Category Archives: rumors

Column, news, rumors

Rumors: Thoughts on the Domantas Sabonis trade talk

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The Indiana Pacers have until Monday to sign Domantas Sabonis to an extension, but the two parties appear unlikely to agree to terms before that deadline according to multiple media reports.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that they are far apart to the point that the Pacers “have engaged in active trade talks with several teams this week.” While Amick notes that there is no lack of interest in the young center, his sources say that the Pacers asking price remains too high.

The IndyStar’s J. Michael confirmed that an extension is not imminent at the moment and said he “wouldn’t be surprised by anything as the deadline nears.”

Based on all the reporting, here is some speculation on what’s going on. I repeat this is just speculation and is only my best guess for the entire situation:

When the Pacers realized that they were probably not going to reach an agreement with Sabonis, they started to check what the trade market would be for him.

This doesn’t mean that they are necessarily looking to trade him right now (unless they got a huge offer they couldn’t pass up which would line up with their rumored “high” asking price) but perhaps it is more of a situation where the Pacers are just seeing what they could possibly get in a deal and what teams would be interested down the line if Kevin Pritchard and company decided to go that direction in the future. In other words, it’s just due diligence. Continue reading Rumors: Thoughts on the Domantas Sabonis trade talk →

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Reports: Pacers to sign Wesley Matthews

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The Indiana Pacers will sign Wesley Matthews after he agreed to a buyout from the New York Knicks according to multiple media reports.

Continue reading Reports: Pacers to sign Wesley Matthews →

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Trade deadline: Pacers acquire second-round pick in trade with Rockets

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The Indiana Pacers did the Houston Rockets a favor by taking on Nik Stauskas and Wade Baldwin in a trade. For their troubles, the Pacers will get a second-round pick from the Rockets in the deadline deal reported by ESPN.

The Pacers will waive both of these players, having no intention of keeping them on the roster. The Rockets motivation is getting below the luxury-tax threshold in the trade.

To make the trade legal, the Pacers do have to send something to the Rockets but it will likely just be a top-55 protected second-round pick that will never actually convey to Houston. Continue reading Trade deadline: Pacers acquire second-round pick in trade with Rockets →

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Rumors: Pacers made an offer for Mike Conley

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The trade deadline is quickly approaching and the Indiana Pacers are showing up in Mike Conley rumors.

Sam Amick and Tony Jones of The Athletic both reported that the Pacers have been in contact with the Memphis Grizzlies about Conley.

Jones reported that Pacers offered one young player and one veteran but the Memphis counter off was far too high. It seems the trade demands for Memphis make this deal unlikely to happen. Continue reading Rumors: Pacers made an offer for Mike Conley →

Analysis, rumors

Indiana Pacers Free Agency Options: Bargains (Part 3)

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Free agency is almost upon us. A time of Woj bombs and Shams-wows. A time of the surprising and the predictable.

The Indiana Pacers will be one of few teams with a lot of cap space entering free agency this year and will have plenty of options to pursue.

For perimeter players, we’ve already looked at some players in their prime (Will Barton, Tyreke Evans and Marcus Smart) and some wily old veterans that could serve as valuable role players.

Now, we look at cheaper options for younger players that are still somewhat unproven in their abilities. Some have served as role players in the past; some are still looking for that opportunity and may need more development time. These aren’t guys that are going to get anyone excited, but they might pay dividends.

We’ll start with two players that Indiana is reportedly interested in: Doug McDermott and Joe Harris.

Joe Harris

Harris had a great season with the Brooklyn Nets and made 41.9% of his 3-pointers on the season. He ranked in the 89th percentile in spot-up possessions, 75th percentile while coming off of screens and 84th percentile on hand offs. He’s an efficient shooting machine.

Continue reading Indiana Pacers Free Agency Options: Bargains (Part 3) →

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Rumors: Indiana Pacers interested in Doug McDermott and Joe Harris

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ESPN is reporting that with Will Barton likely re-signing with the Denver Nuggets as free agency begins after midnight, the Indiana Pacers will look at free agents Doug McDermott and Joe Harris to add more shooting to the bench unit.

Barton, who is analyzed in the piece below, had been a focus for the Pacers according to Adrian Wojnarowski.

Harris and McDermott would both bring shooting but not much else on the other end of the court. Harris shot 41.9% from deep for the Brooklyn Nets last season and McDermott shot 42.6% between his time with the Knicks and Mavericks last season. More analysis will be available on these two and other somewhat unproven free agents soon.

