Larry Bird is as patient a man as I have ever seen. As a player, he never rushed a pass, never hurried a shot. He was calm under pressure and was a leader among some of the greatest men to ever play basketball.
For this reason, I knew when Bird took full control of basketball operations for the Indiana Pacers after the 2007-2008 season; the team was in the best capable hands. I had spent plenty of time in the locker room to know that a complete team makeover was needed. I had also spent plenty of time picking the brain of other writers and sports analysts to understand that completely overhauling a roster was a lot easier than it sounded.
Four years later, Bird has done it. Not only is the roster filled with hardworking players who actually like each other; but also the Pacers are a young team, with vocal leaders and plenty of cap space. Bird had a plan and he stuck to it. I can’t imagine that he’s finished with this team.
He has a team that competes every game but they aren’t consistent. He has a team that is winning games but has the second lowest attendance in the NBA. He has a team that is pretty good but they can’t beat Chicago, Miami, Orlando or Boston in a seven game series. I think Bird will return next year and possibly longer and see this team through.
After several draft night mistakes, Bird has been on a roll. In 2008, Indiana acquired Roy Hibbert from Toronto. Hibbert is averaging 13.1 points and 9 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field. He was also a first-time All-Star this season. In 2009, Bird took a lot of heat for drafting Tyler Hansbrough. The North Carolina alum is now a key contributor to the team’s second unit. Bird selected Paul George the following year. Similar to when Bird chose Danny Granger in 2004 – no one knew who he was, but he quickly made a name for himself. George is doing so now.
In addition to the draft success, Bird’s patience to lower the team’s cap has proven most beneficial. Without it, there would be no David West and the possibility of adding additional caliber players in the future.
At Recorder press time, Indiana was third in the Eastern Conference preparing for the playoffs. Four years ago, they were planning vacations. This is not possible without Bird.
The future is so bright for the Pacers, I can’t imagine Bird not wanting to shine right along with them.
