Rumor: Larry Bird Told George Hill He Was Traded via Voicemail

George Hill reportedly found out he was traded via a voicemail from Larry Bird.

In news that went mostly under the radar, George Hill said he found out he was traded to the Utah Jazz is the least personal way possible.

A voice mail.

According to Vigilant Sports, it was as simple as that when Larry Bird traded the Hometown Hero.

"After a workout, Hill first learned he was traded when he listened to a voicemail from Pacers President Larry Bird saying “we had to trade you to Utah.”"

RTV had the same quote, along with Hill’s frustration that he won’t retire in an Indiana Pacers uniform.

"“Last time I checked, I was supposed to retire from Indiana,” Hill said. “Very surprising, but I know this is a business and anything can happen. So, I’m not upset about it. I think I’m in a great situation here. I’m here, somewhere where I feel wanted right now.”"

UPDATE: Weeks later, on August 3, the Indiana Pacers refuted this claim. “To clarify some misinformation that has been reported, Larry Bird informed George Hill of his trade in a direct phone call, not voicemail,” said the team through its @Pacers account.

The NBA is a business, there is no doubt about that, but that doesn’t mean everything has to be done with such little regard for those involved.

It isn’t the first time he’s done things this way, as the choice to let Frank Vogel go was handled just as clumsily, and wasn’t a move that was respected by former players. Bird’s final days as Roy Hibbert and David West’s boss didn’t go very smoothly either.

It is easy to rationalize that with ‘Who cares about former players?’, but it isn’t the best sign when everyone who deals with you comes away with a negative reaction. It is one thing if Taylor Swift and Kanye West don’t like each other, but when it seems everyone that comes into contact with you leaves pissed off,  you have to look at the common denominator. You suddenly realize there is a crack in the facade. Maybe it doesn’t matter in the short term at all, but over time, a reputation is built. And at some point, the thing you built will collapse.

Many fans look at sports and the relationships between players and teams as similar to their own job, but that idea is critically flawed. Me, you, and the average fan is as replaceable as the tire on a car — sure, the ride may be rough for a bit, but it isn’t too hard to find a short or long-term replacement. Pro athletes, on the other hand, are more like replacing a transmission. It isn’t easy, nor is it done quickly or cheaply.

Your boss may be an ass, but you have little choice but to deal with it. Realistically, we have limited mobility in our lives if we want to change things. It might require a major move that we aren’t able to afford, or switching careers entirely. For an NBA player, they may only have 30 options, but if they have above average talent, they have 30 options that will gladly take them in.

So if Larry Bird constantly is pissing off players, publicly demanding them to take certain roles, and generally lacking a certain touch when it comes to handling disputes, one has to wonder if that will have an effect on how free agents look at the Pacers as a destination. It is hard enough to attract big names in a smaller market, but I’m starting to wonder if Bird is making it harder with his style.

Next: Film Study: Breaking Down What Georges Niang Can Bring to the Indiana Pacers

This may not be a big problem, but in is nonetheless frustrating to find out about whenever a player leaves Indiana.