YAHOO SPORTS' Adrian Wojnarowski reports as Pacers Owner Herb Simon "investigates possible succession plans" for the team's front office, TNT analyst Reggie Miller is "emerging over everyone else." Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird is expected to step down after the '11-12 NBA season, and Simon "has been canvassing people he respects -- including his longtime former general manager Donnie Walsh -- for opinions about how they believe Miller would do with the transition from television to management." Sources indicated that the Pacers are "pushing Miller to pursue the job." Sources added that Simon "has considered this possibility for several years," and thinks that the "timing could be right to groom Miller to run his basketball operations." There also is "momentum growing for Walsh to return to the Pacers with Miller" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/18).
WARRIOR DASH: In S.F., Rusty Simmons reports Warriors co-Owner Peter Guber "wants to add more health-food options, find better ways to entertain the 1,500 or so fans who show up 1 1/2 hours before tip-off, and polish every crevice of Oracle Arena." Guber said, "We need constant and never-ending improvement. I mean, we've got no (spot)light at center court. That's simple drama. ... Our music sometimes sounds like it was chosen by a passing truck. No detail is small, but we can't fix every detail all at once. I ain't the master of the universe, but I'll take my shot." He added, "Every touch point from the time a fan decides to buy a ticket to the time they leave the arena is important. If it's difficult to get out of the parking lot, we've just ruined the dessert of their dinner. Music really counts. It sets the emotional tone of the audience. It's like an IV to your heart" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/18).
BLAZING A NEW TRAIL: In Portland, Joe Freeman reports Trail Blazers interim GM Chad Buchanan is "no longer a candidate" for the permanent job. In a meeting Friday, Trail Blazers President Larry Miller told Buchanan that he is "out of the running because Miller and team owner Paul Allen have decided they want to hire someone with GM experience or with extended service time as a 'No. 2.'" Buchanan will remain interim GM indefinitely, and he said, "They’d like someone with more experience -- I totally understand that. I wasn’t shocked" (Portland OREGONIAN, 8/18).
