T.J. Ford News: Pro Sports Daily

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March 17

Charlotte Observer

columnist Rick Bonnell

"I spoke with Pacers point guard T.J. Ford before Tuesday's game to check how close he thought he was to being joining the Bobcats at the trade deadline. Charlotte and Indiana were in discussions on a deal that would have sent Ford and Brandon Rush to Charlotte for D.J. Augustin, Gerald Henderson and Nazr Mohammed. Ford got a call from his agent as he was headed for a team flight informing him of the talks. The Bobcats ultimately decided against it, and I'm told that was about owner Bob Johnson's reluctance to take Ford's $8.5 million salary next season."

Pacers' T.J. Ford out 7-10 days with groin injury

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March 14

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. Ford is out at least a week with a left groin injury. Ford re-injured his groin on a 24-second violation early in the first quarter of Friday's game against the Boston Celtics. He originally injured his groin in the fourth quarter of the Feb. 20 game at Houston last month."

T.J. Ford will be sidelined for 7-10 days with a groin injury

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March 14

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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"The Pacers are starting 7-2 center Roy Hibbert at center but likely will go to the smaller lineup at some point. They will be without point guard T.J. Ford due to a groin injury that will sideline him seven to 10 days, and Earl Watson will start at the point with A.J. Price in reserve."

Ford, Pacers get rare road win

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February 21

Indianapolis Star

"T.J. Ford went from being on his way out the door to being a hero for the Indiana Pacers in less than 72 hours. "It was a good win for us because it's no secret that we've been struggling," Granger said. "It was real good seeing T.J. looking like his old self out there." The Pacers' victory ended a streak of 24 straight losses on the road against teams with a winning record. The streak stretches back to Jan. 7, 2009, when Granger made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to win at Phoenix. "That was a big win for our team," Ford said. "Hopefully it will lead to a bunch of wins for our team. We just can't continue to have the type of first half where put ourselves in a hole." Instead of running the ..."

Ford's play raises question for Pacers

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February 8

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien is about to cross a bridge he didn't anticipate less than a week ago. Three point guards, all showing that they deserve playing time. The problem stems from O'Brien's preference for playing only two of them because he does not like using three point guards during a game. There is veteran Earl Watson, whom O'Brien refers to as a leader because of his calming demeanor on the court. Watson has spent several days away from the team because of a death in his family. There is A.J. Price, the player who was supposed to spend most of his rookie season on the bench watching and learning the NBA game. And there is T.J. Ford, the speedster who played with a ..."

He's back

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February 6

Indianapolis Star

"I've got a feeling Jim O'Brien is about to be in a tough position after Saturday's game at Milwaukee. T.J. Ford played like a player on a mission against Detroit. He didn't try to do too much. He played under control and he got the job done. Ford came off the bench to get 11 points, five assists and three rebounds in 23 minutes. He even made a rare 3-pointer. "I thought he looked sharp," said O'Brien, the person responsible for relegating Ford to the bench. "It's a credit to T.J.'s professionalism that he kept sharp, kept in shape, shot the basketball well. A very focused game for him and we needed it." Ford downplayed his game by saying it was just one game. You have to give him credit, ..."

Pacers cruise, say: Welcome back, T.J.

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February 6

Indianapolis Star

"There was the hesitation drive that left Will Bynum wondering what happened. Then there was the time he darted in the passing lane and got the steal for a layup. There was even a rare 3-pointer. All that was missing was a fan holding a "Welcome back T.J. Ford" sign. Ford, playing his first game in more than a month, reminded people what he can do when came off the bench to score 11 points in the Indiana Pacers' largest victory of the season, 107-83 over the Detroit Pistons at Conseco Fieldhouse on Friday. "I thought he looked sharp," said Pacers coach Jim O'Brien, the person responsible for relegating Ford to the bench. "It's a credit to T.J.'s professionalism that he kept sharp, kept in ..."

