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The Pacers Report with Mike Rich & John Robertson (2.85.1) · The Central Indiana Sports Report

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: You are listening to the Pacer's report with Mike Rich, John Robertson, and Will Rutherford, only on the Central End of the Sports Report.
• 0:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back, Pacer's fans, to the Central End of the Sports Report, for
• 0:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: This week's Pacers Report with MicroRitch.
• 0:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: MicroRitch, of course, is our Pacers Guide.
• 0:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're also joined by our NBA and fever guide, John Robertson, and will, rather for the least strictly biased podcast to talk about.
• 0:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: The Indiana Pacers and this podcast was formed in large part to talk about the Pacers, and we haven't much so far because they've been out with.
• 0:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: They've been on Friday night when football is being played.
• 0:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we just haven't had a lot of time to react to them and talk about them.
• 0:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And since we last talked, all they have done is loose.
• 0:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: They are now one and ten.
• 1:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: And tied for the worst record in the NBA with the nets and the wizards with it.
• 1:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Health situation that doesn't look like it's going to improve soon, but.
• 1:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: If they do bring people back, it's not like the top 10 teams are running away.
• 1:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's no question that they could make a run at the final playoffs.
• 1:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: But if they got people back pretty quickly, we're healthy and playing as hard as they could to make the playoffs.
• 1:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: So they have a choice to make here, and that is, do they continue to make a push?
• 1:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Do they start to, I don't want to use the word tank because players will never tank.
• 1:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's no, you should never ask a player to tank.
• 1:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: But can the organization make some trades and get some guys out who are contributing to winning?
• 1:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because it is a special, special draft in 2026 that should yield at least a couple of franchise players and up to 10 very serious contributors.
• 1:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: including Darren Peterson of Kansas, who could be extra special.
• 2:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mike, why should the Pacer strategy be going forward?
• 2:08
  [SPEAKER_03]: It should not be tank.
• 2:10
  [SPEAKER_03]: This season is a long season.
• 2:12
  [SPEAKER_03]: We started out pretty rough last year and didn't have as many injuries.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_03]: I'm a realist, I think it's going to be really difficult to even get into a plan spot with this start, but I think they should continue to do everything they can to win every game, evaluate their talent.
• 2:33
  [SPEAKER_03]: I think they should look at who
• 2:36
  [SPEAKER_03]: they should be trading and look for the future, I'm a huge Benedict Mather and OB top and fan, but those two pieces would be pieces that would probably be serviceable to somebody else right now that is playing for a championship game and we might be able to get a decent haul for a couple of those players, but I don't want to Sam Tank, you know, I, I
• 3:03
  [SPEAKER_03]: But if they play and they play hard and they get beat, I'm not too sad about that either.
• 3:09
  [SPEAKER_03]: If they're putting out the effort and I don't feel super bad if they just tap into losing the game.
• 3:18
  [SPEAKER_03]: It was good to see McConnell back last night.
• 3:21
  [SPEAKER_03]: The difficulty with that was just he just didn't have his legs.
• 3:24
  [SPEAKER_03]: He's still didn't do too bad for his first game back.
• 3:27
  [SPEAKER_03]: I think they'll be improvement there.
• 3:29
  [SPEAKER_03]: I think if we get a couple of these players that are out back,
• 3:33
  [SPEAKER_03]: We're going to be all right and I know it's a tough road trip, too.
• 3:36
  [SPEAKER_03]: Real listing, if they if they get into the play in spot, the playoffs all need to do teams good enough if they can get in the playoffs and their healthy, they can do all right.
• 3:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Andrew Nimhart has recently returned.
• 3:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: It seems like Benedict Madhern is near a return.
• 4:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: At one in 10, you start pumping the brakes and thinking maybe we slow people down coming back and we start to look in that direction or if you're the pacers or you still playing it straight and you're going for it.
• 4:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think it's still too early to start pumping them.
• 4:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's a real bad start, but look at all the stuff they had to overcome with all the injuries.
• 4:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: Overall, it's just they're dealing with a ton of injuries again.
