Pacers acquire point guard Darren CollisonBy Mike Wells
IndyStar.com
Posted: August 12, 2010
-In 4-team deal, Pacers give up Murphy for second-year player, veteran Posey
-Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird's patience paid off Wednesday when he landed what he hopes will be the team's point guard of the present and future.
-New Pacers point guard Darren Collison had eight or more assists in 24 games during his rookie season with New Orleans.
Darren Collison and veteran forward James Posey arrive from the New Orleans Hornets in a four-team, five-player deal that sent Troy Murphy to New Jersey. The Nets shipped former Pike High School standout Courtney Lee to Houston, and the Rockets sent Trevor Ariza to the Hornets.
Collison, a 6-0, 160-pound rookie last season, sparkled starting in place of injured All-Star Chris Paul. He notched his first triple-double against the Pacers and had eight or more assists in 24 games.
The Pacers envision Collison, who turns 23 on Aug. 23, dishing to Danny Granger, Brandon Rush, Tyler Hansbrough and Roy Hibbert for years.
"Just like I told Darren awhile ago, I think this is the piece we needed," Bird said, as general manager David Morway sat by his side during a news conference announcing their biggest deal as a tandem. "We've got a lot of young talent here. Obviously some of the guys are very new and raw. The vision I have for this franchise is to get the core group up and ready to go as quick as we can. This piece here will accelerate everything."
Bird watched as numerous point guards changed teams this summer, but he said the Pacers weren't going to "make a drastic move just to make a move."
"We have a plan," Bird said.
Acquiring Collison shores up what has been a problem area for years. Collison will have the inside track at starting when camp opens Sept. 28. He averaged 18.8 points and 9.1 assists in 37 games as a starter last season.
"He's a real explosive player that can pass, can score and push the ball," Hibbert said.
Posey, who hasn't been a regular starter in four years, won an NBA title with Miami in 2006 and Boston in 2008. He'll bring much needed veteran experience inside the locker room.
"Any time you bring guys in with experience, it's always a plus," Bird said. "We're a very young team. We always talk about leadership around here. You don't know who is going to be a leader. . . . Obviously James has been on championship teams and been around the league and knows how things need to be done."
Posey also is a 3-point threat and can help fill a void created by Murphy's departure. Murphy made 128 3s last season and led the Pacers in rebounding (10.2). He averaged double figures in points and rebounds each of the past two seasons. Coupled with an expiring contract, that made him the Pacers' best trade asset.
"I'm excited about playing for the up-and-coming Nets and coach Avery Johnson," Murphy said. "I enjoyed my time in Indiana, but it's time to move on."
What about Ford?
The Pacers again tried to trade point guard T.J. Ford on Wednesday, then offered to buy out the final year of his contract for $5 million. Due $8.5 million, he rejected the offer.
"I'm not taking a buyout," said Ford, who has not meshed with coach Jim O'Brien and lost his starting job the past two seasons.
Bird said, "T.J. is on the team and we expect him to come in here and be professional and try to get a job and get some playing time."
Are they done?
Posey gives the Pacers six wing players. They likely will be looking for a power forward to complement Hansbrough and Jeff Foster, both of whom are recovering from injuries. They have the maximum number of players allowed, however, and want to sign second-round pick Magnum Rolle.
"We're not done with the summer," Bird said. "We've got some work to do. . . . We're going to get this job done and we're going to do it on time."
Granger OK
Danny Granger's injury will not derail his quest to make Team USA. An X-ray on Wednesday showed his right ring finger is dislocated, not broken. He can return to practice. Camp concludes Monday.
Related Information
Points of interest
A look at how Darren Collison compares with some past Pacers point guard accomplishments:
» 20: Collison's career high in assists, which would tie for second most in Pacers history.
» 23: Assists by Jamaal Tinsley vs. Washington in 2001. (Jalen Rose had 20 vs. Cleveland in April 2001.)
» 18-13-12: Collison's triple-double (points, rebounds, assists) vs. Pacers last season.
» 11-10-10: Tinsley's triple-double (points, rebounds, assists) vs. Minnesota in March 2002, the most recent by a Pacers point guard.
» 9.1: Collison's assist average in 37 starts. (Mark Jackson's team record is 8.7 apg in 1997-98.)
James Posey file
» Age: 33.
» Contract: Has two years, about $13.5 million remaining.
» Career averages: 8.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 35 percent on 3-pointers.
» Likely role: Posey is a 6-8 small forward who hasn't started regularly since 2005-06, but he is a defensive presence with 3-point range. He has made 100 or more 3s in a season four times, so he'll help offset the loss of Troy Murphy, who did it each of the past two seasons. Posey needs 32 3s to reach 1,000.
_________
New Pacer Collison has passion for the game
'Hoops, that's what he lives for,' his college coach (That would be Coach Ben Howland to you, Mr. Rabjohns) says of player who seized opportunity as a rookie
By Jeff Rabjohns
IndyStar.com
Posted: August 12, 2010
Darren Collison has been so consumed with basketball, even those who knew him in college have a hard time recalling if he has any interests outside the game.
"Hoops, that's what he lives for," UCLA coach Ben Howland said Wednesday in a telephone interview.
Collison is now in the perfect spot, playing point guard for a team in a state that lives for the game, too.
After a breakout performance while starting as a rookie for part of the season in place of injured All-Star Chris Paul, Collison is in a position to become the Indiana Pacers' point guard of the future.
In 37 games as a starter last year, Collison averaged 18.8 points and 9.1 assists. Over a full season, the Pacers have never had a player average more than the 8.7 assists of Mark Jackson in 1997-98.
"The NBA is all about opportunity, and he got one and took advantage of it," said Don MacLean, who played nine years in the league and now calls UCLA games on radio. "He's a starting point guard in the NBA and he proved that."
Collison was named to the All-Rookie first team last year. As a starter, he shot 49 percent from the field, including 42.9 percent from 3-point range.
For the season, Collison played in 76 games, averaging 12.4 points and 5.7 assists.
"He's lightning quick and he has different gears and he's an excellent shooter," Pacers general manager David Morway said. "I think he can come in here right away and really make a difference. It's something we haven't had here in a really long time."
The Pacers hope the 6-foot Collison, who turns 23 on Aug. 23, brings quality play to a position that has been unsettled for five years.
Team president Larry Bird stopped short of naming Collison the starter over T.J. Ford, but that seems a foregone conclusion with the move.
Collison was drafted 21st in 2009, eight spots after the Pacers picked forward Tyler Hansbrough.
"We liked him coming out of college. I didn't think he'd have the year he did last year," Bird said. "He's solid. He likes to defend. We know he can shoot the ball. He did a great job in college of putting the ball in the hole. We think he's a complete player. He's a young point guard to go with the rest of the core group we have, and we'll just keep building on it."
At UCLA, Collison was more of a distributor than scorer, never averaging more than 14.5 points in a season.
Collison has a reputation as someone with no taste for the nightlife.
"When he came to campus, he never went to parties," Howland said. "He's had one steady girlfriend since high school. He doesn't drink. Outside of basketball, I don't know if he does anything other than play video games.
"He's a real committed basketball player."
No comments:
Post a Comment