Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Sign Chris Duarte To Rookie Contract

August 4th, 2021 at 3:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have officially signed No. 13 overall pick Chris Duarte to his rookie scale contract, the club announced today in a press release.

Duarte, who turned 24 in June, was one of the older prospects in this year’s draft class, but became a popular target for teams seeking immediate help on the wing. While Indiana was able to snag him at No. 13, Duarte was reportedly a top option for the Warriors at No. 14 and was considered a trade-up target for the Knicks.

As a senior at Oregon in 2020/21, the 6’6″ shooting guard averaged 17.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.9 SPG with an impressive .532/.424/.810 shooting line in 26 games (34.1 MPG).

As our breakdown of 2021 rookie salaries shows, assuming he signs for 120% of his rookie scale amount, Duarte is in line for a four-year contract worth about $17.7MM, with a first-year salary of $3.75MM.

As Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets, the Pacers have another first-round pick, Isaiah Jackson, to sign, but the No. 22 overall pick is tied up in a trade that’s not yet official, so the team will have to wait at least a couple more days to finalize his contract.

Eastern Rumors: Dinwiddie, Wizards, Avdija, Oladipo, Knicks, Bitadze

August 4th, 2021 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards continue to work through their complicated sign-and-trade acquisition of Spencer Dinwiddie, according to multiple reports.

Quinton Mayo (Twitter link) has heard the Bulls and Thunder mentioned as teams that could end up getting involved in a multi-team trade involving Dinwiddie. Mayo also reports that the Nets asked the Wizards for Deni Avdija during those negotiations, which Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News (twitter link) corroborates.

If and when the Wizards, Nets, and other potential trade partners figure out a deal, Dinwiddie is expected to get a three-year, $62MM deal from Washington, reports Winfield (Twitter link).

Here are a few more updates from around the East:

Although Victor Oladipo‘s camp is optimistic that he’ll be able to return to action sometime between late December and early February, some Heat people believe March is a more realistic target, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Oladipo, who underwent quad tendon surgery in May, agreed to a minimum-salary contract with Miami.
Following up on an Ian Begley report that stated the final year in the Knicks‘ deals with Nerlens Noel, Alec Burks, Derrick Rose, and Evan Fournier aren’t guaranteed, ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link) clarifies that all four deals are expected to have standard team options in their last years. Noel, Burks, and Rose will have those options in year three, while Fournier’s will be in year four.
Pacers big man Goga Bitadze wanted to play for the team in Summer League this month, but he missed Indiana’s first two SL practices due to back soreness and is now away from the club due to a personal matter, writes Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.

Eastern Notes: Pacers, Knicks, Madar, Nets, Wizards

August 4th, 2021 at 8:14am CST by Luke Adams

While it’s not out of the question that the Pacers will make a major trade this offseason, the team isn’t any rush to move Myles Turner or Malcolm Brogdon, the two names that pop up most frequently in Pacers-related trade rumors, writes J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star.

Of those two players, Turner is less likely to be dealt, according to Michael, who suggests that new head coach Rick Carlisle would like to try to figure out the best way to maximize the Turner/Domantas Sabonis duo. It’s possible Carlisle will split up the two Pacers bigs and have Turner come off the bench to start the season, Michael adds.

As for Brogdon, the Pacers have been trying to determine whether he’s the right long-term fit as the team’s point guard and leader, according to Michael. As Michael details, Indiana had some locker room issues in 2020/21 and president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard suggested at the end of the season that the club lacked vocal leadership. The Pacers may expect more in that regard from Brogdon going forward.

Here’s more from around the East:

The Knicks, who remain on the lookout for another point guard, have some interest in Dennis Schröder, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Berman also says New York contacted Elfrid Payton at the start of free agency, though it’s unclear if the club views him as a viable fallback option.
Yam Madar, the 47th overall pick in the 2020 draft, hopes to play for the Celtics this season, he told reporters on Tuesday. As Jared Weiss of The Athletic tweets, Boston’s plan is to see how Madar’s Summer League stint goes and to evaluate its options from there.
Nets star Kevin Durant is thrilled that Blake Griffin is set to return to the team for another season, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “To have Blake back, I’m so excited,” Durant said from Tokyo. “I mean, as soon as the season was over, I was telling him that we want him back and telling him that, you know, we should try to do it again. And I was glad to see it get done.” In a separate story, Lewis confirms that James Johnson‘s new deal with Brooklyn is worth the veteran’s minimum.
After recently announcing a new deal for NHL star Alex Ovechkin, the centerpiece of his other franchise, Wizards owner Ted Leonsis discussed the contrast between how things played out with Ovechkin and Russell Westbrook, per Emily Kaplan of ESPN. “We had a superstar player with the Wizards, he had an opportunity and wanted to be traded to the Lakers,” Leonsis said. “And I was dealing with that as we were announcing Alex. I couldn’t help but self-reflect on what a difference it is. Here’s a great player in Russell Westbrook, played in OKC, wanted to be traded, went to Houston, wanted to be traded, came to D.C., wanted to be traded and is now in L.A. He’s an unbelievably great person and an unbelievably great player. But that’s the difference between the NBA and the NHL, I suppose.”

Pacers, Keifer Sykes Agree To Exhibit 10 Deal

August 3rd, 2021 at 10:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent point guard Keifer Sykes has agreed to sign with the Pacers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Sources tell Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link) that it’ll be an Exhibit 10 deal for Sykes, who will play for Indiana in Summer League.

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 spent time 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 also participated in this summer’s The Basketball Tournament and hit the game-winning three-point shot on Tuesday night to clinch the title and the $1MM prize for Boeheim’s Army (video link).

Sykes and undrafted rookie Terry Taylor will reportedly be among the Pacers’ training camp invitees this fall.

Pacers Re-Sign T.J. McConnell To Four-Year Deal

August 2nd, 2021 at 5:37pm CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 6: The Pacers have officially re-signed McConnell, announcing the transaction in a press release.

“We are very pleased to re-sign T.J. McConnell,” Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in a statement. “This franchise and our fan base knows what T.J. brings to this team: leadership, tenacity and an insatiable desire to win. T.J. has arrived at this point in his career with hard work, patience and overcoming doubters. But he never doubted in himself. He was undrafted and it takes a special kind of player to not only overcome that obstacle, but to turn it into what will likely be a long NBA career. That is a testament to what kind of work ethic and competitive fire T.J. has.”

AUGUST 2: The Pacers and point guard T.J. McConnell have agreed to terms on a contract that will keep him in Indiana for the foreseeable future, reports J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link).

The deal will be worth $35MM over four seasons, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Michael adds that the final year will only be partially guaranteed (Twitter link).

McConnell averaged career highs in PPG (8.6), APG (6.6), RPG (3.7), and FG% (.559), among other categories, for the Pacers in 2020/21, appearing in 69 games and logging 26.0 MPG. His contributions also go beyond the box score, as he’s a heady player and a tough perimeter defender.

The 29-year-old had been expected to draw interest from teams in need of point guard depth, but there was always mutual interest between him and the Pacers.

Indiana had been considered more likely to re-sign McConnell than fellow free agent Doug McDermott, and that’s exactly what happened, as McDermott is San Antonio-bound.

Hollinger’s Latest: CP3, Knicks, Fournier, Bulls, Rose, Pacers, More

August 2nd, 2021 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

There was talk last week that the Pelicans would be a serious suitor for Chris Paul in free agency, but that chatter seems to have faded, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who says the veteran point guard is now widely expected to re-sign with the Suns.

As Hollinger explains, he heard the Suns’ initial offer to Paul when the two sides were discussing a possible extension was somewhat “underwhelming,” but the club now appears prepared to offer a more serious package. No one around the league will be surprised if the total value of Paul’s new deal gets up to $100MM or more, Hollinger adds.