• 4:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: So my overall point it's too early to like really stop playing I just don't want to see them break up the team because I think they have the chemistry to do well once they once they get everybody back So I would hate to see them make like such an early decision and start just blowing it up already because that's just seems ridiculous to me
• 4:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And if you're trying to kind of wiggle things around with salary, and you want to lose, it's just an option that Kevin Pritchard has at his disposal.
• 5:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, he's not on the list of jerseys I'm going to buy this year.
• 5:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'll tell you that much.
• 5:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not considering a mother, and just because I'm not waste his money on it.
• 5:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, first things that way, especially with the things Kevin Pritchard has said,
• 5:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: as far as he doesn't quite fit in the way the rest of the team does and of course that doesn't mean he's not a very good player.
• 5:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's a very very good player.
• 5:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think if you need a go-to score, he's the kind of player that will fit with a lot of teams.
• 5:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: We haven't talked much yet about college basketball on the central Indian sports report except for Purdue and IU.
• 5:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: draft class that looks like Darren Peterson of Kansas Cameron Booser, of course, the son of Carlos Booser and AJ DeBonta, who is at BYU all seem like they are potential franchise type players and the Pacers, man, you add that into the mix of what they already have and you're talking about potentially special if you just kind of pump the brakes a little will.
• 6:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: The top end of the draft looks like it's got the chance to be really good NBA players.
• 6:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: we'll see.
• 6:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's still a long season.
• 6:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's a lot to go on.
• 6:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: I really like the pedigree if somebody like a camera dozer.
• 6:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think that the paces are probably going to be picking low enough to get them realistically.
• 6:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: As for Madden, I think he's going to be gone.
• 6:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: I would really be hesitant to trade noby top and because I'm not sure that you're going to be able to bring somebody in for an obby top and that's going to replicate what he's able to produce
• 6:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm saying, if you want to lose this season, your goal suddenly is to lose, but you don't want the players to play any less hard.
• 6:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: You don't want them to not gain experience by not playing, or you would never ask players to do it.
• 7:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: One way to do it with asking players to do it is start trading off good players with large salaries.
• 7:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that's a huge mistake.
• 7:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that all you're asking is the same NBA shuffle where it's like, if we don't think we can do it this year, then let's just sell the damn farm.
• 7:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: And hopefully we can recover.
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: And this team still has a window.
• 7:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think Madderen's the odd band out.
• 7:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: If Obe Toppin is open to,
• 7:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: extension on a relatively team friendly deal because let's be honest he's a bench player at the NBA level, probably he's a really high level six or seven off your bench, but he's not a starter on any competitive team.
• 7:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that has to be taken into account when you are looking for pieces to bring back from them.
• 7:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Pacers at this point controlled their destiny with their own draft pick.
• 7:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: But to me, the bigger deal would be to just not rush anybody back from injury.
• 7:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: If not, you're not playing unless you're 100%, no, 90%, 95, you're not playing unless you are 100% physically able to play.
• 8:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, that's one way to do it as well.
• 8:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think you guys know from the preseason, I think this team can still make the play off if they get healthy.
• 8:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think adding matter and back alone, they're going to start beating the bad teams.
• 8:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I wouldn't be not bringing this up if we weren't seeing guys in this year's draft being compared to Kobe Bryant and Carl Malone and all-time special type players.
• 8:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's the only reason I'm really bringing it up this early in the season.
• 8:43
  [SPEAKER_03]: I rather do something and the trade would get trade with a couple of pieces.
• 8:48
  [SPEAKER_03]: I don't want to see us picking in the top three of the draft in 2026.
• 8:53
  [SPEAKER_03]: And it's still a chance.
• 8:56
  [SPEAKER_03]: I think the biggest need is I hate to say it.
• 9:01
  [SPEAKER_03]: Are we missing Miles Turner?
• 9:04
  [SPEAKER_03]: And no, I know.
• 9:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: I hate to say you're rude, Mike Rick.
• 9:09
  [SPEAKER_03]: We're not doing any better at the center spot.
• 9:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: We're not acting his for and a half or even.
• 9:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: We're not any worse at the center spot.
• 9:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's really the injuries.
• 9:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't look, everybody, anybody, I was great.
