# Uh-Oh: Jermaine realized we're rebuilding



## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

Guess what that means:



> LOS ANGELES -- If Jermaine O'Neal gets his wish, he will not be playing for the Indiana Pacers next season. If he gets his dream, he will be suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant.





> "I would welcome a trade to the Lakers," said O'Neal, who averaged 19.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots last season. "Indiana has given me the opportunity to establish myself as a really good player in this league, but they're into rebuilding and going really young, and I'm just not in a position physically to go through another five to six years with a lot of losses and a lot of down time."





> The Lakers have tried to acquire O'Neal, 28, several times this offseason, but talks have reportedly stalled over Indiana's insistence that the Lakers' package include both Lamar Odom and 19-year-old center Andrew Bynum. The Lakers' refusal to part with Bynum, the 10th pick in the 2005 draft, cost them a chance at Jason Kidd during last year's trading deadline. The failed trade was the basis of Bryant's infamous videotaped tirade in a shopping center parking lot in which he said the Lakers should have dealt Bynum for Kidd.





> "Los Angeles and New Jersey would be my top two teams," O'Neal said. "I think L.A.'s a real possibility and I think New Jersey's a possibility too."





> "I think that would be a great addition for us if we had an opportunity to get a guy like Jermaine," Kidd said. "He comes every night to play and he's a great person and a great basketball player. It would be a huge move."





> "I love L.A.," O'Neal said. "I normally train here every summer. The last two summers I haven't trained here because I got hurt, but I love it here. My daughter loves it. My wife loves it. This is one of the prime places that if I were to be traded, I would allow Indiana to trade me here."





> "We've spoken a couple times this offseason," O'Neal said. "Me and Kobe have been on each other since we were 15, playing AAU basketball, adidas All-American Camp, Nike All-American Camp. It's been a long relationship that we've had. We talked about maybe playing together. ... We just want to make sure that our thought processes are similar and now we're going to let the business handle itself. I mean, we could talk for years, but if [Lakers GM] Mitch Kupchak and [Pacers president] Larry Bird don't decide to make the deal, then it's all talk."





> "I think Kobe's in a position right now where he understands that he needs some help," O'Neal said. "He needs some help to get to the position where he wants to be. I think he's the best player in the NBA and the world, but obviously no player can do it by himself. He has a nice group around him, but he needs some help and I can give him some support. ... He wants to prove to people that he can get back to the NBA championship, and I'm at a point in my career where I want to prove to people that I can help a team get to the championship."





> "What people don't realize when they consider my last three years to be 'down years' is that I was physically hurt," said O'Neal, who missed 82 games during that stretch. "I went out and played on knees I needed to take care of. My meniscus, I put that off for two years [before having surgery in April]. I'm 100 percent right now. I really want an opportunity to rejuvenate myself. At 28, I'm going into my prime. The game is slowing down for me, I understand it a lot more, so I'm ready to go out and show people what I could really do."





> "I've had quite a few conversations with the Pacers," he said. "I just wanted to see where the organization's focus was with the team. If they're trying to rebuild, maybe it's better to get younger pieces [in a trade] for me so they could grow with the young guys. I just told them that I can't be in a rebuilding mode right now. I can't go through that. Physically that's going to wear on me too much to do that."


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/arash_markazi/08/06/oneal.trade/index.html

Can we just give in already? Odom would be perfect as a PF under O'Brien, but he's not necessary. I'd much rather have a package of Bynum, Crittenton, and Brown than Jefferson and Krstic.


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## Jizzy (Aug 24, 2005)

Jefferson, Krstic, Marcus and a pick would be great for the Nets, hopefully even better if we cans wap Collins with Marcus but that is if the Lakers refuse. I will be hoping that the Lakers do so well, they don't need him but anyway, JON is getting traded.


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## Zuca (Dec 4, 2003)

Lakers send Kwame, Farmar and a 2nd rounder to Pacers and Odom to Wizards;
Wizards send Jamison (expiring contract) to Pacers;
Pacers send Jermaine O'Neal and Darrell Armstrong to Lakers;


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

Please, let it be farmer being traded and not javaris...


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

I'd much rather trade Farmar and our '08 first than Crittenton, but if we can have Kobe, LO and JO, I'll be thrilled.


