Did Jim O'Brien Deserve an extension?
The Pacers extended the contract of head coach Jim O'Brien through the 2010-11 season, giving him an additional year to try and take the franchise to the playoffs. In his first two years the Pacers missed the playoffs and finished with a 36-46 record each season.
The franchise is rebuilding with young players, but since the team did not show any improvement from O'Briens' first season to his second, perhaps team president Larry Bird should have waited until after this season extend his contract. If the Pacers fail to make the playoffs in the third rebuilding year under O'Brien, are they really moving in the right direction?
Larry Legend thinks he's the man for the job. "When I interviewed Jim for this job, he was committed to everything we want to do," said Bird in an interview on the Pacers' official website. "We both feel we’re moving in the right direction."
Luther Head's impact
The Pacers added Luther Head to the roster because, according to Larry Bird, "It was too hard to pass up."
Head is a combo guard that could contribute to the team in much the same manner as Jarrett Jack and Marquis Daniels, both of whom could play either shooting guard or point guard.
The move is flying under the radar as a late roster addition of little impact, but Head could be someone that steps up and plays a big role for the Pacers. He didn't play very well last season, but he was hampered by an injury. Because of his versatility and quickness, he fits very well into Jim O'Brien's scheme.
At 6-3, Head has the size and speed to match up defensively with a variety of opposing guards. If he has a good training camp and adjusts well to the system, he could have a bigger impact on the team than many people expect.
Trades Coming?
With the addition of Luther Head, the Pacers roster now has an excess of guards, with five players that can play point guard. This could indicate that the Pacers intend to make further changes to there roster in the near future.
It has often been speculated that T.J. Ford could be on the trading block because he doesn't play the style of basketball that Jim O'Brien wants out of his point guards. However, Ford is an excellent player, and elite point guards are difficult to come by.
The Pacers might wait until the season is underway to make any moves so they can evaluate the talent behind Ford on the depth chart. If one of the other point guards on the team steps up and proves his ability to sufficiently run the offense, that might make T.J. Ford expendable. If Ford adapts to Jim O'Briens offense and plays well enough to keep the Pacers in Eastern Conference contention, the Pacers might elect to trade some of their guard depth instead.
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