• 9:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: We're not injured at the center.
• 9:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, I know, but like when you win everybody else, that's really good is out.
• 9:27
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like they can lock in on the center position.
• 9:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: They don't have to worry about guarding anybody else.
• 9:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm just saying like a lot of people that are they're panicky I'm not saying you're I've seen some things I've liked that if I say a jackson for sure, but he's never going to be your best player and right now he's there were some lineups that he was the second best player on the floor and that's not good well somebody in the coaching staff just needs to work with the centers and tell them what a center supposed to do.
• 9:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like that's just seems to be the problem.
• 9:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like we'd have wins the last time we had a center that played center.
• 9:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: We have centers that want to be shooting threes all the time in a bitch.
• 10:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: Jay of shooting threes.
• 10:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: That and he makes some less than Miles Turner did.
• 10:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't want to see him shooting threes.
• 10:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: I want to see him playing center.
• 10:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, generic Miles Turner is what I call Jay Huff.
• 10:16
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yes, he's a very generic Miles Turner.
• 10:18
  [SPEAKER_03]: I would agree with that.
• 10:19
  [SPEAKER_03]: I think that's the piece that we're missing.
• 10:21
  [SPEAKER_03]: We need a strong inside presence.
• 10:25
  [SPEAKER_03]: And somebody, he looked at the draft in what's Booser 69's.
• 10:29
  [SPEAKER_03]: How's he going to go again?
• 10:30
  [SPEAKER_03]: Somebody that's six inches taller, six, seven inches taller than him.
• 10:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's going to be one of the best players in the NBA projected in five years.
• 10:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: You don't care when he's 19 years old.
• 10:43
  [SPEAKER_03]: That doesn't mean there's a half-five years with the cores that it has.
• 10:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Cameron Bouser doesn't make the 2026, 2027 Pacers any better.
• 10:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: He maybe makes the 2030 Pacers a lot better, but to me, and I know this is going to sound crazy, because sure everybody knows that.
• 11:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: This team doesn't need a back to the basket center.
• 11:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: When Tyre's Hall of Burton is back and they're firing on all cylinders, they need a center that can run the floor and shoot the three ball.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's where the strength of this offense was, it was what made Miles Turner better.
• 11:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: where the upgrades got to be is a better defensive rebounder at this ender position.
• 11:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's they're not missing the the paint presence in terms of
• 11:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Right now, they're just not playing the same style of basketball that you saw them play last year.
• 11:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: And honestly, I think that wherever that pick lands, it's going to be absolute trade bait to try to bring in the best possible center.
• 11:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: You can bring in for next year's Indian Pacers.
• 11:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't see them drafting because Richard is aware that you're not going to get them hard and de-smith on team friendly deals again.
• 11:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's just not going to happen.
• 11:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're getting to the point where Siakha is probably on the downward slope of the level of his career.
• 12:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're going to have haliburton back.
• 12:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: This team needs somebody that the first round pick and get them in a trade.
• 12:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: You would think that the Pacers first round pick would be very valuable right now, so if you're going to trade it, now it might be a good time.
• 12:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: It depends on who you're, who you're going to get to think that there's, you know, it right now, I think there's no one to see or some stuff.
• 12:32
  [SPEAKER_03]: So what do you package with to get that?
• 12:34
  [SPEAKER_03]: So you package your first round draft pick this year and then bothering open time.
• 12:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's meet it.
• 12:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's going to take more than then first to be completely honest.
• 12:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're talking about an all MBA level center.
• 12:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's going to be it any point in the season.
• 13:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think Obi-Toppin's developed into the exact player that you hoped that he would.
• 13:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: When you got him from New York, you gave up two seconds of his cheap to get him.
• 13:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like he's turned into a legitimate kind of three and high-flier type guy who can, he doesn't really score it on the mid-range level, but he's become a really good shooter, he's super electric, and I think that his flexibility to play really from three to five makes him so desirable for this team next year,
• 13:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're going to be a great bench spot loss in Benmatherin.
• 13:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's a great six guy that bring off your bench in terms of a scoring threat.
• 13:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: So you're going to have to keep somebody.