Watson's absence puts Ford back in rotation

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February 5

Indianapolis Star

"T.J. Ford won't spend the rest of the season on the Indiana Pacers' bench after all. Ford will end his 18-game hiatus when he backs up emergency starter A.J. Price against the Detroit Pistons tonight. Price is replacing Earl Watson, who will miss games tonight and Saturday at Milwaukee because of the death of his grandmother. "It's been tough," Ford said. "You want to play any time you're on the roster. It's a waiting game and it's out of my control. I just try to do the best I can to stay in shape and work on my game." Ford began the season as the starter but was taken out of the rotation Dec. 30 because of his season-long struggles. He is averaging 9.9 points, including 1-of-28 on ..."

Pacers might trade T.J. Ford

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January 23

Indianapolis Star

"The Indiana Pacers might look to trade point guard T.J. Ford before the end of the season. The starter earlier in the season, Ford has been benched and has not played since Dec. 30. Asked before the Pacers' game against the Pistons on Friday night if a trade this season is a possibility, Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said, "I don't think there's any doubt. "He's a quality point guard. He could really help another franchise. It's not my decision to say what Larry decides, but certainly, I think we'd be open-minded." The final decision on a trade would be made by Pacers president Larry Bird. The NBA trading deadline is Feb. 18. Ford makes $8.5 million this year and has a player option for $8.5 ..."

Ford remains positive despite benching

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January 7

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. Ford stood outside the huddle, warm-ups still on, arms to his side. He listened as coach Jim O'Brien gave his teammates instructions in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's victory over the Orlando Magic. Last week, Ford would have been in the middle of the meeting, sweat running down his face, ready to execute O'Brien's plan. Starter to observer. That's how far he has fallen. Ford's contributions now are limited to competing hard in practice and supporting teammates during the game because O'Brien has no intention of playing him anytime soon. Ford hasn't played in the past three games, including the 43-point loss at New York on Sunday. "I've come to grips with ..."

From starter to completely out the rotation for Ford

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January 3

Indianapolis Star

"T.J. Ford's time in the rotation is over for the foreseeable future. Coach Jim O'Brien has made Ford, who has been inconsistent his entire time as a Pacer, the third point guard behind Earl Watson and rookie A.J. Price. "It's a matter of playing the people you think give you the best opportunity to win," O'Brien said. Ford had his first DNP-CD since a game at Utah last January. "I just have to stay professional," Ford said. "I have to come in and do what I need to do keep myself ready. At the end of the day it's a business, you have to just respect their decision and go from there. This is the first time that I've had to deal with a situation to this extent." Ford said there wasn't an ..."

Ford passes first, then scores

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December 17

Indianapolis Star

"T.J. Ford always has taken more pride in his ability to create for teammates than to score. In the Indiana Pacers' 101-98 victory over Charlotte on Wednesday night, he did both. Ford had a season-high 13 assists with 15 points, helping the Pacers to an early lead with his passing and scoring late to hold off the Bobcats. It's the most assists in Ford's two seasons as a Pacer. "I prefer the assist, being able to set guys up," said Ford, whose career high for assists is 18. "Guys were getting me open so I could create and that allowed me to attack in the fourth quarter." Ford scored seven of his points in the final period as the Pacers survived a 3-pointer that came just after the final ..."

Pacers hold off Bobcats' run

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December 17

Indianapolis Star

"The Indiana Pacers never trailed. They led by as many as 18 points in fact. But there wasn't a sense of relief until the officials ruled that D.J. Augustin's score-tying 3-pointer came after the buzzer, giving the Pacers a 101-98 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night at Conseco Fieldhouse. The Pacers have won three of their past four games after dropping six in a row. Troy Murphy led the Pacers with 26 points and 15 rebounds. Point guard T.J. Ford had 13 assists."

