Leave it to a consummate pro like David West and an organization run by Larry Bird to prove it is possible to carry out contract negotiations like mature adults.
The Indiana Pacers wanted West back. West, an unrestricted free agent, wanted to be back. So the two parties wasted little time agreeing to a three-year, $36-million contract extension on Tuesday, Yahoo! Sports reports. The third year reportedly is a player option.
The negotiations were characterized as “smooth,” as West never seriously considered any other team. In two years with the Pacers, West has become a respected voice in the locker room and in the front office. When asked immediately after the Pacers’ loss to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals whether he wanted to re-sign, West replied, “Yeah, I’m not [expletive] dumb.”
West was believed to be close to signing a contract with the Celtics prior to the 2011-12 season, but changed course and signed with the Pacers instead.
