The Pacers, wanting to keep it in the family, have promoted senior vice president of basketball operations David Morway and named him the team’s new general manager. For more info on Morway, click here.
Despite looking competitive for chunks of last season the Pacers need to rebuild. They lack a future superstar, however. Danny Granger had a breakout season and can be a key player on a winning team. Mike Dunleavy can also help a winner. Troy Murphy has uses, too. But Jermaine O’Neal and Jamaal Tinsley are too permanently banged up to count on.
With just a simple move or two, and some health, the Pacers could make the playoffs in the East, but not go past the first round. Morway has a lot of work to do if he wants to turn the Pacers into a somewhat average East squad into a team that has a legit chance at competing for a championship.

The Indianapolis Star (Mike Wells) reports: The Pacers are slotted to pick 11th if lottery seeds hold, their earliest selection since picking Erick Dampier 10th in 1996. They believe the draft is the first step to improving. Team president Larry Bird wouldn’t divulge names, but he said the Pacers have targeted point guard and center as their primary needs. As important, Bird said the player has to fit coach Jim O’Brien’s style at least “90 percent” of the time.