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Rumors: Indiana Pacers expected to be interested in Tyreke Evans, Marcus Smart, Will Barton

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As soon as the news broke that the Indiana Pacers had declined their team option on Lance Stephenson’s contract, reports of their interest in other players began to appear.

Marcus Smart, the Boston Celtics restricted free agent, is one such target according to Jordan Schultz, and he was rumored to be someone the Pacers were interested in during the season as well.

With his restricted status, he’ll be the toughest to sign in the open market as the Celtics will have the opportunity to match any contract he agrees to with another team. The Pacers would likely have to overpay some in order to sway Boston against matching the offer. Smart averaged 10.2 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds last season.

Continue reading Rumors: Indiana Pacers expected to be interested in Tyreke Evans, Marcus Smart, Will Barton →

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Pacers offering teams cap relief for a first-round pick

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ESPN is reporting that the Indiana Pacers have been aggressive in seeking teams out that may be looking to unload salary at the deadline. In exchange for taking on a contract, the Pacers are looking to acquire a first-round pick.

Al Jefferson’s contract is only guaranteed for $4 million next season, so it could provide relief for a team facing the luxury tax or looking to create more space for possible free agent signings.

Tony East of 8 points, 9 seconds says the Pacers could take back $15.55 million in any deal while sending out Jefferson, so a team could possibly save up to $11 million for next season’s cap.

While it’s possible that a team will look to do this type of deal now, it seems more likely to happen this summer. The Pacers also have partially guaranteed deals for Darren Collison and Bojan Bogdanovic, but the Pacers are in no hurry to trade key pieces from this year’s group.

When teams get closer to the free agency season around the draft, they may be more anxious to clear space and then Kevin Pritchard and company can offer the partial guarantees as a way to gather draft picks and assets to the Pacers.

A team that may work now would be the Nuggets. The numbers even work out perfectly.

Nets another possibility though it seems unlikely this deal would include a pick from the Nets.

Analysis, rumors

With Kemba Walker available, should the Pacers make a deal?

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Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker has been made available in trades according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Hornets would be looking to unload one of their bad contracts (they have a lot of them) in any potential deal that included Walker, who is averaging 21.7 points and 5.8 assists, according to Wojnarowski.

Any time an All-Star caliber player (Walker was selected as an All Star last season), every team, including the Indiana Pacers, has to consider whether or not they should pursue that player. Kevin Pritchard and company will have to do their due diligence and weigh the pros and the cons of any possible Walker deal.

Continue reading With Kemba Walker available, should the Pacers make a deal? →

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Pacers still open to re-signing CJ Miles 

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The Indiana Pacers re-signing CJ Miles is still a possibility reports Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports.

The Pacers just agreed to terms with Bojan Bogdanovic, a shooting combo-forward, to a 2-year, $21 million deal, but Agness reports this does not eliminate them from trying to sign Miles.

Miles does have interest from numerous NBA teams that are likely looking to sign him to a MLE deal worth around $8 million per season. 

The Pacers hold Miles’s Bird rights and would be able to go over the cap to sign him if necessary, though they could still have around $13 million in space if they stretch Monta Ellis.

Miles has spent the last three seasons with the Pacers and shot a career high 41% from 3-point range last season.

https://twitter.com/infraren/status/882703751378849792

Miles may be looking for a longer term contract than the Pacers are willing to give as they’ve been signing players to short-term deals so far this off-season to keep as much cap space as possible available for next season.

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Rumor: Pacers interested in free agent Kelly Olynyk

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The Indiana Pacers are rumored to be among interested teams for Kelly Olynyk after the center became an unrestricted free agent when the Boston Celtics renounced his rights after Gordon Hayward decided to come to the Celtics.

Olynyk, 26, averaged 9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2 assists for the Celtics last season playing 20 minutes per game. Woj reports that many teams are showing interested now that he’s an UFA.

It’s the third big man the Pacers have been rumored to be interested in this offseason after Taj Gibson (who signed with the Wolves) and Willie Reed (still a free agent).

The Pacers roster is already packed with power forwards and centers so more moves will be likely if they sign any of these players.

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Rumor: Pacers, Raptors have discussed a deal for Cory Joseph

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The Indiana Pacers have discussed a deal with the Toronto Raptors involving point guard Cory Joseph according to Basketball Insiders and other media outlets.

The Pacers have a hole at point guard on their roster as Lance Stephenson and Joe Young are the only possible PGs on the team currently. Joseph would add a veteran presence and his contract isn’t a long-term investment.

Joseph averaged 9.2 points and 3.3 assists per game while backing up Kyle Lowry in Toronto. It’s unclear what the Pacers would be sending to Toronto in this deal or if any other players are involved at this time.