• 13:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: I would not trade over top and unless they completely overpaid for me.
• 13:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it sounds like we all agree.
• 14:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: The pace there should try to make the play off and don't worry about the draft right now, but that could change pretty quickly, right?
• 14:11
  [SPEAKER_03]: Medseason, maybe.
• 14:12
  [SPEAKER_03]: If they can't get people back, you can't see if the team is taking...
• 14:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you're one in 16, you've got to start thinking of a different direction.
• 14:20
  [SPEAKER_03]: I don't anticipate as being one in 16, but it's not out of the possibility.
• 14:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: No.
• 14:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's what I'm saying.
• 14:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's sad.
• 14:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: I really thought this was going to be a really good season.
• 14:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Still could be.
• 14:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not saying that it can't be.
• 14:37
  [SPEAKER_03]: The odds of it are getting it's not likely going to be a good regular season.
• 14:44
  [SPEAKER_03]: There's nothing that's going to make this a good regular season.
• 14:46
  [SPEAKER_03]: But if they can just make it into the play, into the playoff, so you make it in.
• 14:54
  [SPEAKER_03]: and everybody's healthy.
• 14:55
  [SPEAKER_03]: I like our chances later.
• 14:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's way too early to decide stuff.
• 15:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's so early in the season.
• 15:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: Barely we're barely in the November.
• 15:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's a long season.
• 15:06
  [SPEAKER_03]: You know, the season started in October.
• 15:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: That's what I'm saying.
• 15:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: That's exactly my point.
• 15:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 15:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: The season started October.
• 15:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: And we had, and we had seven major injuries.
• 15:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: Right.
• 15:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: So we haven't even really seen the team play.
• 15:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: that team that played the thunder game one can win for yes and I've said it multiple times with this is so reminiscent of the fever season honestly this is exactly what the fever went through only like the fever were able to pull it together because there's just more talent available for hardships in the end I think the level of talent is there once you drop past a certain level
• 15:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: What, you don't love Monti Morse?
• 15:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: No.
• 15:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's the kind of player you get in the NBA when you have hardships.
• 15:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like, when you have 30 teams and 14 or 15 players per team, like you just did the shallow pool of people that are left available.
• 16:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: When you have 11 teams and 12 people per team, there's definitely more talent out there to pick from.
• 16:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I want to make a super clear to patient fans and to the three of you that I am not suggesting the patient's tank.
• 16:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just felt like at one in ten it's something that needed to be discussed sooner rather than later.
• 16:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, I brought it up last week and you all laughed at me.
• 16:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: One in ten changes the formula man.
• 16:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: I love, I don't know why they, they view them on the road, but I love them.
• 16:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's a reason they're wearing this, uh, Sidney connects like 25 times because there's going to have to be a reason to put people in seats.
• 17:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I don't think the team is probably going to be able to do that themselves.
• 17:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so they have awesome jerseys that people will go by.
• 17:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: And everybody will be happy watching the pacers get beat by 10 a lot this year.
• 17:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's gonna happen a lot like I said they're gonna get their guys back.
• 17:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're gonna beat bad teams, but Man, it don't lead to the 11 games to really think my hopes.
• 17:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think that like people, I expect this season to be bad anyway.
• 17:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: I expect this is not being this bad, but I didn't expect it to be a good season.
• 17:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think people are just now getting to the point of realizing that it's gonna be next year.
• 17:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: This season's kind of a throwaway.
• 17:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, if anybody looks at this season and says Tyre's however, he's overrated, they need to get reality checked because the absence of him has just been outrageous.
• 17:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: In terms of that you just see the content near you at the offense, they're building it up the floor, make the right read, like it's just a completely different team when he's not out there.
• 18:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think everybody can agree with that.
• 18:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks, guys.
• 18:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks so much to our Pacer's crew.
• 18:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: My rich John Robertson and Will Rutherford for joining the podcast.
• 18:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Once again, we will start having more Pacer's content.
• 18:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Very soon, particularly as a football season wraps up.
• 18:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much for listening.
• 18:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Please do us a huge favor and share this podcast with the Pacer's fan in your life.
• 18:37
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• 18:57
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