Here are several more free agent rumors from Hollinger:

Amidst rumors that Evan Fournier‘s price tag may be too high for the Celtics‘ liking, Hollinger suggests that the Knicks may be the team preparing to make an aggressive offer to the free agent wing. Hollinger adds that it’s worth keeping an eye on Mitchell Robinson and the Knicks, since a renegotiate-and-extend deal is a possibility for the two sides. That sort of agreement would give Robinson a raise for 2021/22 and lock him up for multiple seasons.
If the Bulls don’t land Lonzo Ball, one of their backup plans may be offering Derrick Rose a deal in the neighborhood of $12MM per year, says Hollinger.
Hollinger’s sources expect T.J. McConnell to stick with the Pacers for a deal worth around – or slightly above – the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.9MM), but the competition for Doug McDermott will be fiercer and Indiana will face tax issues if the team wants to re-sign both players without trimming salary elsewhere.
If Richaun Holmes‘ presumed suitors – such as Charlotte and Toronto – end up using their cap room in other ways, he might be squeezed in free agency, allowing the Kings to re-sign him despite only holding his Early Bird rights. If that scenario plays out, Hollinger expects Holmes to sign a two-year deal with a player option so that he can hit the open market again in 2022 with full Bird rights.
There hasn’t been much free agent chatter surrounding Nuggets guard Will Barton or Trail Blazers Norman Powell, according to Hollinger, who writes that teams seems to be assuming those two players will remain with their respective clubs.
It has been tricky to figure out what the Spurs plan to do with their projected cap room, says Hollinger. Daniel Theis is the most prominent free agent target Hollinger has heard linked to San Antonio.

Fischer’s Latest: Iguodala, Millsap, Mills, Robinson, McDermott, More

August 2nd, 2021 at 9:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers and Warriors, a pair of Pacific rivals, may be competing for some of the same veterans in free agency, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who notes that both teams are believed to be eyeing Andre Iguodala.

League sources tell Bleacher Report that Paul Millsap would be interested in joining the Warriors for a deal in the range of the taxpayer mid-level exception (approximately $5.9MM), though a reunion with the Hawks is also a possibility for Millsap, Fischer adds.

The Lakers, meanwhile, have been linked to Patty Mills, according to Fischer, who notes that the team would likely have to offer Mills more than the minimum to lure him to L.A.

Here are a few more free agency rumors from Fischer:

Fischer says the numbers floating around for Duncan Robinson‘s next contract are about $16-18MM per year, which is the range I previously speculated for the Heat forward, given last year’s market for top shooters.
Another three-point marksman, Pacers wing Doug McDermott, is expected to get a deal worth more than the $9.5MM mid-level exception, per Fischer.
The Spurs and Pistons are among the teams with Bulls restricted free agent forward Lauri Markkanen on their radar, according to Fischer.
Veteran swingman Danny Green is thought to have interest in playing for the Heat, Fischer reports.
Gorgui Dieng will likely be in line for a deal worth about the bi-annual exception ($3.7MM), with the Suns and Spurs among his potential suitors, writes Fischer.

Free Agent Rumors: Dinwiddie, Ball, DeRozan, Pistons, Clippers

August 2nd, 2021 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

There are conflicting rumors on the possibility of the Wizards acquiring Spencer Dinwiddie via sign-and-trade, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who says that one source described that scenario as “pure vapor,” while another insisted that it’s real if the Nets can dump DeAndre Jordan‘s contract in the process.

As Hollinger points out, if the Wizards expand their Russell Westbrook trade with the Lakers to include Brooklyn, they could theoretically flip Kyle Kuzma to the Nets and acquire Dinwiddie via sign-and-trade while also taking on Jordan’s contract.

However, there are other scenarios in play for both Dinwiddie and the Wizards. Both Hollinger and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report suggest that the idea of the Thunder signing Dinwiddie for a deal in the two-year, $40MM range has been floating around the league, and Fischer reiterates that Dinwiddie is a viable Plan B for the Pelicans if they miss out on Kyle Lowry.

Meanwhile, both Hollinger and Fischer say the Wizards are also believed to have interest in point guard Alex Caruso, whose market could be in the neighborhood of the full mid-level exception. Hollinger adds that there has been “some hum” about the possibility of Washington having interest in Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon.

