Time To Say Goodbye
Its been a nice run. Jermaine O’Neal has spent two seasons as the face of the Indiana Pacers, even though he has been their best player for quite some time (Reggie would have remained the face of the team as long as he decided to play). He dealt with a lot of crap, and he did so professionally.
He endured the saga of Ron Artest for much longer than he should, and could have. But even with Artest gone, things got worse. While he was busy rehabbing and preparing for the season last fall, Stephen Jackson and Jamaal Tinsley were busy getting off on the wrong foot at an Indianapolis strip club. O’Neal is one of the game’s best players, although he’s not mentioned in the same sentence as some of the game’s best because of constant injuries.
The offseason has been littered with rumors about Indiana trading Jermaine, for a couple of reasons. The Pacers could look to unload him, and his huge contract, because the chances that he’ll opt out of his deal at the end of the season seem very likely. And Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh realize he doesn’t want to undergo another rebuilding phase. In 2004 he was so close to the NBA Finals that he could taste the Larry O’Brien trophy, he wants more.
And who can blame him?
He deserves to win. That’s one of the things his growing NBA resume is missing. I mentioned Artest already, but the effect Ron had on Jermaine’s career could be looked at as profound. Had he not gone off the deep end, Indiana could very well have made a pair of Finals appearances. Whether or not they could have won a title is a mystery, but not an event that’s out of the question. It’s almost depressing to think of all the talent and ability the Pacers enjoyed just three years ago – and now their all-NBA cornerstone might have more than one foot out the door.
O’Neal hasn’t played the crying game that Kobe Bryant has, but he has made his feelings known to not only the Pacers, but the entire world. He’d love to remain a Pacer for life, but he does not want to continue losing basketball games while rebuilding. Despite the incident at the Palace of Auburn Hills, where Jermaine looked more like a prize fighter than a power forward, his record is spotless.
He’s a very good player, but an even better man. He’s done a number of things for the Indianapolis community, and is one of the League’s more articulate players despite jumping to the NBA straight from Eau Claire High School. He, like Kevin Garnett, represents what was right about allowing eighteen year-olds to enter the NBA Draft. And no, I don’t put Kobe in that class. He’s a better player than O’Neal, and should probably be considered better than Garnett, but his immaturity outweighs his skills.
All those nice things I’ve said about Jermaine just help solidify my point: he doesn’t deserve to lose the way the Pacers are probably going to in the next few seasons.
It’s time Bird and Walsh start shopping Jermaine, for better or worse.
Everyone knows that basketball isn’t just a sport in Indiana. I’ve come to realize that even more in recent years. The Pacers have been very difficult to watch in the last two seasons, just as much because of the off-court issues as their on-court troubles. However, that didn’t drive everyone off the bandwagon. These people know, and love, their hoops. But as much as they love Jermaine, and respect what he’s done for the team and community, deep down they know it’s time to say goodbye.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want Jermaine to leave the Pacers, as I’ve said he’s one of those guys that you like for more than just his talent. I like to think of myself as an optimist, but I’m probably more of a realist and I know his number might be up.
There are two teams that seem primed to make a play for Jermaine – the Nets and Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles needs Jermaine more than any team in the history of professional sports. If they don’t land Jermaine, especially now that he seems prepared to leave Indiana, Kobe Bryant will do one of two things – either force the Los Angeles Lakers to trade him or spontaneously combust. Either way Los Angeles is going to lose one of the game’s greatest players.
For salary reasons, it would be expected that Lamar Odom would be included in any deal involving O’Neal, but many people think Indiana would also demand young guys like Andrew Bynum and Javaris Crittenton (along with some future drafts picks). With Jermaine the biggest name “on the market” the Pacers should be able to fleece the Los Angeles Lakers out of more than they would normally get for a guy like Jermaine.
New Jersey would also like to add O’Neal to go along with their backcourt of Jason Kidd and Vince Carter. It was reported that the Nets would give the Pacers Nenad Krstic and Richard Jefferson in exchange for Jermaine, which doesn’t seem half-bad to me. Regardless, if the Nets want to go into “win-now” mode with Kidd and Carter, Bird and Walsh should be able to get want they want from Rod Thorn.
I’ve been losing some of my faith in Walsh and Bird lately, maybe more so with the latter, so I’m taking it upon myself to offer Indiana some potential trade scenarios involving Jermaine.
Trade #1
The Los Angeles Lakers send Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Javaris Crittenton and two future first-round picks to the Pacers for Jermaine O’Neal
This deal is probably the easiest for both teams to approve. Los Angeles gets O’Neal for Kobe, and Indiana gets someone to help keep the team afloat in the short term (Odom) and some pieces to help turn things around quicker (Andrew Bynum and Javaris Crittenton).
Trade #2
The Los Angeles Lakers send Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, Maurice Evans, Javaris Crittenton and a 2008 first rounder to the Pacers for Jermaine O’Neal and Jamaal Tinsley.
If the Los Angeles Lakers are going to get Jermaine from Indiana, why not try to send them Tinsley as well? Many people have lost their patience with Tinsley, and if Los Angeles really wants O’Neal – force them to take one of the Pacers’ many bad contracts. If it’s not Tinsley, maybe you deal Mike Dunleavy Jr. or Troy Murphy along with J.O.
Trade #3
The Nets send Richard Jefferson, Nenad Krstic, Bostjan Nachbar and Jason Collins to the Pacers in exchange for Jermaine O’Neal and Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Again, the Pacers would be wise to package one of their bad contracts with Jermaine in any trade they think of pulling. You could put Tinsley in this deal as well, or add Murphy and take another player from New Jersey. Jefferson and Krstic are the centerpieces here.
Larry Bird has already commented on the news that Jermaine would welcome a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers; just hours after the news broke on Sunday evening. Bird has reiterated what he has been saying all along regarding Jermaine: If the right deal comes along that will make Indiana better, he won’t hesitate to deal O’Neal. It might be time for Bird to swallow his pride and move O’Neal, before he loses value. Remember, Jermaine is injury-prone. If he were to hurt himself early this season, it would be hard for Indiana to get good value near the trade deadline. If they aren’t able to do that, an opt-out becomes even more likely.
Losing a guy like Jermaine without getting anything in return can really hurt you when you’re rebuilding, and Lord knows the Pacers don’t need to take yet another step backwards.
See more at pacers.realgm.com
