Better working conditions. More opportunity for advancement. Same pay.
No wonder Scot Pollard likes his new job.
The Indiana Pacers center, acquired in last week's trade that sent Brad Miller to Sacramento, had a smile as bright as his bottle-blond hair when he was introduced to the media at Conseco Fieldhouse on Tuesday.
Here in the Eastern Conference, Pollard will see the likes of Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan half as often and won't have to go through the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs or Dallas Mavericks to get to the NBA Finals.
He also has a much better chance of starting, as opposed to backing up Vlade Divac.
"There're a lot of positives that can come out of it for my career," said Pollard, who began his career in the East with Detroit.
"I don't have to play against Shaq and Duncan every night. Out East there's Ben Wallace and that's about it. Not that it's easy out here, but it's different. It's a different style of play."
Via Indianapolis Star
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Reggie Miller was the Indiana Pacers' first priority as contract negotiations resumed Monday, but Jon Barry could be next in line.
The free-agent shooting guard who played the past two seasons for the Detroit Pistons said he hopes to receive a contract offer in the next few days.
"Right now, our focus is on Reggie," team president Larry Bird said. "We'll try to get Reggie done first."
Barry, 34, visited Indianapolis on July 18 to meet with team officials, and even checked out some Carmel-area neighborhoods.
"I had a great meeting with Isiah (Thomas), Donnie (Walsh) and Larry (Bird)," Barry said. "It would be something I'd love to do. They feel I'm a leader although I'm a bench player."
Barry said Jermaine O'Neal called him early in the summer to sell him on the Pacers and endorsed him to Walsh, the team's CEO.
Via Indianapolis Star
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Coach Gregg Popovich is quick to agree with people around the league who say the Spurs came out ahead when Jason Kidd opted to remain in New Jersey.
"You know, they're right," he said.
"I think it was Malik Rose who said in the paper that when one of the league's premier players is available, you have to make a run at him. That's all we did."
Ron Mercer, one of the new guys picked up during the Spurs' trading and signing spree, is quick to agree with Popovich's final assessment.
"This is great; it's the best opportunity I've had since I've been in the league," Mercer said during a telephone conversation. "I'll be playing alongside Tim Duncan, and you can't turn down a chance like that. I'm just glad to be a part of this championship team."
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Pacers Jul 2003 Archive
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 26, 2003
Ron Rothstein wasted little time assuming his duties as the newest member of Isiah Thomas' coaching staff.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 26, 2003
Now that they've engaged in some enforced wheeling and dealing, the Indiana Pacers are in a better position to re-sign Reggie Miller.
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Sacramento Bee | Jul 25, 2003
On the surface, it appears as if two-time NBA Executive of the Year Geoff Petrie did it again.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 25, 2003
Indiana Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh understands the negative vibe rising from the streets and filtering through the media.
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San Antonio Express-News | Jul 25, 2003
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich finally got his man when the Spurs signed Rasho Nesterovic earlier this month.
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Newark Star-Ledger | Jul 25, 2003
The possibility of signing Reggie Miller remains a long shot for the Nets, who can only offer him a $1.
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South Florida Sun-Sentinel | Jul 25, 2003
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Sacramento Bee | Jul 24, 2003
Free-agent center Brad Miller is not officially a member of the Kings, but consummation of a three-team deal that would send center Scot Pollard to the Indiana Pacers and guard-forward Hedo Turkoglu to the San Antonio Spurs could come today.
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San Antonio Express-News | Jul 24, 2003
The Spurs are plugging potential holes in the dike with a trade that will bring in forward Hedo Turkoglu and guard Ron Mercer.
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ESPN | Jul 23, 2003
Indiana, Sacramento and San Antonio are on the verge of a three-team trade that would send Brad Miller to the Kings, ESPN.
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Denver Post | Jul 23, 2003
The Nuggets upped their ante Tuesday in the Brad Miller sweepstakes.
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Sacramento Bee | Jul 23, 2003
The Kings have been on the sidelines during the recent free-agent period, but that doesn't mean they've been idle.
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Denver Post | Jul 22, 2003
The Nuggets made their move to acquire an NBA all-star Monday by offering free-agent center Brad Miller a contract in the six-year, $49 million range, according to sources close to the team.