Wizards sink in a blink

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December 13

Washington Examiner

"The deciding play will be debated until the end of eternity. The missed free throws won't. Both were responsible for leaving the Wizards furious, utterly miserable, and one loss deeper into a rollercoaster season that continues to suffer more downs than ups. Washington head coach Flip Saunders didn't try to hide his frustration over the foul call that gave Indiana its improbable 114-113 win over the Wizards. With five tenths of second remaining, Pacers guard Earl Watson inbounded the ball to Mike Dunleavy, who caught it above his head and sandwiched between DeShawn Stevenson and Brendan Haywood, leading to an immediate whistle by refereee Ed Malloy. After the officials reviewed the play, ..."

Arenas again falters late as Wizards fall

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December 13

Washington Times

"Gilbert Arenas sat on the bench following a timeout with his team down by a point and one-tenth of a second left on the clock, locked in a trance and not really hearing anything. For the second straight game, Arenas had blown it. The guard - heralded because of his late-game heroics for the better part of three seasons - had gone to the line with the chance to rescue his team. All he had to do was make two foul shots to give the Wizards a three-point lead over the Indiana Pacers with six seconds left. But after performing his famous ritual of whipping the ball around his waist three times before bouncing it, Arenas clanked the first, and then the second. When the second shot bounced off ..."

Wizards figure out a way to lose again

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December 13

Washington Post

"The Washington Wizards lost another game in excruciating fashion, this time failing to hold a lead in the final seconds and falling to Indiana, 114-113, Saturday night before 13,171 at Verizon Center. The Wizards' losing streak reached four games, and they wasted a triple-double by Gilbert Arenas and strong performances from Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler. After Arenas missed two free throws with six seconds to play, T.J. Ford drove to the basket and put up a shot that was blocked out of bounds as the buzzer sounded. Officials reviewed the play and put 0.5 of a second back on the clock. The Pacers' Earl Watson inbounded to Mike Dunleavy Jr., who went up for a shot that DeShawn Stevenson ..."

Ford, Rush still start

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October 30

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien doesn't consider his decision to go with Earl Watson and Dahntay Jones for most of the second half of Wednesday's loss to Atlanta as a message to starters T.J. Ford and Brandon Rush. O'Brien said it was a matter of staying with the players who were playing well. He wasn't referring to offense. He liked that Jones and Watson's defensive intensity helped the Pacers erase a 10-point deficit and go ahead by one in the fourth quarter. O'Brien might not see it as delivering a message, but Ford and Rush should see it as a reminder that playing time is not guaranteed. Ford (three points) and Rush (six points) started, but they combined to play 12 minutes in the ..."

Pacers' Ford is no longer a point of concern

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September 26

Indianapolis Star

"Glance at T.J. Ford's statistics last season. The Indiana Pacers point guard averaged a career-high 14.9 points, added 5.3 assists and had his second best rebounding season. Looks pretty impressive. Talk to Ford or anyone else in the Pacers organization, though, and another picture emerges: one of a player struggling at times to learn a new system and eventually losing his starting job. Sounds pretty inconsistent. The reason? Ford was changing from being a player used to dominating the ball to playing in a pass-first offense under coach Jim O'Brien. "As far as the scheme of things, at times it looked great, other times it didn't look so great for me as far as my performance," Ford said. ..."

Pacers' Nesterovic, Ford miss playoffs for 1st time

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April 13

Indianapolis Star

columnist Mike Wells

"T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic will be in an unfamiliar position starting Thursday. No practice. No watching film on their playoff opponent. No getting tickets for friends and family. Ford and Nesterovic won't be in the playoffs for the first time in their careers. "I don't know what it's going to be like," Nesterovic said. "I've never been in this position before. But, hey, it's part of life. We tried hard. It just didn't work out." The Indiana Pacers, who host the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight at Conseco Fieldhouse, were eliminated from playoff contention last week. Nesterovic, in his 11th season, has appeared in 64 postseason games and won an NBA title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005. ..."

