While Reggie Miller is the most famous scorer on the Pacers, it's safe to say that Jalen Rose is the future. And the present. While Miller tends to do little more than score, Rose can do it all. At 27 years old, Jalen has improved with each NBA season under his belt, but really busted out this season and should now be considered one of the best swingmen in the league.

And, he's a free agent.

Just three years ago, under a different coach Larry - Larry Brown - Jalen only averaged 18 minutes a game, and missed 14 games while perfectly healthy, because coach Brown simply didn't want him to play.

Now in his 6th NBA season, Rose has emerged, and I bet coach Brown might enjoy a budding Rose in Philadelphia to play alongside Allen Iverson.

Considering that the Pacers are loaded with veterans, it's pretty impressive that Jalen was able to act as an actual team leader - not just in scoring, but in running the offense. But, if you just want to talk about scoring, Rose was good for just over 18 points per game this year, while shooting a very impressive 47.1% from the field.

Versatility is a very useful thing. Jalen can act as a big point guard, standard sized shooting guard, or undersized small forward. Defensively, Jalen isn't cut to handle the quickest of the quick point guards, and he's too small to contain the bigger of the small forwards, but his versatility allows him to plug any defensive holes in between.

Rose did wonders to increase his dollar value. This season he made $2.4 million, and it's expected that he come close to earning the NBA's maximum salary when he signs a new contract this summer.

So what would you do if you were Jalen? Stay with the Pacers and enjoy success now but risk being the lone good player on the team in a few years when Jackson, Miller and Smits are all gone? Or bail out now and start fresh in Chicago or Orlando?

Wherever he goes, Rose will remain a force in this league for years to come.

Steve, Indianapolis
June 13, 2000
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