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram | Jul 22, 2003
Another big man on the Mavericks' free-agent wish list is on the verge on signing elsewhere.
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Rocky Mountain News | Jul 21, 2003
The Utah Jazz might have priced the Denver Nuggets out of the Brad Miller derby.
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Denver Post | Jul 21, 2003
Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe is very interested in Indiana free-agent center Brad Miller.
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Newsday | Jul 21, 2003
Brad Miller, last of the major free-agent centers, is inching closer to a big-money contract that could force him to leave Indiana, but despite the Knicks' undeniable interest, they remain longshots to pull off a deal that would give them the size they lack in the middle.
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Rocky Mountain News | Jul 20, 2003
It's looking more and more as if the Los Angeles Clippers won't match the six-year, $51 million offer sheet that restricted free-agent point guard Andre Miller signed last Wednesday with the Denver Nuggets.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 20, 2003
Pacers free-agent center Brad Miller returned to Indiana on Saturday night from a three-day Rocky Mountain tour without a clear vision of his immediate NBA future.
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Salt Lake Tribune | Jul 20, 2003
And on the fourth day of the NBA free-agent signing period, nothing happened.
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Salt Lake Tribune | Jul 20, 2003
And on the fourth day of the NBA free-agent signing period, nothing happened.
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Newsday | Jul 20, 2003
There's no question general manager Scott Layden has stepped up his efforts to transform the Knicks' roster dramatically this summer, but wanting it to happen and pulling it off in such a difficult economic climate are two different things.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 20, 2003
Pacers free-agent center Brad Miller returned to Indiana on Saturday night from a three-day Rocky Mountain tour without a clear vision of his immediate NBA future.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 19, 2003
The Indiana Pacers could be a day late and a few million dollars short in the Brad Miller sweepstakes.
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Salt Lake Tribune | Jul 19, 2003
They lost Andre Miller.
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Daytona Beach News-Journal | Jul 19, 2003
Darrell Armstrong has enjoyed a productive run with the Orlando Magic.
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Salt Lake Tribune | Jul 18, 2003
Indiana Pacer center Brad Miller spent Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
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Dallas Morning News | Jul 18, 2003
Free agent Elden Campbell is among a list of options the Mavericks are considering at forward, president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said.
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Salt Lake Tribune | Jul 18, 2003
Indiana Pacer center Brad Miller spent Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
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New York Post | Jul 18, 2003
With sign-and-trade talks for Indiana center Brad Miller not going anywhere, Knicks GM Scott Layden has had conversations with the Pacers about a deal for small forward Al Harrington that would send Charlie Ward to Indiana, sources say.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 17, 2003
The proclamation from the mayor declared Wednesday to be Jermaine O'Neal Day in Indianapolis.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 17, 2003
Now that the Indiana Pacers are ready to focus their attention on Brad Miller, Miller is ready to take a look elsewhere.
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Rocky Mountain News | Jul 17, 2003
The Denver Nuggets already have offered one Miller millions.
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Boston Globe | Jul 17, 2003
He wants another chance.
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Jul 17, 2003
The instant Gary Payton decided to leave for Los Angeles, the mission was clear for Milwaukee Bucks general manager Larry Harris.
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Associated Press | Jul 16, 2003
The Indiana Pacers signed forward Jermaine O'Neal to a seven-year contract Wednesday, saying they expect him to be the team's cornerstone for years to come.
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Los Angeles Times | Jul 16, 2003
The tough went shopping, as expected, but that was the only thing that turned out the way it was supposed to in 15 days of negotiations and creative messing with each other.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 16, 2003
With the possibility looming that the Indiana Pacers will be unable to re-sign free agent Brad Miller, what will the team do to replace their center? "Then you have the rest of the summer to make sure you get somebody," said Donnie Walsh, chief executive officer of Pacers Sports & Entertainment.
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Jul 16, 2003
The Milwaukee Bucks will add veteran guard Erick Strickland and power forward Brian Skinner to their roster when the National Basketball Association free-agent signing period opens today.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 15, 2003
If Brad Miller can't get the contract he seeks from the Indiana Pacers, his agent says the All-Star center is prepared to seek one elsewhere.
