8:48pm: It’s official, according to a team press release.
1:00pm: The Pacers will pick up their team option on Edmond Sumner‘s contract for 2021/22, according to president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard (Twitter link via Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files).
The option will pay Sumner a $2.32MM salary before he becomes eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2022.
Sumner, 25, had a career year for the Pacers in 2020/21, playing a career-high 16.2 minutes per game and earning 24 starts in 53 contests. The 6’4″ guard averaged 7.5 PPG and 1.8 RPG with an impressive shooting line of .525/.398/.819.
While there might be some extra minutes on the wing available in Indiana in 2021/22 if Doug McDermott departs in free agency, Sumner will face competition from newly-drafted swingman Chris Duarte. A number of Pacers veterans have also been mentioned in trade rumors in recent weeks, so it’s possible the team will shake up its roster a little during the free agency, but when the dust settles, Sumner should be in the mix for a regular rotation role.
How does McDermott leaving open up minutes for Summer
Doesn’t Holiday being gone open up min?
It could. I view Sumner as more of a wing shooter than a point guard — Basketball-Reference’s data suggests he played most of his minutes at the two or three last season.
Agree
Sumner’s a corner-3 guard and good at it, seeming to bring in a breath of fresh air if the starters are stale. Mild X(avier)factor
I’m waiting to see if Houston picks up Bradley’s option. I’m just kidding, they won’t.
If Ed can keep up those kind of fg% and 3pt% numbers, he could turn into an all star level player. He’s an absurd athlete (not Allen Iverson or Vince Carter, but not far off), he’s long (but skinny) for 6’4″… if he can keep shooting 50/40/80, I don’t see any reason he can’t average 20+ ppg, even if his other numbers are pretty pedestrian.