The Raptors are motivated to clear some cap space, so the Pacers may not have to give up anything of value for him. However, Scotto reports that the Raptors are looking for draft pick compensation for Joseph, but the Pacers should be reluctant to give up a first-round pick now that they’re rebuilding.

For now the talks have slowed down, but Nate Taylor reports that the teams will revisit the talks. The Pacers think Joseph fits their plans, but are a little concerned that he’ll decline his player option after next season.

Taylor says the Pacers could send out a 2nd-round pick in a potential deal, but the Pacers second-round pick is controlled by the Brooklyn Nets from the Thad Young trade currently. The Nets only receive the 2nd-round pick once the Pacers fail to make the playoffs which could happen this year. 

The Pacers could do something like offer the opposite protections on this year’s 2nd-round pick so if Nets don’t get the pick then the Raptors would. If the Nets get this year’s 2nd-round pick, the Raptors could have the Pacers 2019 2nd-round pick.

The Pacers could also try to acquire a second-round pick from another team to facilitate the deal.

You may remember Joseph from the playoff series two years ago when Rodney Stuckey made Joseph question his existence with a pass fake.

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Rumor: Pacers interested in Taj Gibson and Willie Reed

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The Pacers are rumored to be interested in a pair of big men in the free agent market: Taj Gibson and Willie Reed.

The Pacers interest in bigs is peculiar given the current logjam of power forwards and centers currently on the roster: Myles Turner, Thaddeus Young, TJ Leaf, Domantas Sabonis, Al Jefferson, Rakeem Christmas, Ike Anigbogu, Georges Niang, Kevin Seraphin and Ben Moore.

The Pacers interest may not become serious unless they are able to move some of their other bigs in a trade.

Reed, 27, would be a good young-ish guy to give an opportunity too if the roster wasn’t stuffed with guys that play his position. He’s one of the iPacers free agents to target for the rebuild.

Gibson spent the last half of the season with the Oklahoma City Thunder after being traded from the Chicago Bulls. Reed spent one season with the Miami Heat, playing well in limited starting opportunities.

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Update: George Hill signs with Kings Rumor: Pacers interested in bringing George Hill back to Indiana

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Update: George Hill gets the same deal from the Sacramento Kings that Jeff Teague got from the Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 years, $57 million.

The Pacers have traded Paul George and are moving into building a new team around Myles Turner.

The biggest opening on the current makeup of the roster is at point guard and the latest rumor has the Pacers interested in a familiar face: George Hill.

Hill has been connected to multiple teams including the Spurs, Knicks and Nuggets, but this is the first we’ve heard the Pacers mentioned as potential suitors. 

The Pacers traded away Hill to the Jazz last season in a 3-team deal for Jeff Teague, who agreed to a 3-year deal with the Timberwolves as free agency started last night. 

Hill and newly acquired Victor Oladipo would make up a fierce defensive backcourt, much different than the undersized Teague and Ellis combination that the Pacers were starting for much of last season.

Hill will likely command a large contract worth somewhere close to $20 million per season. The Pacers have around $25 million in cap space and will have to decide if the 31-year-old that missed a lot of games last season is worth the large contract.

Update: Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports that the Pacers are not serious about going after George Hill.

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Update: Jeff Teague gets 3 year, $57 million from Timberwolves 

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Update: https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/880999575124758528

Marc Stein is reporting that the New York Knicks are giving up their chase for Jeff Teague as they believe he has already committed to the Minnesota Timberwolves before free agency officially starts at midnight.

Teague had one of the best seasons of his career while averaging 15.3 points and 7.8 assists and will likely receive a hefty contract from the Wolves, who had a vanancy at point guard after trading Ricky Rubio to the Utah Jazz.

Teague was rumored to have preferred to stay in Indy on a fair market deal, but the Pacers were probably reluctant to give big money to Teague as they enter a rebuilding phase now that Paul George will be leaving.

The Pacers meanwhile are rumored to be interested in recently waived Rajon Rondo.

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Celtics and Pacers seem far apart in Paul George negotiations

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Yesterday, it was reported that the last demand from Kevin Pritchard and the Pacers to the Celtics for Paul George was starting player(s) plus the 2018 Nets first-round pick and the 2018 Lakers or 2019 Kings first-round pick. The Celtics found this to be “unrealistic.”

Today, Zach Lowe of ESPN reported that the Celtics haven’t offered any of the following in a potential trade for George: the 2018 Nets first-round pick, the 2018 Lakers or 2019 Kings first-round pick, Jaylen Brown, or Jayson Tatum. 