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St. Paul Pioneer Press | Jul 15, 2003
Now that free-agent forward Juwan Howard has committed to the Orlando Magic, the Timberwolves have moved to Plan B, which includes talking with the agent of Indiana Pacers center Brad Miller.
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Dallas Morning News | Jul 14, 2003
Yes, the Mavericks say they've talked a couple of times early last week with free agent forward Robert Horry, the former Los Angeles Laker.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 13, 2003
It wasn't long after the news conference Friday that introduced Larry Bird as the Indiana Pacers' president of basketball operations when many thoughts turned to Rick Carlisle.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 12, 2003
Minutes into his tenure as the Indiana Pacers' president of basketball operations, Larry Bird let it be known that there are changes on the horizon.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 12, 2003
Indiana basketball legend Larry Bird spent the past three years searching for his niche in the NBA.
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Deseret Morning News | Jul 11, 2003
One Miller is visiting Utah and may soon join the Jazz.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 10, 2003
For a while, Jermaine O'Neal pondered the possibilities of playing alongside Tim Duncan.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 9, 2003
Barring unexpected developments or a sudden change of heart, All-Star forward Jermaine O'Neal will commit to the Indiana Pacers for seven more seasons on July 16.
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New York Times | Jul 9, 2003
Jason Kidd and his wife, Joumana, returned to New Jersey from a lavish 26-hour recruiting visit to San Antonio late Monday, laden with a $94 million maximum offer and visions of winning a championship.
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Ft. Worth Star-Telegram | Jul 9, 2003
Indiana Pacers free agent Jermaine O'Neal's planned trip to Texas today may be delayed because of a family emergency.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 8, 2003
A gift pack has been mailed and a sit-down conversation has been scheduled.
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Indianapolis Star Columnist Bob Kravitz | Jul 7, 2003
Chances are, Jermaine O'Neal will stay home.
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San Antonio Express-News | Jul 6, 2003
It was almost two years ago to the day, during a lull in negotiations with David Robinson, when Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called the representatives of Chris Webber.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 6, 2003
Hiram Fuller is convinced that his participation in the Indiana Pacers' minicamp the past three days was the product of serendipity.
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Indy Star | Jul 5, 2003
Wanted: a big man with touch
McCaskill, 29, has those attributes, but Pacers, other NBA teams prefer youth.
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Palm Beach Post | Jul 5, 2003
The Heat, now armed with $11 million, is a major player in the free-agent market, and guard Anthony Carter is a free agent as the result of a mind-boggling set of circumstances.
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St. Paul Pioneer Press Columnist Charley Walters | Jul 4, 2003
The Timberwolves are trying to acquire forward Al Harrington from the Indiana Pacers in a trade for point guard Terrell Brandon.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 4, 2003
There is no pay scale for a Reggie Miller.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 4, 2003
Carl English has a point to prove to all the NBA teams that passed on drafting him.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 3, 2003
Walsh offered a blunt rebuttal to a Los Angeles Times report that the Pacers are trying to trade Austin Croshere and Al Harrington to Milwaukee for Payton.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 3, 2003
Jim Stack, an assistant coach for the Pacers the past three seasons, will interview for a similar position in Chicago today.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 3, 2003
Walsh has started talking with representatives for free agents in whom he has interest.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 3, 2003
Free agents Reggie Miller, Jermaine O'Neal and Brad Miller are well-acquainted with the Indiana Pacers and Indianapolis.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 3, 2003
Former St.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 3, 2003
James Jones said he didn't think he made a good impression on the Indiana Pacers when he worked out for the team at Conseco Fieldhouse weeks before last Thursday's NBA draft.
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Seattle Post-Intelligencer Reporter | Jul 2, 2003
At 6 feet 2, Kevin Ollie was the shortest Sonic last season.
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Indianapolis Star | Jul 2, 2003
Jermaine O'Neal apparently plans to flex his freedom and visit with other teams.
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San Antonio Express-News | Jul 1, 2003
Having already secured the services of the NBA's top free agent, the Spurs will now spend the next two to four weeks trying to find him some help.
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Indianapolis Star Columnist C. Jemal Horton | Jul 1, 2003
What if he doesn't come back? What if Jermaine O'Neal decides to take less money and move to San Antonio or some other city?
Well, it wouldn't be pretty.
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