2007-2008 NBA Season Preview: Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are looking for a fresh start in 2007-2008. Jermaine O'Neal's healthy, Ike Diogu has had a chance to find his place with the Pacers, Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy are stronger, and Jamaal Tinsley may just have a career year.

This is the opposite of what the previous 2006-07 season tendered to the Pacers.

With court cases dealt to former Indiana Pacer and NBA champion Stephen Jackson and a general lack of on-court flexibility with former head coach Rick Carlisle, Larry Bird and Co. decided that changes needed to be made.

Out with Jackson, the team's most dynamic shooting guard. Out with the robotic, inflexible Carlisle. In came Diogu, Dunleavy and Murphy. Also coming through the door was former Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers head coach Jim O'Brien to lead the team.

With Diogu, the Pacers have a talented power player but still lacking in experience and general comfort on the floor (along with size). Dunleavy and Murphy offer decent shooting with their considerable size, but have been maligned as soft players for the most part, if not losers for their careers.

In Dunleavy, the Pacers can use the 6'10" small forward/shooting guard all over the court. The problems with him being a passive player or even an average player are fair, but that has had more to do with his $45 million contract extension from the Golden State Warriors. Dunleavy can fill a lot of holes (even playing point guard and power forward in pinches), but he must remain confident.

Murphy hasn't had quite the same criticism of flaws on his game, but being 7'0" and wanting to essentially play small forward when you once were a NBA leader in rebounding isn't going to fly. He must show his qualities as a post player, a high-post shooting post player, but a post player nonetheless.

O'Neal hasn't had the greatest relationship with the Pacers within the past year, struggling with criticisms to his injury record and responding in the summer with trade demands to the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite this, O'Neal is poised to have another All-Star, while the emerging Danny Granger fills the hole as the starting small forward.

Tinsley is due for a good year, after having so-so sessions with Carlisle in previous seasons, and showing a general malaise when it's come to leading the Pacers by action with his play on the court. For that reason, the reliable and young Travis Diener was signed away from the Orlando Magic to ensure some point guard stability.

Those issues, along with Marquis Daniels remaining healthy, the center position being settled by O'Neal, David Harrison and Jeff Foster, and O'Brien bringing in a more flexible season should be enough to make the Pacers interesting to watch in the upcoming 2008 season.

If Indiana can stabilize, jell and find a way to play their strengths, the playoffs are feasible. Otherwise, Pacer fans may need pacemakers to get through the 82-game schedule.