Troy Murphy = Perfect fit

[imahustla]

He cant defend and he is another who has put up numbers on really bad teams.

Funny, that's the same thing they said about Mo Williams.

 

[imahustla]

I'd rather have David West, but if we got Murphey I wouldn't complain.

Getting David West would be cause for a parade down Euclid Avenue, but funny that you mention both. Check out this post from DIME Mag's blog exactly a year ago:

http://dimemag.com/2008/12/why-do-they-keep-giving-him-that/

NBA / Dec 9, 2008 / 4:35 pm
The White David West

By Austin Burton
Troy MurphyTroy Murphy (photo. NBA)

Watching almost every Indiana Pacers game this season, I’ve come to a few conclusions:

1. Danny Granger will play in multiple All-Star games over the next decade.
2. If you combined Rasho Nesterovic’s offense with Jeff Foster’s defense/rebounding/hustle, you’d have a beast on your hands.
3. Given enough minutes, Marquis Daniels could average 12-15 points a game until he’s 40 years old.
4. T.J. Ford is more talented, but I’ll take Jarrett Jack to run my team in crunch time 93 times out of 100.
5. Troy Murphy is the White David West.

About that last one: You know how West makes a living on those wide-open jumpers from the top of the key that Chris Paul creates? Murphy has that same shot, only it’s from a few steps back. His straightaway three-pointer, often a result of him being the trailer in Indiana’s up-tempo transition game, is as money a shot as anyone’s shot in the League.

Before the Pacers fell under Amare Stoudemire’s 49-point destruction in early November, Murphy hit four straightaway triples in the first half (as Amare refused to guard him) and had Indiana well in control. When they knocked off the Rockets a few weeks, the turning point was when Jim O’Brien went small and forced Yao to guard Murphy, who feasted on those straightaway threes (as Yao couldn’t meet him at the arc) and set the table for a Pacers’ comeback. Overall, Murphy is shooting just under 38 percent on three-pointers this year, but I’d be willing to bet he’s sticking at least half of his treys from his signature spot.

Looking at the rest of the League, who else has that one shot that they never seem to miss?

 

[daytripper]

I usually don't pay much attention to +/- stats but Troy Murphy was -40 in 23 minutes last night against the Heat.

 

[Ziggie123]

I think Murphy would be a great pickup, if it does include JJ...I think Ferry wants to keep JJ for another deal he is working on. JJ is one of our few tradeable talents albeit still developing. Any chance at Bosh will have to include some talent going to the Raptors

 

[kovanovich]

I usually don't pay much attention to +/- stats but Troy Murphy was -40 in 23 minutes last night against the Heat.

The Pacers lost by 34, and it would have been more but the Pacers' reserves outscored Miami's during garbage time in the 4th quarter. The significance of the simple +/- is debatable, but even its advocates acknowledge its value is greatest with a large sample set (like, an entire season).

Since Granger got hurt, Murphy has basically been Indiana's number one option, which is a real stretch for him. He has continued to be productive though and is shooting the highest percentage of his career. But I wouldn't be surprised to see that percentage come down a few points, as he is forced to take more shots.

Speaking of Murphy, I'm sure someone posted this in some thread that I haven't read yet, but Chris Sheridan had this to say in his chat today:

They showed they're not afraid to move Z (they tried to get Stephen Jackson, but wanted the Warriors to promise to waive Z, after which he would have re-signed with the Cavs following the mandatory 30-day waiting period), but they've got to throw some kind of significant player to get someone the caliber of Troy Murphy or Antawn Jamison, and beyond Anderson Varejao, I don't see anything that would interest Indiana or Washington.]

I don't have any particular insight into this, especially the thinking of the Pacers' FO (Larry Bird), but I think there is a good chance Sheridan will ultimately be wrong about this. It might take marginally more than Z's expiring contract, but I think at least one of the two -- Washington or Indiana -- will eventually bite. It just makes too much sense.

Also, I think Sheridan got the specifics of the Cavs' Z offer to GS wrong...So far as I can tell, it was Z for S-Jax and Turiaf and, though this has never been reported, I suspect Ferry would have wanted a future pick as well. That trade may or may not have ever actually been on the table, but the Cavs did make clear (and I agreed with them), that they needed a big back if they were trading Z.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

I still prefer Jamison.

I don't HATE Murphy though. I like that he's an option. I like that we have a lot of options because it increases the chances something gets done.

 

[jakester000042]

http://www.indystar.com/article/200...ird-says-coach-stays-despite-recent-struggles

CHICAGO -- The Indiana Pacers are stuck in reverse.

They take a six-game losing streak into tonight's contest against the Chicago Bulls, they have the NBA's fifth-worst record and their chemistry has come into question. Fans are clamoring for team president Larry Bird to make a move, preferably to replace coach Jim O'Brien.

For fans in that camp, don't get your hopes up.

Bird said Monday he has no plans to fire O'Brien.

If anything changes, according to Bird, it will be the roster.

"Jim is going to be here; that's one thing the players have to know," Bird said. "The coach is secure. We wouldn't have picked up his option if we didn't think he was secure. If the players have a problem with Jim, the players are the ones that are probably going to leave."

The Pacers are coming off their second-worst loss since the 2004 brawl, a 34-point blowout at Miami one day after a 12-point loss against Atlanta. They are closer to catching New Jersey for the league's worst record than Cleveland for the Central Division lead.

"I don't like what I'm seeing," Bird said. "Going in, we expected to compete and be in every game. I thought last year we played very hard and had a chance to make the playoffs at the end. The play on the court now, it's no excuse. We have to be able to compete on a nightly basis."

