Today was like a fantasy for Pacers fans around the world (yes, they do actually have fans all over the world). Today, the Pacers made a dream trade and landed a young, talented point guard in Darren Collison. Collison averaged 12.4 points and 5.7 assists as a rookie last season with the Hornets, including 18.8 points and 9.1 assists in 37 starts while filling in for injured Chris Paul.

The Pacers have not had a point guard with the potential to be a franchise PG since they drafted Jamaal Tinsley in 2001. That didn’t work out so well, so there is no guarantees this is the magic bullet for point play either. But Collison was the best young talent available and I give props to Larry Bird for landing him without having to give up much. The Pacers traded the expiring contract of Troy Murphy who strangely has had the best numbers and most consistent play of any pacer the last few years, yet fans almost universally feel he was a hindrance to winning. Pacers also get versatile James Posey.

“I think it helps out tremendously,” Bird said. “I think this was the piece that we needed. The vision I have for this franchise is to get the core group up and ready to go as quick as we can, and this piece here will accelerate everything.”

With this addition, Indy’s depth chart will look like this:
PG: Darren Collison, Lance Stephenson, T.J. Ford, A.J. Price
SG: Brandon Rush, Paul George, Dahntay Jones,
SF: Danny Granger, James Posey, Mike Dunleavy
PF: Tyler Hansbrough, Josh McRoberts
C: Roy Hibbert, Jeff Foster, Solomon Jones

I think Indy can finally return to the playoffs and perhaps even be contenders in a few years as this young core develops. Guess Larry Bird’s three-year plan is coming together nicely.