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## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

I'm too lazy to find links for these first few other than searching hoopshype, but they should be reliable. The last two are from the New York Post, though.

http://hoopshype.com/rumors.htm



> "In any discussions regarding him or any of our other players, the expectations for the franchise and our fans is to receive fair market value in return if a trade is to be considered," Bird said in a statement Monday.





> His agent, Arn Tellem, flatly denied the trade talk in an e-mail to the AP. "He hasn't requested a trade to the Lakers," Tellem wrote. "Any reports to the contrary are inaccurate."





> O'Neal said he recognized that the Pacers are rebuilding with young players and he might not be part of future plans. "If they want to move in a different direction, I wouldn't be disgruntled about it," he said. "If I am traded, it would be seven great years I had with this team. And if I'm going to be here, I'd welcome it with open arms."





> "Larry Bird is a hard man to deal with," O'Neal was quoted as saying. "He tries to make unfair trades. He wants to gut a team, but the Lakers are trying to get over the hump. I want Indiana to benefit, but with some nice young players and draft picks. I want to make it clear that I don't want to gut a team that I come to, because then it'll be like Indiana all over again." O'Neal denied making that statement Monday when it was read to him. "Wow," he said. "I didn't say that."





> Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal has discounted Internet reports that he wants to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. "My preference is to play here and win here," O'Neal said in a telephone interview after returning from Los Angeles on Monday afternoon, attempting to deflate a brewing controversy that had brought clarifying statements from Pacers president Larry Bird and O'Neal's agent, Arn Tellem.





> O'Neal, a six-time All-Star, downplayed the trade talk in an interview with The Associated Press. "I don't think me saying I'd like to go with those teams is me saying I want to be traded," he said





> The Nets had offered Richard Jefferson, Nenad Krstic and Jason Collins, but the Pacers wanted Marcus Williams over Collins.





> The Nets can't comment, but they can try to renew trade talks. Multiple sources indicated that's the plan regarding Jermaine O'Neal after the Indiana star said at a charity event in Los Angeles he would welcome a trade to the Lakers first and the Nets second, rather than rebuild with the Pacers.


Then from the Indystar:




> Bird has had trade discussions with both teams regarding O'Neal this summer. A draft day conversation with the Nets was brief, however, and he has not talked with the Lakers since early July.
> 
> Bird issued a statement through the Pacers on Monday, repeating his claim that O'Neal would be traded only if he brings "fair market value."
> 
> "Jermaine has worked out very hard this summer while rehabilitating his knee after surgery (for a torn meniscus)," the statement read. "We believe under (new coach) Jim O'Brien that our team as a whole and Jermaine as a player can be successful. You never know what will happen, but for now Jermaine is an Indiana Pacer."





> O'Neal said he believes the Pacers can reach the playoffs next season with their current roster, and spoke positively about O'Brien, who will install a faster-paced offense.
> 
> Contrary to his quotes in the Internet stories, he said the Pacers are not rebuilding.
> 
> ...





> "I should have gotten that (surgery) two years ago," he said. "I feel a difference in my movement now. It will be the first time in a long time I'm walking into a season worry free about any part of my body. I'm really excited."





> He was quoted in Los Angeles as saying he would opt out "if things don't work" with the Pacers next season, but downplayed that possibility later in the day.
> 
> "I'm happy where I'm at," he said. "As far as the opt-out clause, it's there. But the only way I do that is if it's a very unenjoyable situation."


http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070807/SPORTS04/708070339/1088/SPORTS04

So, it sounds like O'Neal wants to stay, but wouldn't mind a trade to New Jersey or LA, more so the Lakers. If the Pacers miss the playoffs next year, he'll probably opt out. I guess we have one more year to make this work.


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## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

Audio from the original interview. I recognized a few quotes:

http://www.basketballnewsservices.com/storage/JermaineONeal_Audio.wma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J86irACs9rQ


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## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

Pleeeeeease accept out trade offer!


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## Knick Killer (Jul 16, 2006)

Get him out of here already. Could he be any more clear? He wants out of Indiana.


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

probably best for the Pacers if they can make a good deal.I don't think anything that's being proposed seriously right now is that great a deal though.Lakers won't give up Bynum and Odom probably...The Nets offer doesn't help the Pacers at all.They need young players and draft picks right now.


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## PaCeRhOLiC (May 22, 2005)

Either way we look at it, this team is in serious trouble...I'm also afraid for the season to start.