So neither of the picks that Pritchard wants are currently on the table for the Pacers. Lowe states that his guess for the Celtics standing offer is currently something like Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder and either of the protected first-round picks that Boston owns from the Grizzlies and Clippers.

Maybe this will change if the Celtics sign Gordon Hayward in free agency and then Paul George says that he’s open to staying in Boston past just this season. The path to this may have already started as the Jazz have acquired Ricky Rubio, which means George Hill will be going elsewhere. Hayward was rumored to be wanting the Jazz to re-sign Hill, so he may be more likely to leave now that Hill’s gone.

The Rubio trade also created another suitor for Pacers free agent Jeff Teague as the Timberwolves will be in need of a point guard.

But as of now on the eve of free agency, it appears that a deal between the Pacers and Celtics isn’t close to happening without a compromise that leads somewhere in the middle of the Pacers demands and the Celtics current offer. Lowe states that if one of the picks that Pritchard covets moves into the deal, it’s likely George becomes a Celtic.

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Pacers have high demands to make a Paul George trade with Celtics

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Kevin Pritchard is continuing to play hardball and be as patient as possible while trying to get the most he possibly can in a Paul George trade.

Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald reports that Pritchard’s current demands from the Celtics would be the Nets 2018 pick, the Lakers 2018 pick, and starting player(s).

Danny Ainge and the Celtics see this as “unrealistic.”

It was reported previously by The Vertical that the Celtics would be willing to part with a significant amount of assets for George if they are able to sign Gordon Hayward in free agency, but Pritchard’s demands are even higher than what that rumored package from the Celtics would be in this situation.

There’s no issue with Pritchard aiming high for now as he still has plenty of time before the season to find a deal for George. It’s unlikely his demands will remain this high, but it could at least push Ainge to offer a little more than they would have originally, especially if they’re able to sign Hayward.

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Jeff Teague and the Knicks have mutual interest per ESPN

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Indianapolias native Jeff Teague and the New York Knicks have mutual interest now that Phil Jackson and his Triangle offense are out of the picture per ESPN’s Ian Begley.

Yesterday, there was a report that Teague would be interested in coming back to his hometown team, but it’s unclear if the Pacers will be looking to re-sign him as they contemplate whether or not to rebuild.

The Knicks had tried to trade for Teague in the past while he was still a member of the Atlanta Hawks.

Teague had arguably his best season in the NBA last year with the Pacers as he averaged 15.3 points and 7.8 assists per game.

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Woj: Celtics trying to pair Gordon Hayward and Paul George

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Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported today that the Boston Celtics are wanting to get a commitment from Gordon Hayward once free agency starts on July 1 and then acquire Paul George in a trade with the Indiana Pacers.

Woj’s league sources tell him that the Celtics have a strong belief that they’ll be able to re-sign George to an extension and that is making them more likely to part with a significant package of players and picks.

The Pacers believe the Celtics could potentially offer the best package, but Woj says they may not want to wait until free agency to make a deal for George.

The Celtics have young players like Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Jae Crowder as well as a plethora of potential high draft picks in their arsenal to create a suitable package for George.

If Celtics GM Danny Ainge is willing to give up some of these prized assets, Kevin Pritchard won’t find a better deal for George, but Ainge has been notoriously reluctant to part with very much in recent years in potential deals.

Woj also reports that the Celtics backup plan is to try and sign Blake Griffin to pair with George.

Meanwhile, George has apparently already tried to recruit Klay Thompson to play with him in Los Angeles.

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Cavaliers, Nuggets, Pacers have talked 3-way Paul George trade

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The latest rumor in the Paul George saga is that Cleveland may have found a team interested in Kevin Love in the Denver Nuggets to facilitate the 3-team deal to acquire George, according to Marc Stein and Chris Haynes of ESPN.

The Nuggets have the perfect group of young prospects and picks that Kevin Pritchard may desire to kick start the Pacers rebuild.

Their best young players Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are untouchable according to Stein, but they still have young players in Gary Harris, Malik Beasley, Emmanuel Mudiay, Juan Hernangomez, Trey Lyles and new draft pick Tyler Lydon.

Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler and Mudiay are known to be available currently and could help match salaries. In one version of the 3-team deal,  Faried would actually end up in Cleveland according to Stein.

The Pacers were also rumored to be interested in Danilo Gallinari before the Paul George announcement, but perhaps he could be part of a sign and trade though that seems unlikely.

The rumored deal was talked about during draft night, but they were unable to reach an agreement then. The Nuggets may not want to give up a package of assets that Pritchard feels like is enough at this time as he’s been determined to take a patient, methodical approach to try and get the best deal possible.