JULY 7: The Pacers have formally announced the signing of Collison.
“Having had Darren here in the past, we obviously knew what we were getting, both on the floor and in the locker room,” Pacers president Kevin Pritchard said in a statement. “When you bring in a player like Darren, you know you’re not only getting a point guard, you’re adding a veteran presence to your team.”
JULY 3: Point guard Darren Collison has agreed in principle on a two-year, $20MM contract with the Pacers, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Collison averaged 13.2 PPG and 4.6 APG in 68 games, including 63 starts, with the Kings last season.
The second year is partially guaranteed, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets. The agreement leaves the Pacers with approximately $13MM in cap space, Zach Lowe of ESPN tweets.
This is Collison’s second stint with Indiana. He was their starting point guard during the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons.
Indiana had a big hole to fill at that spot after Jeff Teague reached a three-year, $57MM agreement with the Timberwolves. They also have combo guards Monta Ellis and Victor Oladipo, who will be coming over from the Thunder in the Paul George deal.
The Knicks reached out to Collison but their interest was apparently lukewarm at best.
Collison served an eight-game suspension at the start of last season after a domestic battery incident. He has appeared in 563 career games, averaging 12.7 PPG and 4.8 APG while shooting 38% from long range.
The addition of Collison appears to be a stopgap move for a rebuilding Pacers club in the aftermath of trading their best player.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Thats really good, he could start alongside Oladipo.
Wow I called this last night. Great fit. Couple million less than I thought he’d get, but you can see the lineups they can theoretically throw out there as of now.
They need to grab a 4, and a wing shooter, and probably try to find a low key guy that can guard PGs off their bench
Why do they need a 4 though? They can throw Leaf,Young, or Sabonis at the 4. If anything they should try and bring in Rudy Gay to play the 3.
PG-Lance
SG-Oladipo
SF-Gay
PF-Young or Sabonis
C-Turner
I guess they could get away with starting thaddeus young with Oladipo amd Glenn Robinson starting…but they need a more defensive option there. And they could use a wing shooter. Rudy Gay would theoretically fit them though, if he is healthy. He plays either position
Wow. I completely forgot, for a moment, they had Lance Stephenson again lol. My bad
Yea Lance might run point.
Dinis…so bad. Young is a guard and you have him at power forward! Rudy Gay stay away! He’s a cancer…every team he left got better after he left. Better to tank than bring this selfish dude to the land of team basketball.
Dionis….
Wtf are you talking about? Thaddeus Young is a power forward you savant lmao.
Joe Young…profane shows yur IQ
Need a 4? If anything, they need to get rid of a 4. They have Young, Leaf, and Sabonis capable of playing 4. They maybe okay with what they have depending on if they want Sabonis playing both the 4 and 5. The Pacers need a SF and Gay would be a good option as Dionis mentioned.
Sabonis plays 5, but ya, they could use some help on the wing and at the 4, which Rudy Gay would do, if he were healthy
Sabonis played a lot of 4 for OKC. If he’s mainly a 5 as you suggest, then this makes the George trade even worse because Indiana’s best player, Turner, is the clear starter at 5.
Both can give you some minutes together, but it would be better to let them play apart for the most part. It’s good depth, and they’re skilled bigs…you’re set in the front court with those guy, Leaf, and Christmas. You just need a more versatile defensive option at the 4, and guard/Wing help, which is pretty much what you needed before anyway
Forgot Anigbogu
Thought he’d go to Charlotte and back Kemba up. Had an opportunity to start and took it though, good for him.
MCW was just signed to backup Kemba. There was little doubt he’d sign somewhere to be the starter.
Collison / Lance
Oladipo / Miles
Niang
Turner / Leaf
Sabonis / Anigbogu
One obvious spot to upgrade…
1. Lance isn’t a PG.
2. Miles isn’t on the team.
3. Niang should be counted on as a rotation player, let alone the starter.
4. Turned and Sabonois should be flipped.
5. Anigbogu is a project and Jefferson is still on the team as of today, fo clearly ahead of him. Christmas might be ahead of Anigbogu at this point.
Outside of that you nailed it.
Niang Shouldn’t be counted on as a starter *
Did you just say Turner and Sabonis have to be flipped as in traded? Are you out of your mind? Lol
He means the way bts76 has them listed, they need to be flipped. He has Turner starting at the 4 and Sabonis at the 5. Definitely should be Turner at the 5 and Sabonis at the 4.
Sabonis and Turner can turn into something special.
The Pacers literally said Lance Stephenson will run point next year.
They should take a look at Rudy Gay just saying.
The only reason to keep posting that Rudy Gay comment is because you a) are not a Pacers fan or b) do not know basketball. Gay is a selfish ball hog that wants a ton of money. Let the Knicks/Nets have Mr. Chemo.
Gay is only 30 and can get you 20-35 points a night, plus he can play the 2-3-4. Maybe the Pacers should go rebuild mode and try and draft a forward like Miles Bridges or Kevin Knox in the upcoming draft.
U don’t get it. 30 is ancient in a league of 20’s…his production is not relevant…he is a cancer. U want Leaf/Turner having this selfish punk as a veteran role model? Pacers are in rebuild…don’t waste money on bad attitude guys like Gay.
Gay avg career high 21 in 2014…once in 11years. Barely 20 two other years…35… Never…all with a ball hog /me first mindset. Gay doesn’t play D…and you say he can play 4. What a joke! Go play Draft Kings and stop wasting pacers fans time.
Great signing, seems like the Pacers are trying to instill a culture free of the diva known as Paul George