Malcolm Brogdon has passed his physical with the Celtics, clearing the way for Aaron Nesmith to officially join the Pacers‘ Summer League team, a league source tells James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star. With the Pacers/Celtics trade that sent Nesmith to Indiana officially irreversible, the former lottery pick could make his Summer League debut with the Pacers as soon as Tuesday, Boyd writes.
The completion of the Brogdon deal also clears a few extra million dollars in cap space for the Pacers, who reportedly have their eye on restricted free agent center Deandre Ayton.
Indiana doesn’t have quite enough cap room to make Ayton a maximum-salary offer, but the team is close to getting there. The Pacers also could be attempting to work out a sign-and-trade deal with the Suns so they don’t have to worry about the possibility of Phoenix matching an offer sheet.
As we wait to see what happens on the Ayton front, let’s round up a few more Pacers-related items…
- The Pacers decided to pick up Oshae Brissett‘s team option in June rather than declining it to negotiate a longer-term contract with the young swingman as a restricted free agent. However, Brissett tells Boyd that he wasn’t bothered by that decision and still hopes to re-sign with the team in unrestricted free agency next summer. “They believed in me when no one else did, so whatever they had on the table I was really ready (to accept) and come back and give it my all for this year,” he said. “I want to be here long term, so I know next year, whatever happens, Indiana’s always gonna be my No. 1 option to be back. The fans and the team have welcomed me with open arms and I’ll never forget that.”
- Former Pacers center Domantas Sabonis told Boyd that being traded from Indiana to Sacramento was “hard” and that he expects to have “a lot of emotions” when he plays in Indiana for the first time as a King. “I love Indiana,” Sabonis said. “That was basically my first real NBA experience. I spent one year in OKC and then got traded, so that was my home for a long time, you know?”
- After having his salary guaranteed for 2022/23, Terry Taylor spoke to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files about the role he envisions himself playing for the Pacers next season. “I think I can come in and do the little things to help the team, like play defense, be a versatile defender, crash the offensive glass like I usually do,” Taylor said. “And just be tough-minded and do all the dirty plays that nobody else wants to do.”
If you’re the Suns and know you’re losing Ayton to the Pacers, you’d want Myles Turner back, who is in the last year of his contract at $18MM.
The Pacers, if they got Ayton in a sign-and-trade on a max offer, would ink him to a 5 year deal starting at $30.5MM. Because Indiana would have the necessary cap space to make up the difference, these two teams could make this deal work as a 1-for-1. Could Indiana get a draft pick from Phoenix out of this, as well, since they can probably clear enough space to sign Ayton outright anyway? Maybe.
Perhaps the best fit would be Ayton for Myles Turner + TJ McConnell. TJ’s contract is a bit pricey for a backup (and thus negative trade value), but is reportedly healthy now. He provides Phoenix with PG insurance behind Chris Paul and Cameron Payne, who all dealt with injuries last year.
The most likely scenario is that Ayton will be a Pacer, i read that maybe this sign and trade can be involved into the KD trade. If Ayton signs the offer sheet PHX will run out of time if they hope to land KD, unless Ayton gives them time. There is no way for PHX to get KD if Ayton is not involved.
If PHX S&T Ayton aren’t they hard cap also???
I agree that the Suns may need to trade a draft pick for Myles Turner, since the Pacers could sign Deandre Ayton without a sign-and-trade, like you said.
I’m not in favor of sign and trade, and would never include TJ in any trade. The Pacers are full of young kids, and the Pacers need a veteran like TJ, who’s about as professional of an NBA player that you will find, to help speed up the learning curve and leadership this team will need…
Agree. I liked Trog’s post but I doubt Mcconnell would move with Turner.
The question is, if Suns match an offer, would Ayton prefer it or not?— seems foolish to reject a likely winner to join a likely loser, no matter how good their youth supposedly are.
Jerami Grant got no respect for leaving Nuggets to join Pistons, even tho he did get the allstar-type numbers.
Ayton may not be the sharpest knife in the block, but I don’t think he wants to trade a good situation for a lesser one. Even if he has to put up with CP3.
No, I agree, Ayton would surely accept Suns offer. But as a Pacers fan, I would look at it as a possibility to obtain a very young big man that has a great skill set, while retaining Turner. If as you say, Ayton is matched, okay, not that big of a deal, you still have Turner. But you’ve now forced a good team to spend money on an asset that, from what I’m hearing, they don’t believe is max material. May not hurt the Suns this year but might handicap them $$ wise a few years down the road. As a Pacers front office, that might mean something in future years….
I hope they simply provide an offer sheet, if Suns don’t match, great, they could keep Turner who would still have trade value if they still wanted to move him. I don’t believe there is a need for sign-and-trade.
I felt like Brissett wasnt used enough last year, and we never got to see them utilize the guys they brought in after what I thought was a strong offseason. That being said, I did have then 13th in the east coming g out of training camp, but I think that had more to do with rumors about rotations, which came into play, and potential trades, and I also think Brogodon ir someone might have been hurt before the season started last year, but I dont entirely remember
I like Brissett as a 4/3. At this point, I dont know who is even going to be on the roster when the season starts though. Their moves/draft implies Hirld is likely to be traded, and I would assume they would flip Theis, but more Turner rumors make that a little cloudy, as they have Jalen Smith as well, who has similarities to Turner
I still dont see the reasoning behind an Ayton move, especially if it involves Myles Turner, but I guess at this point we probably have to wait and see the final roster before making too many judgments with so much going on
Yeah, I love Brissett’s game as well! He clearly showed he belongs in this league two years ago. Last year he wasn’t used early in the season and by the time he cracked the rotation, too many starters were injured or out (Covid), which hurt his numbers. If he can stay healthy and be involved in the rotation, I like him as the primary backup to Mathurin at the SF-3. My scenario would be, complete offer for Ayton, then trade Turner for youngish PF-4 to backup Smith. I think Smith moving forward is a natural PF-4, with enough range to develop a 3-ball and the skill set/temperament to defend opponents PF’s…
Theis for Coby White would be welcome in Chicago, then they could send Bradley out for a 3&D