$500 MORE for your trade-in Guaranteed! Indy's only full service downtown dealership - New '06 models are here! By Mike WellsAustin Croshere wasn't sure he was going to be around long enough to be called the longest-tenured Indiana Pacer.Croshere, who is entering his ninth season, read an article during the summer about how he might become an amnesty clause victim. It was a one-time exception that allowed teams to waive a player to avoid or lessen their luxury tax penalty, although they still must pay the player's salary.

It didn't happen. Croshere is still in a Pacers uniform, and coach Rick Carlisle said Croshere is having his best preseason since he took over as coach."I saw a quote in the paper from (president) Larry (Bird), so I gave him a call and he said there was a chance, but it was unlikely and they would keep me informed on their decision-making," Croshere said. "I understood where they were coming from. This is a business."Croshere seemed like an ideal candidate for the amnesty provision because he's due to make about $18 million over the next two seasons. That's a high salary for a reserve player who's averaging 7.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 18.5 minutes in his career.The Pacers kept Croshere and used their one-time exception on Reggie Miller because there was -- and still is -- uncertainty about Jonathan Bender's injured knee.Croshere's name is routinely mentioned at the trading deadline and in offseason rumors."I know the league well enough that the things that are being thrown around don't make any sense," he said. "If it's something that might potentially make sense, I'll give my agent a call. For the most part, though, it's just things being thrown around."Croshere's minutes have been inconsistent the past few seasons, but he's still been a valuable reserve and fill-in starter at forward. Suspensions and injuries allowed Croshere to start 22 games last season, the second-most in his career, but his minutes are expected to drop again because of the team's depth."On paper, this might not have been a great situation for me this season," he said. "But you look at what's happened in the preseason, I've had the opportunity to start. It's a matter of me getting the opportunity to play and taking advantage of it when given to me. I consider myself an asset to this team and not an insurance policy to injuries. I feel I can help this team win basketball games."Croshere, who worked on getting his shot off quicker in the offseason, is averaging 9.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 21.2 minutes while starting four of five preseason games. He's competing with Bender to back up Jermaine O'Neal at power forward."Since I've been here, he's been the guy that's the most ready to play on a consistent basis, whether he's in the rotation or not," Carlisle said about Croshere. "He's a constant professional and he has a lot of respect from his teammates because of how he does his business. Right now he's earning his minutes in the rotation by the way he's been playing in the preseason."

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