MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Forward Danny Granger's numbers said it all. Granger, who averaged 25.8 points a game, became the first player in league history to increase his scoring average by at least five points in three straight seasons. He had 36 games of at least 25 points.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: Point guard T.J. Ford finished third on the team in scoring, but he struggled grasping coach Jim O'Brien's pass-oriented system. Ford's constant pounding of the ball and forced shots led to him being demoted to backup point guard in late March. FREE AGENT FOCUS: The Pacers have five free agents. Forward Maceo Baston, forward Josh McRoberts, center Rasho Nesterovic and guard Stephen Graham are all unrestricted free agents. Guard Jarrett Jack is restricted. Jack is the most likely to get re-signed. He said wants to remain a Pacer and team president Larry Bird said earlier in the season that their intentions are to re-sign him.
PLAYER NEWS:
--G Mike Dunleavy had minor arthroscopic surgery on his left hip to clean up a long-standing injury on June 4. The Pacers say the procedure shouldn't impact Dunleavy's rehabilitation on his right knee. Dunleavy had surgery to remove a bone spur and repair his right patellar tendon in March. He appeared in just 18 games last season.
--The Pacers have yet to make a decision on whether they plan to pick up swingman Marquis Daniels' $7.5-million team option. The Pacers, who have until June 30 to make a decision, are in a tough position because $7.5 million is a lot of money to pay a reserve player. They may not have a choice, though, because they're in need of swingmen. Danny Granger and Brandon Rush are the only healthy swingmen under contract for next season. Mike Dunleavy is also under contract but he's dealing with a knee injury and his return date is up in the air.
--While the rest of their teammates are working out elsewhere around the country, C Roy Hibbert and G Brandon Rush, each coming off his rookie season, will spend most of the offseason in Indianapolis working with the coaching staff. The two will play on the Pacers summer league team in Orlando in July. Both players are expected to be starters next season.
Hibbert averaged 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds last season. Rush, who dealt with confidence issues, averaged 8.1 points and 3.1 rebounds.
"I think you'll see significant improvement in both of those guys at both ends of the court," coach Jim O'Brien said.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--G Mike Dunleavy (knee) is expected to be out until at least January 2010 after undergoing surgery to remove a bone spur from his right patellar tendon and then had the tendon repaired in March in Colorado. He underwent minor arthroscopic surgery on his left hip June 4.
