Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Sign Nate Hinton To 10-Day Deal

December 30th, 2021 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have officially signed guard Nate Hinton to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception, the team announced today in a press release.

Hinton, 22, signed a two-way contract with the Mavericks during the 2020 offseason after going undrafted out of Houston. The 6’5″ shooting guard spent his rookie season in Dallas under coach Rick Carlisle, appearing in 21 games for the club, but only played limited minutes, averaging 2.0 PPG in 4.4 MPG.

Hinton saw more action at the G League level last season for the Santa Cruz Warriors, putting up 10.6 PPG and 7.1 RPG in 10 games (23.0 MPG). This season, he joined the Pacers’ G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and averaged 8.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, and 2.1 SPG in 14 contests (27.3 MPG).

Hinton is the first 10-day hardship signing for the Pacers, who placed Jeremy Lamb in the health and safety protocols on Wednesday.

Jeremy Lamb Enters Protocols For Pacers

December 29th, 2021 at 6:18pm CST by Rory Maher

Pacers reserve swingman Jeremy Lamb tested positive for COVID-19 and has entered the league’s health and safety protocols, according to James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star. Head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters, including Boyd, that lead assistant coach Lloyd Pierce returned an inconclusive test and will miss the team’s game against Charlotte Wednesday night.

Lamb, 29, suffered a torn ACL in February 2020 and has struggled to regain the same level of play post-injury. In 26 games this season (14.3 MPG), Lamb is averaging 6.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG and 1.4 APG on .361/.342/.932 shooting. He’s earning $10.5MM this season and will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2022.

There were rumors over the summer that the Pacers were looking to trade Lamb, but they haven’t found any takers yet, with his play not matching his salary. He could potentially be used as salary matching as part of a larger deal, with the Pacers reportedly looking to be active on the trade market. The Pacers hold a 14-20 record, 13th in the East.

Pierce is in his first season with the Pacers after being fired as head coach of the Hawks last season.

Lamb will be out for at least six days or until he returns two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

Boyd writes that rookie two-way guard Duane Washington Jr. could receive more minutes in Lamb’s absence. Boyd also notes that with Malcolm Brogdon sidelined (sore Achilles), Keifer Sykes, whom the Pacers recently signed, should receive his first NBA action Wednesday.

Washington Gets First Meaningful Minutes

December 28th, 2021 at 7:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Two-way player Duane Washington Jr. got a chance to play 11 minutes on Sunday due to Pacers backcourt injuries. He contributed two points, two rebounds and two assists. Washington, who has been averaging 19.5 PPG in the G League, took a three-hour bus from Indianapolis to Chicago to play in the game, according to James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star. “He did a nice job for us,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “He played with high energy, he moved the ball, he scrambled around defensively, and offensively you’ve got to guard him. He’s a guy that can shoot and make shots. It’s really a great opportunity for him.”

Sykes' Contract Includes Team Option

December 27th, 2021 at 8:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers signed Keifer Sykes to a new contract on Monday. According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link), it’s a two-year deal and the second year includes a team option.

Pacers Waive Brad Wanamaker, Sign Keifer Sykes

December 27th, 2021 at 11:06am CST by Luke Adams

11:06am: The Pacers have officially signed Sykes and waived Wanamaker, according to a press release from the team.

10:51am: The Pacers intend to waive guard Brad Wanamaker and sign another guard, Keifer Sykes, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

Most of the deals being completed around the NBA right now are 10-day hardship contracts, but it doesn’t appear that’ll be the case here, since the Pacers don’t have any players in the health and safety protocols and will be waiving a player from their 15-man roster in order to sign Sykes.

Wanamaker, 32, has appeared in 22 games for Indiana this season, averaging 3.5 PPG and 2.2 APG with a .361/.235/.909 shooting line in 13.3 minutes per contest. His minimum-salary contract isn’t fully guaranteed for 2021/22, so by releasing him before next month’s league-wide guarantee date, the Pacers would only have to pay him $715,538, as Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.

An undrafted free agent out of Green Bay in 2015, Sykes has spent most of the last several years playing in international leagues. He has played for teams in Korea, Turkey, Italy, China, and Greece, and is coming off a one-year stint with the South East Melbourne Phoenix in Australia’s National Basketball League.

Sykes, who hit the game-winning three-point shot for Boeheim’s Army in this summer’s The Basketball Tournament, signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Indiana and then joined the Pacers’ G League team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He has averaged 16.5 PPG and 7.5 APG on .409/.351/.741 shooting in 13 G League games (34.3 MPG) this season.

It’s unclear whether or not Sykes will get a rest-of-season guarantee. If he doesn’t, the Pacers would have until January 7 to decide whether or not to lock in his full-season salary.

