David West: The Pacers $12 Million Instigator

There’s a big reason why I don’t like player options — especially for players that are going to be 35 years old — players have too much control. They may be overpaid and will be taking the franchise’s cap hostage, they may be underpaid and can test free agency, or less likely, they could be in an area where it’s a fair number and the player and team are both satisfied.

In David West, the Indiana Pacers have a power forward who is a shell of the player who was awarded a three-year, $36 million contract back in July of 2013 — with a nasty $12 million player option for the 2015-16 season.

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I don’t think there’s much question that West will opt-in (and the Pacers believe so as well):

It’s arguable whether West or Roy Hibbert‘s option ($15.5 million) hurts the team worse, but imagine a scenario where the Pacers weren’t in a position to pay those two a combined $28.1 million this year. Is there any doubt that the Pacers would cut bait before the season if they had a chance?

That’s the problem with player options. To be fair, team options are just as bad, as they swing the power too far in the other direction. A guy like Hibbert (who seemed to earn that extension) would have never gotten the full value of his deal.

Back to West for a minute — he’s coming off of a season in which he was a minus-1.2 per 100 possessions while he was on the court. It was the first time he’s been in the negative since he was in New Orleans back in 2009-10. He was also a minus-2.4 on/off court per 100 possessions, meaning his presence made the team 2.4 points worse. It was his worst number since 2004-05.

When West got his extension, he earned it. In 2012-13, he was a plus-9.1 on/off, he drew 127 shooting fouls and he was the catalyst for a team that needed veteran leadership to push them deep into the playoffs. He averaged 17.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and a steal per game, while hitting big shots and providing toughness.

Since then, West has been on a consistent slide. In 2014-15, he scored just 11.7 points per game, with 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He shot just 47.1 percent from the field and 73.9 percent from the foul line, both the worst numbers he’d posted in a decade.

AT LEAST HE CAN STILL DEFEND…RIGHT?

Yeah…not so much. Being part of a quality defensive unit raises everyone’s level, but West struggles mightily in a couple of areas. First, he just can’t cover the ground he once could. When the Pacers find themselves up against a stretch four (or in a bad switch), West is toast. He allowed opponents to shoot 7.1 percent above their average from the 3-point line last season.

Before you tell me he doesn’t find himself in that spot very often — that represents 21 percent of the shots he defended.

Moving inside the arc helps, but inside 10 feet, West allowed opponents to shoot 2.6 percent better than their average. There’s no good way to spin this — he’s older and thus, he’s getting to the point where he has to be protected defensively.

According to 82games.com, it’s not like the sky is falling — West allowed opposing PF’s to accrue a 13.1 PER and opposing C’s a 15.5 PER.

LUCKILY HE CAN STILL SHOOT…RIGHT?

West underwent a transformation of sorts in 2014-15, as his average shot distance went from an already-career high 10.6 feet in 2013-14 out to 12.8 feet. David has always been solid from 16 feet to the 3-point line and that was no different last season, as he made 50.2 percent of his attempts. I do have to point at his horrific 32.4 percent from 10-to-16 feet as evidence of severe degradation (he’s gotten worse in four straight seasons from there).

Although he’s never been a player who’s going to beat his man off the dribble from the perimeter, he had been much more adept at creating his own shots until recently. For four straight seasons, his assisted rate has jumped — from 53.6 in 2011-12 to a whopping 74 percent last year. In addition, West had just three dunks.

Veteran bigs are great in the clutch, though…right? Not so fast. West shot 22.2 percent (6-for-27) in the last five minutes of games in which his team was tied or behind by five or less. He shot 43.2 percent in the fourth quarter and 28.6 percent in overtime. Woof.

THE $12 MILLION DOLLAR INSTIGATOR

Blame player options. Better yet, blame Larry Bird and Pacers management for agreeing to a deal that included such a large option to a player of West’s age.

In all likelihood, West will begin the 2015-16 season as a starter. He hasn’t come off the bench since 2004-05. With that said, the constant decline of his skills has to make coach Frank Vogel think twice at some point. Ideally the full, healthy return of Paul George will raise the level of everyone on the team, but West might be too far gone to do much more than provide veteran support, some nasty faces and a couple of open 18 footers earlier in games.

The major issue is — who else is there? Luis Scola and LaVoy Allen are free agents. Ian Mahinmi isn’t going to help stretch the floor. Solomon Hill played some quality defensive minutes but he’s not an offensive threat.

Unless they get lucky in the draft or free agency — the Pacers might have to stick with West by default, all because of that player option.

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