Bird seeks players who can help now

Team president downplays reports of talks with Toronto, says Granger, Dunleavy are too valuable to be traded

By Mike Wells

The thought of the Indiana Pacers drafting on potential can be thrown out with this morning's trash.

Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird said Tuesday he is looking for impact players, not projects.
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"We have to get a player that can help us move this franchise forward," Bird said. "You would like to get a player that can help you this year, and he's going to get better and better so that gives you more options on players if you want to move them."

The Pacers have the 11th and 41st picks in Thursday's draft. Bird reiterated Tuesday he wants to acquire another first-round pick. But there's a stipulation: He wants it in the teens, with 20 being about as low as he'll go.

"Teams are trying to get our pick, swap picks, throw players in it," Bird said. "To say we're going to stand pat at (No.) 11, I can't tell you that, but I like who's going to be there. We have a good chance to get a very special player at 11. It's going to take a lot for me to move back. Moving up, I don't know. I think we can get what we want at 11. We're sitting in a pretty good position."

The Pacers have talked to several teams about trying to obtain another draft pick.

One was the Toronto Raptors.

The teams discussed the possibility of sending forward Jermaine O'Neal to Toronto for point guard T.J. Ford, center Rasho Nesterovic and possibly the Raptors' first-round pick (No. 17).

Bird downplayed the talk.

"We have talked to a number of teams, but to speculate on trades right now, obviously we're getting close to the draft right now," he said. "There are a lot of things we're doing; it's all speculation right now."

The Pacers have plenty of options because every player except Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger is available. Bird said it would be "very hard" for him to move Dunleavy or Granger because he views them as vital.

Bird said he has had "enough" of forward Shawne Williams, and they will trade him if they can get something in return. Williams is on "very thin ice" if they can't find a taker for him, Bird said.

When asked about point guard Jamaal Tinsley, whose future with the franchise is just about sealed, Bird responded, "He's just right below (Williams)."

The Pacers' biggest needs are at point guard and in the post. Several mock drafts have the Pacers taking Texas point guard D.J. Augustin with their first pick. Augustin's size (6-0) will factor into their decision.

Bird spoke highly of Georgetown center Roy Hibbert, a 7-2 shot-blocker. Bird likes his experience and said he is capable of contributing immediately.

Bird said the Pacers plan to take the best player available, regardless of position.

"Obviously we would like to have a big guy and a point guard," Bird said, "but if there's somebody else out there that we feel can help us going forward with this franchise and we can't pass on him, we'll take him."

Wow.

They'd probably swap us Tinsley straight up for Jeffries....Not saying I'd do that, but Tinsley can rack up the assists even if he's a knucklehead.

Posted by EnySpree:

Bird is a fag. If they were winning he would say they were both untouchable. I never liked Bird. He has a ****ed up attitude. Like since he is considered one of the best ever his dick must be the best ever too. Fuck him.

Anyway, Shawne Williams is gonna be a good player one day and if Tinsley can take better care of himself, he might be able to attatch himself to a title contender.

Fuck Bird..

Sincerly,
Enyspree

Woosaaa brother, woossaaaaa

Trade Value zero....Good Job Bird!

Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, Kevin McHale, Michael Jordan. Who's next? Oscar Robertson?

Posted by tkf:

hey, I have no problem with what bird said. Tinsley and williams have conducted themselves like a bunch of low rent idiots, not like the highly paid professionals they are... I have had enough of those two and I don't have to deal with them at all. Maybe he is devaluing them, but at some point you have just had enough....

On a positive note, at least we're in a much better position to get rid of OUR knuckleheads.

Sometimes it's hard to play and stay focus in Indiana if you come from that type of background, many NBA players hate going to play there.

A change of scenary seem to have done Harrington and Jackson real good with no problems what so ever.

Posted by TrueBlue:

Posted by tkf:

hey, I have no problem with what bird said. Tinsley and williams have conducted themselves like a bunch of low rent idiots, not like the highly paid professionals they are... I have had enough of those two and I don't have to deal with them at all. Maybe he is devaluing them, but at some point you have just had enough....

You can think, feel, and want to say it but don't publicly put it out there. At the end of the day it's business and if he wants to move them he has two choices try and build them up or keep his mouth close and work the phones like a Telemarketer.

That be like DW slamming Randolph and Marbury right now as he tries to purge them. It's just stupid really.

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 06-25-2008 12:58 PM]

the whole league knows these two are knuckle heads, bird can't say or do anything to change that perception. So I guess he is going to make them as miserable as they have made him.. regardless of what bird says about them, there will always be some idiot, isiah like GM who feels like he can rehabilitate idiots like those two... I guess bird just has to wait and be patient...

Bird is also putting down players he is trying to trade. He is also infuriating his own players, which creates a not very stable environment. Isiah also helped create a very unstable environment. Bird is pulling an Isiah as a result.

Posted by Allanfan20:

Bird is also putting down players he is trying to trade. He is also infuriating his own players, which creates a not very stable environment. Isiah also helped create a very unstable environment. Bird is pulling an Isiah as a result.

who is he infuriating? certainly not players that count? the guys that cound, dunleavy and grainger were praised. The morons who behave like idiots get ridiculed, and justifiably so... Let me ask you this, had bird not made anyof these comments, do you think that Tinsley and williams stock would be any higher? I mean lets fact it, williams is nothing special and no one really wants tinsley and his baggage... Bird is just trying to change the culture. Either you get on board or get moved out of the way...