LeVert, Turner Showing Value To Potential Suitors

December 27th, 2021 at 10:15am CST by Luke Adams

Caris LeVert has been playing his best basketball this month since joining the Pacers, averaging 22.1 PPG and 5.3 APG with a .392 3PT% in his last 10 games. Myles Turner, meanwhile, had one of his best games of the season last Thursday, putting up 32 points on 14-of-18 shooting. Besides helping out Indiana with their production, LeVert and Turner – both considered trade candidates – are displaying their value for potential suitors, writes Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star (subscribers only).

Carlisle Back With Team

December 19th, 2021 at 3:57pm CST by Rory Maher

Head coach Rick Carlisle is back with the Pacers after exiting the health and safety protocols, according to James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star (via Twitter). Carlisle led Indiana’s practice Sunday and is expected to coach the team Tuesday at Miami, Boyd relays.

Coach Rick Carlisle Expected Back Soon

December 18th, 2021 at 8:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, who tested positive for COVID-19 10 days ago, should be ready to return for Tuesday’s game, assistant Lloyd Pierce told James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star. Pierce has filled in for Carlisle during his four-game absence.

Windhorst’s Latest: Pacers, LeVert, Blazers, Simmons, Fox

December 17th, 2021 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Based on the whispers he has heard around the league, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst views Caris LeVert and Myles Turner as more likely trade candidates for the Pacers than Domantas Sabonis, he said on the latest episode of his Hoop Collective podcast. Although Sabonis has frequently been mentioned alongside LeVert and Turner in reports on Indiana’s potential trade chips, Windhorst hasn’t heard much chatter about the All-Star center.

During Friday’s episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, Windhorst spoke at length to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon about the report on the Mavericks that MacMahon published earlier this week, which included details on how the relationship between Luka Doncic and Rick Carlisle became frayed. Interestingly, Windhorst suggested that LeVert could perhaps relate to Doncic, stating that the Pacers swingman and Carlisle have not had the “greatest partnership” so far this season.

Here are a few more interesting tidbits shared by Windhorst during his podcast:

Windhorst heard from one executive who said that the Trail Blazers, since their front office shakeup, have created the impression they’re willing to listen to inquiries on anyone except Damian Lillard.
According to Windhorst, there are multiple execs around the NBA who believe that when the Sixers eventually trade Ben Simmons, at least one of the Kings, Timberwolves, and/or Rockets will be involved, either as Simmons’ destination or as a third team in the deal. As Windhorst explains, those three teams’ front offices are run by executives who previously worked with Daryl Morey.
Although reports earlier this year suggested that De’Aaron Fox was expected to be off-limits in any Kings trade talks, MacMahon has gotten the sense that the point guard is no longer considered untouchable. According to Windhorst, Fox came to camp this fall 15 pounds heavier than he was when the season ended last spring.

Trade Rumors: Sabonis, Kemba, Celtics, Pelicans, Magic

December 16th, 2021 at 11:13am CST by Luke Adams

On an episode of The Ringer’s podcast The Mismatch last week, Kevin O’Connor mentioned that Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis wants out of Indiana. The comment was made in passing and wasn’t expanded upon by O’Connor in any subsequent article or tweet, so it wasn’t clear whether it was something he was reporting or something he’d heard but hadn’t fully confirmed.

Following up on that rumor, Matt Moore of Action Network says he has also heard from multiple sources that Sabonis wants out of Indiana, adding that the big man’s desire for a change of scenery dates back to last season. However, all of Sabonis’ public comments have indicated that he’s happy to stick with the Pacers, and Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files, who is plugged in with the team, called O’Connor’s initial report “false” (Twitter link).

The Pacers are reportedly open to the idea of moving Sabonis, so whether or not he wants to be dealt may ultimately be a moot point — Indiana could trade him either way.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the league:

Knicks guard Kemba Walker hasn’t generated much – if any – trade interest from rival teams, since his knees are viewed as too much of a risk, Moore reports.
Two sources who spoke to Moore suggested the Celtics are more likely to pursue a third impact player to add to their core of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, rather than breaking up the duo.
The Bulls are in the market for a wing defender who could come off the bench, says Moore.
Some executives were surprised by Jake Fischer’s report that the Pelicans could be buyers this season, since they’d gotten the impression New Orleans is more interested in long-term assets, Moore writes. Josh Hart is viewed as possibly the most likely trade candidate on the Pels’ roster, Moore adds.
Despite Mohamed Bamba‘s strong season, the Magic are considered unlikely to discuss center Wendell Carter Jr. in trades, per Moore, who notes that the team also hasn’t yet indicated that Bamba is available.
According to Moore, the Thunder are a good candidate to be a third team in a Ben Simmons trade, since Sam Presti and Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey have had multiple past dealings and Oklahoma City is well positioned to take on unwanted contracts.