Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Caris LeVert Dealing With Stress Fracture In Back

September 28th, 2021 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

Pacers guard Caris LeVert has a stress fracture in his back, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). However, according to Wojnarowski, the team is relatively optimistic about LeVert’s prognosis, viewing the injury as a “minor” setback and believing that he could still be ready to return around the start of the regular season.

There will be more testing to come on the injury, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter).

LeVert, 27, has dealt with multiple serious health issues since entering the NBA in 2016. He broke his leg in gruesome fashion near the start of the 2018/19 season, then had surgery earlier this year to treat renal cell carcinoma of his left kidney.

When he got healthy and debuted for the Pacers last season, LeVert made a strong first impression, averaging 20.7 PPG and 4.9 APG in 35 games (32.9 MPG). The team had been hoping the former first-round pick would be 100% healthy entering his first full season in Indiana, but it looks like his status for opening night is up in the air.

The Pacers have been dealt some of the worst injury luck to open the 2021/22 league year. Edmond Sumner sustained a torn Achilles tendon that will likely sideline him for the entire season, while T.J. Warren‘s recovery from a foot injury is progressing slower than expected and he has been ruled out indefinitely.

Arena Renamed Gainbridge Fieldhouse

September 27th, 2021 at 7:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle hopes T.J. Warren can make a swift recovery from the stress fracture in the navicular bone in his left foot, Akeem Glaspie of the Indianapolis Star reports. “Hopefully, it’ll be weeks and not months, that’s the hope,” Carlisle said. “It’s important for him to keep a very upbeat view of things. The healing process with people is always better and more aggressive when you have a great attitude about it and he has.” Warren has not suffered any setbacks but the location of the injury makes for a tricky rehab, Glaspie adds.
The Pacers’ arena has officially been renamed Gainbridge Fieldhouse, according to a team press release. It’s a multi-year partnership, replacing the former name Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Gainbridge, a Group 1001 company, is a self-managed digital platform providing clients with direct access to financial products to grow their savings.

2021/22 NBA Over/Unders: Central Division

September 17th, 2021 at 12:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2021/22 NBA regular season will get underway next month, so it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and to resume an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.

With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

In 2020/21, our voters went 17-13 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’21/22?

As a reminder, the NBA played a 72-game schedule in 2020/21, so a team that won 41 games last year finished with a 41-31 record. This year, a club that wins 41 games would be a .500 team (41-41). For added clarity, we’ve noted the record that each team would have to achieve to finish “over” its projected win total.

We’ll turn today to the Central division…

Milwaukee Bucks

2020/21 record: 46-26
Over/under for 2021/22: 54.5 wins (55-27)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: George Hill, Grayson Allen, Semi Ojeleye, Rodney Hood, Georgios Kalaitzakis
- Lost: P.J. Tucker, Bryn Forbes, Jeff Teague, Sam Merrill

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bucks poll.

Indiana Pacers

2020/21 record: 34-38
Over/under for 2021/22: 42.5 wins (43-39)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson, Torrey Craig
- Lost: Doug McDermott, Aaron Holiday, JaKarr Sampson

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pacers poll.

Chicago Bulls

2020/21 record: 31-41
Over/under for 2021/22: 42.5 wins (43-39)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, Tony Bradley, Derrick Jones, Ayo Dosunmu, Marko Simonovic, Stanley Johnson, Alize Johnson, Matt Thomas, Tyler Cook
- Lost: Lauri Markkanen, Thaddeus Young, Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple, Daniel Theis, Denzel Valentine, Al-Farouq Aminu, Ryan Arcidiacono, Cristiano Felicio

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bulls poll.

Cleveland Cavaliers

2020/21 record: 22-50
Over/under for 2021/22: 26.5 wins (27-55)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Evan Mobley, Lauri Markkanen, Ricky Rubio, Denzel Valentine, Kevin Pangos
- Lost: Larry Nance, Taurean Prince, Isaiah Hartenstein, Matthew Dellavedova, Damyean Dotson

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Cavaliers poll.

Detroit Pistons

2020/21 record: 20-52
Over/under for 2021/22: 25.5 wins (26-56)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Cade Cunningham, Kelly Olynyk, Trey Lyles, Isaiah Livers
- Lost: Mason Plumlee, Sekou Doumbouya, Jahlil Okafor, Wayne Ellington, Dennis Smith Jr., Deividas Sirvydis, Tyler Cook

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pistons poll.