Starring in a new role

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April 2

Indianapolis Star

"It's no secret T.J. Ford would prefer to be the Indiana Pacers' starting point guard. Ford may never get his starting spot back if he continues to play well off the bench. Coach Jim O'Brien put the ball in Ford's hands down the stretch and watched him lead the Pacers past the Chicago Bulls. Ford capped a 22-point night with a 10-foot fadeaway jumper with 3.9 seconds remaining in the Pacers' 107-105 victory Tuesday night at Conseco Fieldhouse. "I've said over the past week that T.J. is a quality professional and playing great basketball," O'Brien said. "I'm sure he would like to start, but as long as he's getting 38 minutes, he's getting plenty of playing time and really playing at a very ..."

Pacers' Ford handling his demotion like a pro

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March 24

Indianapolis Star

"T.J. Ford has been in this position before. He knows from his experience with the Toronto Raptors that complaining won't get him far. That's why the Indiana Pacers point guard is taking the high road after his recent demotion. Pacers coach Jim O'Brien replaced Ford with Jarrett Jack at point guard against Charlotte on Saturday. Ford is taking it in stride, and handling the situation with professionalism. "I know how to handle this situation better than I did in the past," said Ford, who was involved in a point guard controversy with the Raptors last season. "It's not a big issue to me. Just do what you're supposed to do, whether they put you in the game or not. It's your job to be ready ..."

Ford, Pacers fight to finish

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February 23

Indianapolis Star

"T.J. Ford darted between two Chicago Bulls players, scooped up the loose ball with two hands and beat everybody down the court with only one thing on his mind in the final minute Sunday. The Indiana Pacers point guard sized things up and threw down a one-handed dunk. He turned toward the Bulls bench and let out a roar that could have been mistaken for coming from a 6-10 behemoth as opposed to a wispy 6-foot point guard. Aggressiveness. Determination. Fight. That's what Pacers coach Jim O'Brien wanted, and that's what he got in his team's 98-91 victory over the Bulls in a matinee game at Conseco Fieldhouse. "You can talk about a number of plays down the stretch that we made," Pacers guard ..."

Depleted squad run over by Ford

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January 29

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles had all five of his starters on the bench 5 minutes into their 107-99 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night at Conseco Field House. After the game, starting forward Richard Jefferson questioned Skiles' decision-making process. "I'm surprised we lasted that long," he said, Agreeing that the Bucks had stunk up the joint early on, Jefferson said, "We're just not doing a very good job of starting games. That's me. I've started every game this year. I'm part of the problem right now so . . . "We just did a terrible job of coming out to start. We played hard, but we can't play hard for 40 minutes or 36 minutes because those minutes that you don't are ..."

Pacers win in clutch again

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January 5

Indianapolis Star

"Did you expect anything other than a close game? It wouldn't be an Indiana Pacers game if it wasn't decided by a possession or two. The Pacers were in their customary position Saturday against the Sacramento Kings. As they did the night before, the Pacers buckled down on the defensive end and got big baskets late to survive Kevin Martin's scoring spree to beat the Kings 122-117 at Conseco Fieldhouse. "We're giving people their money's worth," Pacers point guard Jarrett Jack joked. It isn't much, but the Pacers have won two in a row for just the third time this season. They start their longest trip of the season Monday at Denver. The Pacers' past eight games have been decided by a total of ..."

Pacers head west for 5 games with plenty to prove

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January 5

Indianapolis Star

columnist Mike Wells

"By the time the Indiana Pacers return home in eight days, they will have traveled more than 4,000 miles, played four playoff-caliber teams and perhaps seen the return of Mike Dunleavy. They also should have a better feel for where they stand in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Let the challenges begin. The Pacers, who have endured their share of agonizing losses, start a five-game trip -- their longest of the season -- tonight at Denver. "Going on the road is something we've struggled with early on," Pacers point guard T.J. Ford said. "I think we have confidence because we've played a few of these teams already. I think for us, let's get the first one. The first team is Denver. We have ..."

Ford comes clean over lost season

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December 11

Toronto Star

"T.J. Ford's next self-admitted mistake will be his first, so anyone who knows the former Raptors point guard wouldn't have expected him, upon his arrival at the Air Canada Centre last night, to offer an open-armed apology for his part in screwing up the squad last season. But while he didn't say he was sorry, Ford did, some six months after he was dealt to the Indiana Pacers, survey his old team's troubles and make a salient point. "As you see, I wasn't the only problem," said Ford."

