The Indiana Pacers are continuing to try to acquire another point guard, though the market has dwindled in the past week. Among the free agents still available are Brevin Knight, Steve Francis, Earl Boykins, Jannero Pargo and Keith McLeod. The Pacers have had conversations with the agents for Pargo and McLeod. Starter Jamaal Tinsley is the only true point guard on the roster.Link
I think the Pacers should pursue Brevin Knight. Knight is a great veteran passer who will give more direction to the younger guys. He won't ask for a big contract due to his age and inability to score the ball yet will be able to get the ball to shooters like Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy. He'll be a solid solution for this lottery bound squad. He will likely start until the Pacers get a young and talented PG in the draft or next season's free agency.
Anyone know anything on Denier? I've heard his name but I don't know much about him. Is he a good passer?
He's a good shooter, plays like he cares, is pretty smart, not a great passer or real PG, not very athletic, classic backup, I will never understand why he got so little burn in Orlando. Diener was reallt frustrated there, but kept his head up.
I really liked Travis Diener and honostly thought that he was a better point guard than Carlos Arroyo, but due to Arroyo having a much bigger fan base because a larger Puerto Rican population in Orlando. So he got played more, pretty much because he sold more tickets than Travis Diener would have, so it was purely monetary reasons why Diener didn't play much.As for Diener, he has a nice shot and can hit the three pretty regularly when he is on the court. Doesn't control the ball to much, lets the team use motion, to set up his three point shot which is what is best for the team. He isn't going to get alot of assists, like BCB said he's not a playmaker passer like that, but he doesn't turn the ball over very much at all either. He plays above average defense at the point guard position, during the Phoenix game when he was in, Steve Nash was really having problems because of Diener getting under his skin and playing him real tight. He is a good point guard, I liked him alot.
Hmmmm, he sounds good, but he doesn't seem like the kind of guard the Pacers need. Perhaps the Pacers will try to move him to the 2 and go after Brevin Knight or a true passer? He will fit new coach Jim O'brien's 3 point offense it looks like, though
There's almost no way you could move Diener over to the 2-spot and play him. He is much to small to be playing that spot, and would get dominated defenesively. Every other 2-guard in the league would just post him up, and then he wouldn't be able to play the same type of defense. So putting him at the 2 for any more than just little spurts is going to cause problems for the team.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (valo35 @ Jul 19 2007, 04:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>There's almost no way you could move Diener over to the 2-spot and play him. He is much to small to be playing that spot, and would get dominated defenesively. Every other 2-guard in the league would just post him up, and then he wouldn't be able to play the same type of defense. So putting him at the 2 for any more than just little spurts is going to cause problems for the team.</div>True that, but the Pacer's new focus is on offense, not defense. I think that if Denier proves himself to be a 3 point threat he could get some PT at the 2. I think the Pacers last worries right now are defense, the Pacers have always been able to defend, Rick Carlilse years here were all about D, they keep teams at around 95 ppg. But the offense, that's where the Pacer's need help. And Denier could probably could get some playing time there. Besides, plenty of teams in the NBA run a 2 PG system, against teams like that it could be done. Besides, who's to say Denier can't become anadaquet low post defender? And anyway, I'm sure if a guard tries to post Denier, JO will be right there on the weak side, JO is that good of a defender
No way you let Diener play the 2. Pacers give up 100 plus a game if he's at shooting guard.I wouldn't even like him as the starting point guard.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Lefty @ Jul 19 2007, 05:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>No way you let Diener play the 2. Pacers give up 100 plus a game if he's at shooting guard.I wouldn't even like him as the starting point guard.</div>Nobody said he's starting, I'm talking about his minutes as a reserve
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pacers fan forever @ Jul 19 2007, 08:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Nobody said he's starting, I'm talking about his minutes as a reserve</div>I know. He shouldnt see any minutes at the 2.
