The Pacers have traded forward/center Jermaine O’Neal and 2nd round pick Nathan Jawai to the Raptors for guard T.J. Ford, center Rasho Nesterovic, forward Maceo Baston and 1st round pick center Roy Hibbert out of Georgetown. O’Neal only played in 42 games (34 starts) for the Pacers last season and he averaged 13.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game. The Pacers acquired quite a bounty for a player that they had kind of grown tired of but he was still a very good player in his career for them. Point guard T.J. Ford has had issues with injuries in his career but he will no doubt bump Jamaal Tinsley to the bench. Ford is very fast and he will get the Pacers running up and down the court. Ford played in 51 games (26 starts) for the Raptors last season and he averaged 23.5 minutes, 12.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Look for Ford to better all of his career norms if he can just stay healthy as the Pacers will likely let him play as many minutes as his body can handle. Ford has now played in 253 games (222 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 11.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game despite playing in only 29.5 minutes per night. Center Rasho Nesterovic is a banger and nothing more as he’s not very athletic. He played in 71 games (39 starts) for the Raptors last season and he averaged 20.9 minutes, 7.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Don’t look for him to play more than 24-26 minutes per game next season for the Pacers. He has now played in 699 games (568 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 23.4 minutes, 7.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.3 blocked shots per game. Forward Maceo Baston is a player that the Pacers liked before he left them as a free agent before last season. Baston played in 15 games (2 starts) for the Raptors last season and he averaged 6.9 minutes, 2.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game. Baston has potential and the Pacers will have little reason not to let him play some during the 2008-09 season as they will be young. Baston has now played in 78 games (4 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 7.9 minutes, 2.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game. Center Roy Hibbert was another player that the Pacers coveted as he has a huge upside. He stands at 7′2″, 278 pounds and he plays a power game. Hibbert played in 136 games (121 starts) in his career at Georgetown and he averaged 10.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.9 blocked shots per game. Look for Hibbert to be a starter in the near future for the Pacers if not as a rookie.

The Pacers acquired center Stanko Barac from the Miami Heat for a 2nd round pick in 2009.  Barac is 7′1″, 240 pounds and he’s from Croatia.  He played in 62 games there and he averaged 7.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 1.0 block shot per game.  Most of Barac’s shot attempts come from up close where he hit 54.8% from the floor, 35% from three point range and 61.9% from the free throw line.  Barac has the look of a project so don’t expect much out of him this season.