Trading Ford was a mistake

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December 10

Toronto Sun

"T.J. Ford returns to the Air Canada Centre tonight as basketball's spotlight shifts squarely on to the backcourt. In one of those intriguing matchups that features so many layers, Ford will go mano a mano against Jose Calderon. It won't quite match the hype that surrounded Tracy McGrady's return to Hogtown when T-Mac went toe to toe with distant cousin Vince Carter in a high-wire act, but tonight's pointed confrontation is one worth noting and debating. Ford, in essence, was shown the door in the off-season when the Raptors felt Calderon was best suited to lead the team as the undisputed starter at point guard. For years, the Raptors were searching for that elusive floor general, a ..."

No excuses from Nesterovic and Ford

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November 30

Indianapolis Star

"Pacers center Rasho Nesterovic acknowledged Dwight Howard's big game but cut off questions about how unstoppable the Orlando Magic could be if their star plays this way every game. T.J. Ford didn't want to hear about the Pacers' tough schedule or run of games on consecutive nights in November. In the locker room after Saturday's 110-96 loss to the Magic, the Pacers brushed aside any topic tinged with the sound of an excuse. "It's not just Dwight Howard," Nesterovic said. "It's been a couple nights in a row. We just have to figure out the way to overcome this. It's as simple as that. You can talk about all the this and that, but you have to stick together as a team and start winning." The ..."

Pacers will look for leadership from T.J. Ford

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July 17

Indianapolis Star

"T.J. Ford lives for the postseason. He lives for the national television exposure, the hope of winning an NBA title and having 14 other teams sitting on their couches, eating popcorn, watching him play. Ford wants those same things to happen with the Indiana Pacers. "I'm familiar with that playoff taste and I'm not ready to give that taste up," said Ford, who has been to the playoffs in three of his four NBA seasons. "That's the challenge and the goal, to show people we are contenders in the East.""

Pacers deal O'Neal to Toronto

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June 26

Indianapolis Star

"The Indiana Pacers have agreed in principle to a trade that will send six-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal to the Toronto Raptors, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday night. The Pacers will receive point guard T.J. Ford, reserve center Rasho Nesterovic, a player yet to be named and the rights to Toronto's 17th pick in tonight's NBA draft."

O'Neal deal a step backwards

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June 26

Toronto Star

columnist Dave Feschuk

"Bryan Colangelo, the fashion-wise head honcho of the Toronto Raptors, showed up at the club's annual pre-draft press conference wearing the usual checklist of chicer-than-thou finery yesterday. The bespoke summer-weight navy suit? Check. The belt-and-shoe combo crafted from the finest leather of caviar-fed virgin ostriches? Goes without saying. But hang on. Your alert correspondent spotted a chink in the Men's Vogue-worthy exterior. Colangelo's shirt – and it was the usual high-style, high-collared, hand-sewn-by-a-grandmother-on-the-outskirts-of-Bologna shirt – was bereft of the usual worth-more-than-your-Toyota cufflinks. It was a shocking omission, like Shaq O'Neal suddenly stripped ..."

Blockbuster deal for Raptors

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June 26

Toronto Star

"Jermaine O'Neal was too enticing a proposition for the Raptors to pass up. With health concerns from both sides eased, a blockbuster trade involving O'Neal, T.J. Ford and Toronto's 17th pick in tonight's NBA draft has been agreed to in principle, a significant move the Raptors hope gives them the most potent frontcourt in franchise history. Even as the Portland Trail Blazers tried to get back into the Ford sweepstakes yesterday, the Raptors decided they like the immediate impact Indiana's O'Neal will have rather than waiting for anything they could have obtained with the draft pick."