The Pacers (9-20) are one game worse than they were at this point last season, but there's a different feel.

"I've seen it off and on throughout the season," Bird said. "I take notes every game and watch the players' performance, watch their body language. I watch them on the bench.

"It's a clear sign when guys or the team is not playing well, guys sit on the bench and they cover their face with their towel and they're talking to one another. That's not a good sign and that's something we don't like seeing."

Fans blame O'Brien, who is 81-112 in two-plus seasons. Bird doesn't. Bird said the team is still rebuilding, and extending O'Brien's contract through next season is part of the process.

"We decided awhile back that we had a plan and we're going to stick with the plan," Bird said. "If there's changes that are going to be made, it's going to be through personnel, not through the coaches."
Don't expect owner Herb Simon to step in and make a move, either.

Simon said he supports Bird and O'Brien.

"It's a problem, but it's solvable and we're going to solve it," Simon said Monday. "It's going to take some time. We always said it was going to take three years to get the flexibility we needed. This is just a little setback."

Bird is exploring trades, but he won't make a move just to appease fans.

He is looking toward the summer of 2011, when the Pacers will gain salary cap flexibility as the contracts of Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy expire. They will make $22.5 million combined next season.

"Something we have to do is really watch everything and make sure, if we make a deal, it's going to be looking forward to the future," Bird said. "We've always been looking. We talk to people, just not every day. With the cap and the (luxury) tax coming down again next year, we're in a situation where we have to be very careful what we do."

 

[Spencer Hawes]

Do all Hall-of-Famers fail at being GM's? Jordan, Bird, McHale, Isaiah

 

[Glenechocreek]

I have the feeling that, if we get anyone, it's going to be Murphy. I don't see Washington dealing with us, and I don't see GS dealing Randolph. I think it's a bluff to get him to fly right.

Murphy would be just fine.

 

[polishph]

Any way we could pull off a Dahntay Jones/Troy Murphy deal? That would fill our our needs correct? A starting lineup of

Mo Williams
Dahntay Jones
Shaq
Troy Murphy
Lebron

Looks pretty good.

 

[kovanovich]

Murphy sprained his ankle in tonight's game against Chicago and didn't play much. Pacers lost their 7th in a row.

I found the following part the most interesting from the Pacers' article quoted above...As I have pointed out before, unless they make changes to their roster, the Pacers will be paying luxury tax next year. Getting Murphy off the books for 2010-11 would get them well under the luxury tax line and give them a little flexibility to retool their team in the off-season.

"We decided awhile back that we had a plan and we're going to stick with the plan," Bird said. "If there's changes that are going to be made, it's going to be through personnel, not through the coaches."
Don't expect owner Herb Simon to step in and make a move, either.

Simon said he supports Bird and O'Brien.

"It's a problem, but it's solvable and we're going to solve it," Simon said Monday. "It's going to take some time. We always said it was going to take three years to get the flexibility we needed. This is just a little setback."

Bird is exploring trades, but he won't make a move just to appease fans.

He is looking toward the summer of 2011, when the Pacers will gain salary cap flexibility as the contracts of Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy expire. They will make $22.5 million combined next season.

"Something we have to do is really watch everything and make sure, if we make a deal, it's going to be looking forward to the future," Bird said. "We've always been looking. We talk to people, just not every day. With the cap and the (luxury) tax coming down again next year, we're in a situation where we have to be very careful what we do."

 

[castor777]

I wasn't high on the talks of Murphy to begin with, but I'm even less thrilled now that he has a sprained ankle if it turns out to be serious. We watched Wally go out last year when his shooting was very hot, only to return to downright sucking for the rest of the year. Gibson obviously had the toe injury that he was battling forever that hurt his game tremendously last season. Not to mention Z was going for an All-Star spot before his injury and he wasn't quite the same upon return. Any injury at all with feet and ankles involving shooters scares me away. Hopefully it's not serious at all and he returns quickly so we can see if it has an effect on his shot, but if he misses an extended amount of games over this than you can cross his name off the list immediately - not worth it at all.

 

[SanduskyCav]

nvm

 

[lbusiness]

the cavs going foward!

pg-m.williams/d.west/d.gibson
sg-c.eyenga/d.green
sf-l.james/e.prelzic/j.williams
pf-j.hickson/d.jackson
c-t.murphy/a.verajao/s.kahn

I love charting this roster!

we can win hella ships with this team,unlike Memet Okur,who won a ring with the pistons 04, Murphy is tough, and not affraid to mix it up down low,10 boards a game,we don't have a double digit rebounder on this team still!

He can easily play center on this team and space the floor,for bron ,congo and jj,the athletes.

this gives LBJ two guys on the floor who,can jump out the gym,and two sharp shooters,Im not ready to give up on J.J. he has a post game,it has to develope on this level,time is what its going to take by the time powe Moon and parker expire,him and eyenga will be ready, watch!

This allows us to keep andy and d.west comming off the bench to run that 2nd unit!

Danny Green fills Parkers roll,Prelzic is an athlete who can handle the ball and shoot, fills Moon's roll,and Jackson can easily fill Powe's roll,he has a 15 ftr,already,and no knee surgeries,and he boxes out ,why do people sleep on him and Danny Green,two national champs,from great programs!

and Gib is the 3rd string point guard still developing!

Might as well bring Kahn over too!

This team is set up for the future!

 

[jlegg21]

Gah, I guess I'd take The Murph, but only if he decided to get a freaking haircut and remove his hand from Dunleavy Jr's thigh once in a while...

Actually, nevermind... I dont think I want this guy. Reeks of the kind of move that makes LeBron go "Huh!? Really!!?? Wow, I'ma call Jay-Z real quick."