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

Brooklyn Nets (55.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
Philadelphia 76ers (51.5 wins): Under (70.0%)
Boston Celtics (46.5 wins): Over (58.1%)
New York Knicks (42.5 wins): Over (65.1%)
Toronto Raptors (36.5 wins): Under (50.6%)

Northwest:

Utah Jazz (52.5 wins): Over (61.7%)
Denver Nuggets (48.5 wins): Over (69.3%)
Portland Trail Blazers (44.5 wins): Over (53.0%)
Minnesota Timberwolves (34.5 wins): Under (57.1%)
Oklahoma City Thunder (23.5 wins): Under (65.0%)

Pacers Apply For Disabled Player Exception After Sumner Injury

September 16th, 2021 at 2:43pm CST by Rory Maher

Due to the torn Achilles tendon that Edmond Sumner recently suffered, the Pacers have applied for a disabled player exception, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. The disabled player exception gives over-the-cap teams another avenue to potentially replace seriously injured players, like Sumner.

There are several caveats to the DPE:

It does not free up a roster spot.
If used, it counts against the salary cap.
The injured player must be deemed by an NBA physician to be likely sidelined through June 15 of the league year.
The exception is worth 50% of the injured player’s salary (or the amount of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, whichever is lesser). Sumner is due to make $2.32MM in 2021/22, so the DPE, if granted, would be worth $1.16MM for the Pacers.

Considering the typical recovery time of a torn Achilles is 12 months or more (Kevin Durant, for example, didn’t play an NBA game for 18 months after suffering a torn Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals), it’s fairly safe to say that Indiana will be granted the DPE.

However, there’s a good chance it won’t be used. The Pacers are currently about $763K under the luxury tax threshold, so using the potential $1.16MM disabled player exception would put them over the line, which they would certainly like to avoid. Additionally, outside of rookie minimum deals or prorated minimum-salary contracts, there aren’t many salaries that would actually fit within such a small DPE.

However, there’s no cost to apply for a DPE and no penalty for not using it, so the Pacers’ request makes sense. If granted, the exception will give Indiana a tool to potentially sign, trade, or claim a player off waivers, increasing the team’s roster flexibility going forward.

Central Notes: LaVine, Sumner, Pistons, Bucks

September 14th, 2021 at 7:13pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Bulls All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine is not worried about how he will mesh alongside new starting small forward DeMar DeRozan, per Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. Both players to this point have been primary scorers for their respective clubs.

“I don’t get that at all, because that’s just outside narratives,” LaVine said of the on-court collaboration with his pricey new Bulls teammate. “It’s our job to get out there and get to know each other, obviously personally and as a basketball player. It’s easy to make things work on the basketball court if you all have the same intent, and that’s winning.”

There’s more out of the Central Division:

After recently tearing his left Achilles tendon during an offseason workout, 25-year-old Pacers guard Edmond Sumner underwent a successful surgery to repair the ligament, per a team press release. Drafted with the No. 52 pick out of Xavier by Indiana in 2017, Sumner has developed into a helpful reserve in his first four NBA seasons thus far. In 53 games played during the 2019/20 season, Sumner averaged 7.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG, and 0.9 APG across 16.2 MPG. He posted a shooting line of .525/.398/.819.
The Pistons could stand to benefit from adding a third center with their available guaranteed roster spot, writes Rod Beard of the Detroit Free Press. The club signed Kelly Olynyk in free agency this summer, and are hopeful that second-year big man Isaiah Stewart, an All-Rookie Second Teamer, can continue to develop. Beard notes that it makes sense for Detroit to keep its 15th roster spot open through training camp, in case another veteran center becomes available elsewhere in the NBA.
Bucks shooting guards Donte DiVincenzo and Grayson Allen, both set to be restricted free agents in 2022, could net contract extensions by October 18 this season. Eric Nehm of The Athletic posits that, judging by the contracts meted out to similar-caliber players during the 2021 offseason, DiVincenzo could earn a multiyear contract worth $50MM or more, though Nehm wonders if the Bucks will be cautious to extend him before seeing how he plays on the hardwood. DiVincenzo injured a tendon in his left foot suffered during the 2021 playoffs. Nehm views the newly-added Allen as something of a contingency plan for DiVincenzo.

