't want to play 82 games and then exit to watch somebody else pop champagne. ... I'm tired of that. I want to compete for a championship. If we can't do it, that's a whole [different] story."

O'Neal said he wouldn't discuss any details regarding if he had taken his frustration to CEO Donnie Walsh and team president Larry Bird, but Walsh said he understood O'Neal's feelings.

"I think he's played really well and if the time comes for [talking about O'Neal's future], then that will be the time. We'll see," said Walsh, according to the Indianapolis Star. "We're going through a difficult part of the season. I'm frustrated, the coaches are frustrated on occasion and the team is frustrated."

I don't love O'Neal. He is a slight improvement only in my eyes over Eddy Curry, at least offensively. Let's wait on Eddy.

Posted by TemujinKnick:

How would he look as the starting PF next to Eddy?

redundant. I know he's a slightly better defender and rebounder, but he needs the ball like a first option and is not an upgrade over Curry offensively. In fact, he's actually far less efficient. We don't need another scorer, unless it's an efficient guard who can hit at high percentages from 3pt range.

ill take his 3 blocks per game yes sir sign me up!!!!!!!!

Curry/Frye
O'Neal/Lee thats a championship frontcourt

Posted by Elite:

ill take his 3 blocks per game yes sir sign me up!!!!!!!!

Curry/Frye
O'Neal/Lee thats a championship frontcourt

If we could keep all of those front court guys, Lee, Curry, Frye AND add O'Neal then I of course I'm down. I just don't think it would ever happen. Some combination of those guys is who they'd be asking for.

BUT, maybe they'd ask for one of them and say Marbury or Craw plus a 2nd or something, then I'd be down. I belive that any cominbation of Jermaine O'Neal with two of Curry/Frye/Lee would be great. Plus you add in Jeffries/Balkman off the bench, that would be nice.

Truthfully though, I still think they'd start off by asking for two of Curry/Frye/Lee plus more, which I would have a hard time justifying. Bird and Isiah hate eachother, so neither is gonna budge. I guess we'll soon see what rumors Vescey starts spreading then we'll have a jumping off point...

I'd trade the whole roster for JO. 2 way big men don't grow on trees. The idea that he's only a slightly better defensive player than Curry is a joke.

[Edited by - bonn1997 on 01-07-2007 01:19 AM]

um...i think curry is a gamechanger...because he has been doubled almost everytime he touches the ball....and if thats not a guy that changes the gameplan of another team than who is?

Posted by Allanfan20:

How about maybe b/c teams had it planned before the game to double him. If he were a game changer, then we wouldn't be 2-3 on the trip, beating only crappy teams.

And look at it this way, lets say Curry was a game changer, then how come we're not adjusting (Nor Curry) to the opposing teams adjustments?

I think we have been, to bad it took three games for the knicks to do so. I noticed that the last couple games the knicks seem to have a plan for moving the ball out the double team that got them easy shots.

Posted by Allanfan20:

The only reason that I wouldn't want JO is simply b/c he's getting up there in age and he's got a lot of miles on him and he's had his fair share of injuries. But I love the guy and Bonn is 100% correct. To say he's only slightly better on either side of the court is absolutely outragious. JO is a game changer. Eddie Curry isn't.

I'd prefer to do a full rebuild, keep the young players, get more draft picks, and get under the cap. But I can't see that happening under Dolan and Cablevision. So I see this move as bringing the closest thing to a franchise player we'll ever get without doing real rebuilding.

Francis, Frye and Balkman for JO is a more than a decent deal in my opinion from Indiana's view, and I still would make it.