Yes, I'm a big fan of Reggie (SUPER-BIG FAN)... but, I'm a bigger fan of the Pacers and, in my perspective, Reggie's only hurting the Pacers by staying. Yes, it hurts me saying this, too, but Reggie's getting paid way too much for having a mostly non-active role on the Pacers and we could be doing so much with the cap room he'd give us. Without making any trades or signing any people, the Pacers are expected to be over next year's set cap limit for teams. I love Reggie, and I'm sad that he still hasn't gotten a championship... but, the Pacers can only get better when we stop carrying Reggie.
I think Reggie is still good as a bench player for the Pacers albeit an overpaid one at that. I am not sure on when his contract comes up but if he can accept the bench he would be crucial to the Pacers success next year. Having Reggie off the bench reminds me a lot of how Dell Curry played in Toronto. He was the 6th to 7th man on that team and he hit big threes time after time. A player like that would be key to any success the Pacers would have in the near future.
I like Reggie and I think he's great and I think we need him... but I don't think we need him for $10+ million a year... that's why I say he's holding us back b/c we pay him so much money compared to what little he does (same thing with Austin Croshere).
Reggie Miller is undoubtedly my favorite NBA player... that in mind, here's my take. I think what Reggie did for the Pacers last year, in the regular season and playoffs, is hard to classify. He;s masterful in terms of using his energy. He's one of the few star level players who's had a succesful transition into old age. The main reason is that he doesn't bust himself in impossible situations. If there's a play he can't prevent, he doesn't try to. It isn't laziness, it's self-preservation. When he puts all his energy into the game late, you see his tremendous defensive abilites at the perimeter. Also, I think he's the best in the league at defending a breakaway layup. A number of times last year, a guy would be coming at him under the basket, and rather than commit the foul as many do, he managed to psyche out the shooter into missing the layup. Offensively, I maintain he still has the ability to be a guy scoring 15+ a game, but that isn't what the team is anymore, and he's the first to acknowledge that. I think the reason he seems, for the most part, like the same old Reggie with less scoring is that he doesn't need to be the scorer he used to be. One of the great fears I have about my favorite athletes is that they linger too long. Michael Jordan, while I always disliked him, milked every ounce of play out of himself before he retired. Did he stay too long? The Wizards would've been much worse off without him, he was still a guy who could shoulder a scoring load. Barry Bonds of the SF Giants; very old, very good, still the focal point of their offense. Doug Flutie, Chargers backup QB, he started a bunch of games last year and did pretty well. I think the best way to look at it is a concept that I heard about involving an old World Series between the Detroit Tigers and St Louis Cardinals. Bob Gibson, HoF pitcher, was going against the Tigers, who were putting a guy who's name escapes me on the mound. He was old, out of shape, and would later open a donut shop by the stadium or something. But he beat Gibson. How'd he do it? I forget who they asked about it, but the reply was this... "Gibson's been winning games his whole life. [the tiger's pitcher]'s been in trouble his whole life, he knew how to pitch like it, too. Should Reggie be a bench guy? I'm not sure. I think the Pacers would be silly to part with by far their greatest all around player in franchise history, especially given the fact that he gets more uproarious applause in Indianapolis than other guys in the their prime are getting. He's definately earning more money than you'd want him to, though. I suggest he stay a starter. The position isn't important, the minutes are. Reggie could start a game and still give most of the minutes to a younger guy off the bench. I think having him there, in that lineup, though, adds a veteran presence, and a sort of empowering nostalgia, having the last link to the Pacers rise into the NBA's prominent teams there. I have heard Harrington wants a starting spot... if that's the case, he could have it, although that sort of self importance about lineup slots shows signs of an ego that might be better left alone.
As much as I like him and hate the idea, he should either leave or accept less money. I'm not taking anything away from him, he does so much with that sharp mind and veterancy about him. However, he's old and although still a pretty good defender, he was so much better. Plus he's lost something essential to the game that he once had, speed and quickness. You need the money to either pay your stars higher so that they stay and mayhaps play better or for other prospects such as signings to improve the depth of your roster. However there is one thing I will never take away from a class act like Reggie, he brings food to the table with his morale support, he cares for the team and treats them well, you won't see other players do that very often, so think about that before you do anything drastic.
I thought Reggie really carried the team in the playoffs, especially against the Pistons when O'Neal was hurt and Artest was struggling to score.
I like Reggie, watching his clutch 3's against the Bulls before, I was more of a Pacer fan than my hometown Bulls fan. Reggie will take the Pacers to the Finals and win it all one day... It's always Miller time..
I think we need reggie for the playoffs for at least one more year for his leadership and ability to hit the three, i really wish he didnt cost as much tho
I say put him on the bench, and let other guys handle the job ( if that doesn't work, change it like it was before.) Indiana is a defense minded team, so why not make the pacers stronger on d, and put someone else in his place? I think their are alot greater shooters than he out their ( except in CLUTCH situations! ) to fill his starting role for the pacers. Im tired of seein him in the startin lineup, and he said to Walsh, that if it would be needed of him to go to the bench instead of the starter role, he was more than willin to do so, so why not do that, and try new opourtunitie's?
I lost some respect for reggie when he took a big contract instead of taking a lower contract like malone and payton did. If he really wanted a championship, he would have made sure there were 2 millers for Indiana. With Brad, the pacers would all have nice pretty rings right now.