O'Neal trade deal done

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June 25

Indianapolis Star

"The Indiana Pacers have agreed in principle to a trade that will send six-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal to the Toronto Raptors, a person familiar with the situation said tonight. The Pacers will receive point guard T.J. Ford, reserve center Rasho Nesterovic, a player yet to be named and the rights to Toronto's 17th pick in Thursday's NBA draft. The deal addresses the Pacers' desire to upgrade their point guard position. The deal is pending all players involved passing physicals. O'Neal had surgery on his left knee in April 2007 and missed 40 games this past season."

Ford rumours heat up

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June 24

Toronto Sun

"Most of the talk revolves around point guard T.J. Ford. Depending on who you believe Ford is going to be a member of the Phoenix Suns, Indiana Pacers or possibly the New York Knicks by week's end. Obviously not even Ford could manage to juggle the kind of workload playing for three different teams would represent, so someone is just wrong here. ESPN has the former Texas Longhorns standout headed to Phoenix along with the Raptors' first-round pick (No. 17) for forward Boris Diaw. The Indianapolis Star, meanwhile, is suggesting Ford, centre Rasho Nesterovic, possibly that No. 17 pick and another unnamed player will be joining the Pacers later this week in exchange for forward ..."

Is Ford bound for Indiana?

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June 24

Toronto Star

"The stakes in the T.J. Ford stakes have been raised considerably. The Raptors, according to league sources, have had discussions with the Indiana Pacers about a trade for veteran centre Jermaine O'Neal, adding a major name and major salary obligation to potential transactions ahead of Thursday's NBA draft. The deal would include Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, another player to satisfy salary cap needs and, perhaps, Toronto's 17th pick in the draft for O'Neal, a 29-year-old centre with two years and almost $44 million (all figures U.S.) left on his contract...According to sources, the Raptors are still talking to the Phoenix Suns about a deal centred around Ford and Boris Diaw and there are ..."

Pacers, Toronto talk about trading O'Neal

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June 23

Indianapolis Star

"The Indiana Pacers and Jermaine O'Neal could be parting ways in the near future. The Pacers and Toronto Raptors have discussed a possible deal with O'Neal going north of the border with point guard T.J. Ford and center Rasho Nesterovic coming to Indiana, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. The deal may also include Toronto's first-round pick (No. 17) in Thursday's draft. The Raptors will have to throw in at least one other player to make the deal work financially."

Raptors guard Ford is drawing interest

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June 4

Toronto Sun

"The market for T.J. Ford is heating up. Though neither Toronto president/general manager Bryan Colangelo or anybody else would go into details about the subject yesterday after six prospects were put through the paces ahead of the upcoming NBA draft, it was clear that the club has received genuine interest from a handful of teams about the diminutive point guard. Colangelo rubbed shoulders with other general manger's at last week's draft camp in Orlando and it's likely the names of both Ford and restricted free agent Jose Calderon came up. Colangelo did reiterate that Calderon would be hard to pry loose as it seems there is significant interest around the league in both players."

Colangelo gets feelers from clubs about Ford

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June 4

Toronto Star

"In his search for a draft choice, Bryan Colangelo has found something that might have an impact on who – and where – he chooses: a market for point guard T.J. Ford. As the run-up to the June 26 NBA draft began in earnest yesterday, with the first of several workout sessions at the Air Canada Centre for prospective picks, the Raptors president and general manager was juggling interest in Ford from a handful of teams, interest made known during last week's Orlando pre-draft camp."

Raptors begin pre-draft work

May 27

Toronto Star

"Bryan Colangelo has much more to do than just check out potential Raptors as the NBA's pre-draft camp begins today in Florida. "For me, it's a chance to initiate or follow up on some trade discussions as well," Toronto's president and general manager said in a telephone interview yesterday. "It's like a basketball convention." Colangelo, along with coach Sam Mitchell and a raft of front-office and scouting personnel, are descending on the camp with a variety of things to get done. It is no secret Toronto will be trying to set the parameters for a trade involving one of its point guards. There are free agents to talk about and a handful of high-powered agents are also planning to ..."