T.J. Ford will be a free agent when the lockout ends, so he is saying what every free agent says — I want to play for a winner. Of course he does. The Pacers made the playoffs last season but with a losing record. And he was not a huge part of that.
Ford was bounced in and out of the lineup over the years in Indiana like a Ping-Pong ball — coaches didn’t really like or trust him, but they had no better options. Ford wants to get settled on a winner, he told Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld.
Even if that means a smaller role.
“First, it’s about winning,” Ford told HOOPSWORLD. “I want to be on a team where it’s about winning and they’re heading in the right direction. Definitely, it’s a team that’s going to be in the playoffs and go further than just the first round. I just want to be part of a team. Whether that means playing 10, 15, 20, 30 or 35 minutes, I just want to be one of the factors that helps the team win.”
You know what this means? He’s going to take the largest contract offered to him. Regardless of team quality.