Sumner Takes Positive Approach To Adversity

September 10th, 2021 at 8:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pacers guard Edmond Sumner is taking a positive approach in the aftermath of his devastating Achilles injury. Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files relays a social media post from Sumner which states in part, “Hit me at all at once like a train. Just adding to this crazy journey of mine. … Victory comes through your adversity.”

Amida Brimah To Play In Puerto Rico

September 10th, 2021 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

After being waived by the Pacers last month, Amida Brimah will resume his playing career in Puerto Rico, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files, who reports (via Twitter) that the big man has signed with Mets de Guaynabo.

Brimah, 27, was in training camp with the Pacers last fall, then signed a two-way deal with the team in April. He appeared in five NBA games for Indiana down the stretch, recording 2.6 PPG, 1.6 RPG, and 1.0 BPG in just 5.8 minutes per contest. He also played in 10 games for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants during the G League season and put up 8.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 2.6 BPG for the club in 23.5 MPG.

Although Brimah’s two-way contract covered the 2021/22 season as well, the Pacers didn’t plan on bringing him back for another year, opting to use their two-way contract slots on undrafted rookies Duane Washington and DeJon Jarreau. As a result, Brimah was cut in August when the club signed Jarreau.

This won’t be Brimah’s first time playing outside of the NBA or the G League. The former UConn center was briefly a member of KK Partizan in Serbia in 2018.

Carlisle Ranks As Biggest Upgrade

September 9th, 2021 at 7:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The biggest upgrade the Pacers made this offseason was on the sidelines, Zach Harper of The Athletic opines. While the front office acquired a couple of potentially important role players, the key move was hiring Rick Carlisle for a second stint as their head coach. Carlisle replaces Nate Bjorkgren, who quickly fell out of favor with the team’s players and even his staff, Harper adds.

Pacers’ Edmond Sumner Sustains Torn Left Achilles

September 9th, 2021 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Edmond Sumner has been diagnosed with a torn left Achilles tendon, according to the Pacers, who said in a press release that Sumner sustained the injury during an offseason workout on Thursday.

Sumner will be out indefinitely, per the team. While the Pacers aren’t definitively stating yet that the 25-year-old will be out for the entire 2021/22 season, the rehab and recovery process for an Achilles tear typically takes the better part of a calendar year.

It’s a brutal blow for Sumner, who had a career year 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, and had his $2.32MM team option picked up by Indiana for the 2021/22 season.

Since Sumner is in the final year of his contract, the Pacers may eventually waive him if they don’t think he’ll be back this season and need his spot on the 15-man roster, but there’s no rush to make a move yet. Sumner’s $2.32MM salary is guaranteed, so he’ll earn it whether or not he finishes the season with the club.

It has been a rough week of injury updates for the Pacers, who announced on Tuesday that T.J. Warren‘s recovery from a left foot stress fracture is progressing slower than they’d hoped. It appears the team will be down at least two players when training camps open later this month.

Pacers Sign Nate Hinton To Exhibit 10 Deal

September 7th, 2021 at 7:41pm CST by Luke Adams

7:41pm: The signing is official, according to a press release from the Pacers.

3:20pm: The Pacers have reached an agreement with free agent guard Nate Hinton on an Exhibit 10 deal, agent Tallen Todorovich tells our JD Shaw (Twitter link).

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, appearing in 21 games for the club, but only played limited minutes, averaging 2.0 PPG in 4.4 MPG. He saw more action at the G League level for the Santa Cruz Warriors, putting up 10.6 PPG and 7.1 RPG in 10 games (23.0 MPG).

The Mavs issued a qualifying offer to Hinton earlier this summer to make him a restricted free agent and he accepted it, briefly returning to the team on a second two-way deal. However, Dallas waived him in August in order to open up a two-way slot for JaQuori McLaughlin.

The Pacers currently have a total of 19 players under contract, including 13 on guaranteed contracts, four on non-guaranteed deals, and a pair on two-way pacts. Hinton, who will join Keifer Sykes and Terry Taylor as the Pacers players with Exhibit 10 deals, will be the team’s 20th man.

Earning a regular season roster spot will be a challenge, but if Hinton ends up joining Indiana’s G League affiliate for at least 60 days, his Exhibit 10 contract would make him eligible to earn a bonus of up to $50K.