The trade deadline was more than seven hours ago (3:00 p.m. ET) and the NBA is nearly done sifting through the deals, making them official. It was that kind of afternoon throughout the Association.
13 teams in all did NOT participate, which means the other 17 — more than half — did. The Pacers were one of the former teams. 39 players were moved, but all 15 players donning the Blue and Gold this season were untouched.
The Pacers, who did not have many intriguing assets available, will keep on keeping on. Their big acquisition, if you will, will come in March when Paul George is expected (and hopeful) to return to game action more than seven months after surgery.
As of today, 54 games in, the Pacers are last in the Central Division and 12th in the conference. Miami (8), Brooklyn (9), Boston (10), and Detroit (11), all got involved in Thursday’s dealings.
Miami’s pickup of outstanding guard Goran Dragic is most attractive. It cost them two first-round picks, Norris Cole, Jordan Hamilton, and former Pacers Danny Granger and Shane Williams. Oh, and Zoran Dragic, who’s 25 (three years under than Goran).
Boston picked up point guard Isaiah Thomas, and Detroit got Reggie Jackson. All of those deals impact the Pacers’ chances on one of the final playoff spots. And the playoffs remain a goal for coach Frank Vogel and company.
The Pacers were rumored to have been in talks, mostly centering around point guards, but obviously nothing materialized. And conversations did not get too far.
There’s no question that Bird would like to acquire a true point guard, and that Dragic appealed to him. There wasn’t much to the Ty Lawson deal, with an understanding of his contract and the problems it would create (owed $12.4M in 2015, $13.2M in 2015).
Indiana was interested in Jackson, who Oklahoma City needed to unload because of differences and an understanding that Jackson wouldn’t re-sign this summer. Jackson is a buddy of Paul George’s, and the two have the same agent (CAA’s Aaron Mintz). They even shared a jet over the weekend, part of the same “crew.”
But, as expected, the Pacers apparently did not have enough to intrigue the Thunder, nor other teams.
It’s not a bad thing to hold tight, as the Pacers did. Last year’s trade — Danny Granger for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen — did not work out as anticipated, and some would argue it backfired. (They were also trending in the wrong direction before that Feb. 20 date.)
When Larry Bird spoke to local reporters a few weeks ago, he mentioned his interest in getting another first-round pick. (I know, what team wouldn’t?) Bird, a fierce competitor no matter his role, reiterated his stance on winning now.
“I’m always in a win-now mode,” he said on Feb. 3. “I want to win, and I want to make the playoffs. That’s been my goal to try to get into the playoffs.”
Rostered Players Traded on Deadline Day:
'15 – 36
'14 – 20
'13 – 27
'12 – 22
'11 – 23
'10 – 27
'09 – 18
'08 – 22
— PBenedictNBA (@PBenedictNBA) February 19, 2015
On a day full of dealings, to the point where it’s difficult for the best of us to keep track of who’s where, the Pacers sat still. Therefore, this will be an especially important summer.
Give it one more go with the core, minus Lance Stephenson, obviously, or start anew? That’s what the team’s four-headed executive team must decide.
David West and Roy Hibbert each have player options. Luis Scola, C.J. Watson, Rodney Stuckey, Chris Copeland, Lavoy Allen, Donald Sloan, are for sure off the books and the team has both of its draft picks.
For now, the focus is off whether a player is being shopped, and on winning. They won four of their final five games before the All-Star break, and are about as healthy as they have been all season long. They have a favorable schedule to end the season, beginning with nine of their next 12 games at home.
Oh, and George is banging on the door, begging to suit up in his No. 13 jersey for the first time.