Author Archives: Kent Sterling

Breakfast with Kent – Just say “NO” to Kevin Love in return for Pacers Paul George!

Paul George trade – What #Pacers get back matters more than when trade is made

Paul George and LeBron James might be teammates, but the deal will take time to put together.

Timing is everything.

In the stock market, prices surge and recede based upon all kinds of conditions – some seen and understood by investors, and some not.  Get out at the right time, and pay off your house.  Wait too long or pull the trigger too soon, and your kids go to work instead of college.

The same is true when trading pro athletes.

The Indiana Pacers must trade Paul George, one of the 20 best basketball players in the world.  He will be a free agent next summer, and he plans to leave the Pacers – likely for the Los Angeles Lakers.  General manager Kevin Pritchard can’t just drive George to the airport and wave goodbye.

Pritchard needs to get pieces back that will allow the Pacers to contend for an NBA Championship in four years as LeBron James skills erode with age and the Warriors find it difficult to keep everyone happy. Continue reading →

Breakfast with Kent – Pacers go green – draft Leaf, Anigbogu, and Sumner; George still a Pacer

Pacers take TJ Leaf at #18 in first round & I’m trying to be happy about it

TJ Leaf can flat out play offensive basketball. Pacers fans should focus on that right now.

A Leaf blew into Indianapolis during the first round of the NBA Draft as though it’s already Autumn, and time for training camp to start.

T.J. Leaf will return to his family’s hometown as he begins what Pacers fans hope is a long and prosperous career.

There are some good to great things about T.J. Leaf that I’m trying to focus tonight when there was so much optimism we would see the Indiana Pacers take at least one significant step toward rebuilding.

  • Leaf is an elite offensive player who can stretch defenses, finish at the rim, and pass really well.
  • His dad Brad played at Lawrence North High School for the same coach who still coaches there today.
  • Leaf lead a stacked UCLA team in scoring as a freshman with 16.3 points per game.

That’s some good stuff. Continue reading →

Indiana Pacers need to build for 2021 not 2018 as Paul George will be dealt

Paul George might still bring a championship to Indy through what is acquire for him in a trade today.

It’s time.

Finally, it’s time.

The Indiana Pacers need to look realistically at the landscape of the NBA and understand that winning a championship in the next three seasons is a physical impossibility.  It cannot be done by the Pacers – or any of the NBA teams not the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers.

The Warriors and Cavs are the current beasts, the Celtics are solid and have a ton of first round picks in the next three drafts, and the Lakers appear to be what’s next for soon-to-be free agent LeBron James.

Because of the that, the Pacers need to marshal all resources toward building a beast for four years from now, when LeBron gets creaky, and the Warriors likely unravel. Continue reading →

Breakfast with Kent – Pacers need to make moves TODAY!; Biggie should go in 1st round