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## Zuca (Dec 4, 2003)

Your team should try to involve Sacramento in a JO idea... Just wondering:

Lakers trade Odom to Sacramento; Farmar, Radmanovic and Kwame to Indiana;
Indiana trade JO, Murphy and Darrell Armstrong to Lakers; Tinsley to Sacramento;
Sacramento trade Mike Bibby and Shareef Abdur-Rahim to Indiana;

Then your team can either trade try to reach the playoffs giving O'Brien a player that he loves, trading Dunleavy for Antoine Walker (same contract size and lenght), or try to convince NY to take him for Malik Rose (contract with less years remaining). In case that your team trade for Walker, trade Shareef to Cleveland for Donyell Marshall (Reef is a better player than Donyell but Donyell have 1 year less in his contract)

Roster 1:

Foster/Kwame/Harrison
Walker/Diogu/Marshall
Granger/Shawne/Radmanovic
Daniels/Rush/Graham
Bibby/Farmar/Diener

Roster 2:

Foster/Kwame/Harrison
Diogu/Abdur-Rahim/Malik Rose
Granger/Shawne/Radmanovic
Daniels/Rush/Graham
Bibby/Farmar/Diener


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## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

I would certainly do that deal. Not sure about the Pacers or the Kings.


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## PaCeRhOLiC (May 22, 2005)

I would take Walker over Bumleavy anyday...


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## nbanoitall (May 21, 2004)

forget about old people. TAKE BYNUM. Seriously, its a no brainer. trade the vets, rebuild around him.... it will be worth it. Granger and Bynum is a nice start to a new team.


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

Trade with the Nets unless Lakers offer Bynum. 

I think it is very clear that Pacers are in re-building mode. There is something this team can do. Take expiring contracts and collect lots of picks. In 3~4 years, this team will be serious again.


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## Zuca (Dec 4, 2003)

Lakers and Pacers talking about JO again?

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_a...nd_pacers_talking_about_jermaine_trade_again/


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## Knick Killer (Jul 16, 2006)

Zuca said:


> Lakers and Pacers talking about JO again?
> 
> http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_a...nd_pacers_talking_about_jermaine_trade_again/


Do it Donnie. Get Jermaine O'neal out of here. I seriously believe this deal will go down. This is the last chance for the Lakers to make Kobe happy. They wont trade Kobe, instead they will trade for someone like O'neal. They would loose so much money if they got rid of Kobe, so please just give up Bynum so we can get this deal done.


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## Wayne (May 24, 2006)

SCREW THAT!! BYNUM IS MOST OVERRATED PLAYER IN NBA RIGHT NOW!! And not to mention Lamar is injured ONCE AGAIN, and he is not even that good. Without Jermaine, who is going to defend the post against players like Tim Duncan or Boozer, and who is going to give the team blocked shots and an anchor for post defense??


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## MikeDC (Jul 16, 2002)

Bynum still doesn't seem to be all that ready to play judging from last night. If the Pacers are going to move O'Neal, they really should have a deal for some of their other long-term overpaid guys lined up too (I'm looking in your direction Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy and Jamaal Tinsley)


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## StephenJackson (Oct 28, 2004)

Knick_Killer31 said:


> Do it Donnie. Get Jermaine O'neal out of here. I seriously believe this deal will go down. This is the last chance for the Lakers to make Kobe happy. They wont trade Kobe, instead they will trade for someone like O'neal. They would loose so much money if they got rid of Kobe, so please just give up Bynum so we can get this deal done.



Gross. Getting JO out of here would be the worst thing this team could do right now.


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## Pacersthebest (Aug 6, 2005)

Can JO opt out next year? And is it true we get nothing from him then??

If thats the case; make a nice trade.


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## Knick Killer (Jul 16, 2006)

StephenJackson said:


> Gross. Getting JO out of here would be the worst thing this team could do right now.



Why? This team cant compete for the Championship. Why be average? Lets build for a nice fresh future.


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## Wayne (May 24, 2006)

Building around Andrew Bynum or Lamar Odom is a future of lottery picks


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## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

Wayne said:


> Building around Andrew Bynum or Lamar Odom is a future of lottery picks


So you either let Jermaine leave without getting anything and enjoy a future of lottery picks. Or you get a few players to piece with those lottery picks.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

Knick_Killer31 said:


> Why? This team cant compete for the Championship. Why be average? Lets build for a nice fresh future.


The same is true of the lakers even if they get JO.


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