During this off-season, point guard T.J. Ford was given a player option to leave or stay with the Indiana Pacers. After an improvement during the second-half of the NBA season, Ford has now decided to stay in Indy; according to his agent.
Ford joined the Pacers two years go in a trade involving the Raptors as the Pacers traded away star (now injury-prone) PF Jermaine O’Neal for the point guard. Ah, it seems like it was just yesterday.
Okay, yeah, I know: realisticly I don’t think so. Back to the news.
In his first season with Indy, he did well. He had a career-high 14.9 PPG and had made a nice one-two PG combo punch with now-Raptors’ PG Jarrett Jack during the 2008-09 season.
Ford was also voted the fastest player in the NBA.
Ford was looking to have great expectations entering the 2009 season and had high hopes. It was later to find out that he was struggling tremendously, as Jim O’Brien benched him in the favor of Earl Watson and A.J. Price for the next 20 games.
Ford then had his chance to play again and improved, putting up 10.3 PPG. Though he only played 47 games and wasn’t as happy this year as he was last season, he decided to give Indy one more try and show what he’s worth to the franchise.
Larry Bird should be happy with the decision Ford made as well as Jim O’Brien and many others. Fans should be happy. Though Ford is a bit of a ball-hog and sometimes a selfish, mediocre player, he can still make things happen.
And that’s what I want out of him. To make things happen.
He still makes a different and works hard every game. My only problem is that he needs to be more unselfish when playing and share the ball more often. Also, if you’re going to take those shots that you might as well miss most of the time, practice. Practice those shots.
I’ve seen you in shoot-around pulling off that stuff and you miss most of those shots at the rim. You cost the team two games when you wanted to take buzzer-beaters. That’s why many of us Pacers fans gave you grades in the C-through-F range.
Gotta improve Ford, gotta improve.
Ford will most likely have to fight for the starting spot. I really liked how well Price and Watson played, filling in for Ford. I really wouldn’t mind him starting, but I’d like for him to improve a bit more. In my opinion, I think he will.
Ford can also be a valued backup PG to the team. The Pacers look to shuffle around with their guards a lot for next year. The Pacers are shopping for a point guard this off-season, and they think Ford isn’t the future.
That is why I think Ford re-signed. To show what he’s worth. That he can be a different player. More and more rumors are coming up of players like Eric Bledsoe and such. Ford will improve, I think.
Just keep up the good work T.J.
You can make a difference for next year.
This re-signing may be the start of something new.