1:55pm: Freeman’s two-way deal is now official, the Pacers announced in a press release. Cole Swider‘s non-guaranteed standard contract is also official, per the team.
12:40pm: The Pacers are signing Enrique Freeman to a two-way contract, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Freeman was the No. 50 overall pick of June’s draft.
Freeman is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, who played five years of college basketball at Akron, where he had highly decorated career. The 24-year-old forward made the MAC All-Defensive team four consecutive times, was a three-time All-Conference honoree, was MAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021/22 and the conference’s Player of the Year in ’23/24.
As a senior last season for the Zips, Freeman averaged 18.6 points, 12.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks on .584/.370/.728 shooting in 35 games (32.5 minutes per contest).
Freeman had been one of a handful of 2024 draft picks who remained unsigned. Now that he’s inking a two-way deal, that list is down to three players: Duke big man Kyle Filipowski, the No. 32 pick (Jazz); Serbian guard Nikola Djurisic, the No. 43 pick (Hawks) who recently underwent surgery for a broken foot; and Dutch big man Quinten Post, the No. 52 pick (Warriors) who played college basketball at Mississippi State and Boston College.
As for Indiana, Freeman will fill the team’s third and final two-way spot, with guards Quenton Jackson and Tristen Newton also on two-way contracts.
The Pacers still have a two-way qualifying offer out to Oscar Tshiebwe as well, but since two-way deals can be swapped in and out and don’t count against the salary cap, they could potentially release him if he accepts the QO and isn’t in their long-term plans. Newton and Freeman’s roster spots are probably a little more secure than Jackson’s since they were just selected in the second round (Newton was the No. 49 pick).
Wonder what this means for Oscar then…
I would keep Oscar and waive Jackson
Waive Jackson