Game Day: Pacers (12-15) @ Suns (14-11), Thurs 12/19/24

[Carno]

I agree with your first two paragraphs, Mori, but I'm not convinced that it's time to blow it up. Despite their struggles, this team (with Beal or Butler) has a chance (albeit small). There is NO chance in ten years if they blow it up. But then, I'm not a championship or bust kind of fan. I want a competitive team year after year that has a chance rather than try for 2 years and if it doesn't work, start over.

[Split T]

I really don't buy that this team is fixable. You trade for Jimmy, who is a bulldog and a good defender and leader. Okay. But I get the sense that he's more of the "yell at your teammates for not getting back on defense" type of leader. I don't think our guys will snap to it and play good defense just because somebody's barking at them. We just don't have the roster for it.

The biggest reason we don’t have the roster for it is fixed by swapping Beal for Butler. We are too small. Our numbers with Beal and Booker together are awful…a big reason is because they aren’t playing the 1 and 2 anymore…they are playing the 2 and 3. Now all of a sudden we start 3 guys that are too small for their position.

Jimmy moves Booker back to the 2 and replaces Beal. Now Tyus is the only small guy. We still have a Nurk problem, but his problem is honestly more on offense than defense. He’s a serviceable drop defender and we’d be much better equipped to cover for him with Jimmy on the wing.

I’m not opposed to blowing it up, but it’s honestly easier to blow it up if we move Beal for Jimmy. That one is a no-brainer. Make the trade and if it still doesn’t work, blow it up.

[Superbone]

This team hasn't got it. That 13-3 record when KD plays is going to look very quaint in a month or so. There is just absolutely no way that this team is a contender or even close to it, and you get the sense that the players know that. They just don't give consistent effort or play the right way. Iso-ball on offense, lackadaisical defense. Of course we get stomped so much.

I don't even think this team is a Jimmy Butler away from being a contender. Unless somehow Butler gives the entire team a personality transplant, he can't come in here and save us. Giving away assets like the 2031 1st to get Butler will just be doubling down on this losing hand.

I'm not stopping at Himmy.

I'm trading Nurk and Grayson.

We know this team isn't right. Ishbia is a winner he understands it. We're not going to just be complacent to live with a losing hand.

I want to believe!

[Superbone]

Time to speed up Jimmy Butler trade deadline. No mid to late January until we revisit and decide if we really want to do a deal shit Gambo was saying. Time to start making it happen now.


Book is probably out a month with his penis injury from last night because the same damn penis injury kept him out a month last year. Literally around the same time too smh.

We can’t survive a whole month without Book with a disinterested/unmotivated Brad, leaving KD out to dry. The vibes are clearly off. Time for a shakeup. Trade Nurk emotional’s ass too.


Getting a Jimmy deal done should be priority so we can know what kind of draft assets we got left to work with for other deals.

Without Booker, this is Beal's chance to shine. Put up or shut up.

[Superbone]

I agree with your first two paragraphs, Mori, but I'm not convinced that it's time to blow it up. Despite their struggles, this team (with Beal or Butler) has a chance (albeit small). There is NO chance in ten years if they blow it up. But then, I'm not a championship or bust kind of fan. I want a competitive team year after year that has a chance rather than try for 2 years and if it doesn't work, start over.

That's the thing that doesn't sit right with me. I feel like we are getting out-worked and out-hustled on a nightly basis.

[JeremyG]

Fortunately, one of them is always injured. Is that the bright side?

[Superbone]

Fortunately, one of them is always injured. Is that the bright side?

I like your thinking, kid.