Here are a few more rumors on some of this year’s top free agents:

Hollinger and Fischer identify the Bulls as the most likely team to sign Lonzo Ball to an offer sheet, likely in the four-year, $80-84MM range. However, Chicago would have to dump some salary to make room for such an offer sheet, and it’s unclear if the team is prepared to make those moves without being certain the Pelicans won’t match the offer, notes Hollinger.
The Celtics continue be mentioned as a possible Ball suitor, per Fischer and Sam Amick of The Atheltic. Amick also names the Mavericks as a possibility for Ball, while Hollinger dubs the Pacers a “dark horse” in the Ball sweepstakes, suggesting that a deal sending Malcolm Brogdon to the Pelicans could tempt New Orleans. Finally, Hollinger mentions an intriguing double sign-and-trade possibility that would send Lonzo to the Hornets to team up with his brother LaMelo Ball, with Devonte’ Graham going to the Pelicans.
- Note: Hollinger has since amended this last item, suggesting that Lonzo and Graham could be involved in a double-sign-and-trade, but that Ball would likely be rerouted to a team besides Charlotte in that scenario.
The idea of DeMar DeRozan signing with the Heat for their mid-level exception has been a hot rumor lately, according to Hollinger. However, Fischer says DeRozan is also said to have interest from the Knicks, Pistons, and Mavericks, while Amick indicates a return to the Spurs remains “very possible.”
According to both Hollinger and Fischer, Kelly Olynyk has been increasingly mentioned as a target for the Pistons, who also may re-sign Cory Joseph at a lesser rate after waiving him over the weekend.
Outside of bringing back Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers‘ top priorities in free agency are re-signing Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum, sources tell Amick.

Pacers Rumors: Turner, Lamb, Brogdon, Ball, FAs

August 1st, 2021 at 10:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Plenty of trade speculation has swirled around the Pacers heading into the 2021 offseason, but a league source tells J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) that a “seismic” change to Indiana’s roster is unlikely.

One player whose name has popped up frequently in trade rumors during the last year or two is Myles Turner, and teams haven’t slowed their efforts to land the rim-protecting big man. According to Michael, the Knicks have gotten more aggressive lately in their pursuit of Turner — they aren’t the only club trying to trade for Turner, but they appear to be making the strongest push as of late, Michael says.

Here’s more on the Pacers:

With lottery pick Chris Duarte expected to step into a role on the wing, the Pacers are interested in moving Jeremy Lamb, reports Michael. Lamb, who was limited to 36 games last season due to injuries, is on a $10.5MM expiring contract.
The Pacers have had discussions about whether Malcolm Brogdon is the answer at point guard, according to Michael, who writes that the team also talked about possibly pursuing Lonzo Ball. However, Ball doesn’t seem to be a serious option for Indiana at this point, Michael adds.
T.J. McConnell and Doug McDermott both have interest in returning to the Pacers, but McConnell wants security (ie. a multiyear deal) and McDermott may get too pricey for the team. As he’s previously reported, Michael notes that McConnell is more likely than McDermott to re-sign with the Pacers.
Michael points to Avery Bradley, Lou Williams, Will Barton, and Garrett Temple as some free agents who may appeal to Indiana.

Free Agency Rumors: Batum, Iguodala, Melo, Boban

August 1st, 2021 at 3:21pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Clippers forward Nicolas Batum will not be wanting for suitors this offseason after a bounce-back performance with Los Angeles in 2020/21. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports (Twitter link) that, in addition to the Clippers, other playoff-caliber teams are interested in the versatile player’s services, including the Heat, Warriors and Pacers.

After being waived by the Hornets ahead of the 2020/21 season, Batum became a highly valuable 3-and-D addition on the Clippers roster, even moving into the starting lineup as the club’s power forward ahead of the much-pricier Marcus Morris for much of the season, before Morris’ play turned a corner and he eventually reclaimed the gig.

Batum logged 27.4 MPG on a Clippers team that broke through the Western Conference Finals for the first time in its history. He averaged 8.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, and 0.6 BPG. The 32-year-old posted a shooting line of .464/.404/.828.

Here are more free agency rumors from around the NBA:

Veteran Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony could reunite with the Knicks this summer, per ESPN’s Jordan Schultz (via Twitter). Anthony, who made six All-Star appearances during his previous stint in New York, averaged 13.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 1.5 APG on .421/.409/.890 shooting splits as a reserve with Portland across 69 games in the 2020/21 season. Schultz notes that Knicks team president Leon Rose has a good rapport with Anthony, having served as the probable Hall-of-Famer’s longtime agent before moving into his current front office role with New York.
After Miami opted to decline his $15MM player option for the 2021/22 season, veteran forward Andre Iguodala is now an unrestricted free agent once again and the Warriors are expected to chat with the 37-year-old about a possible reunion, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Jordan Schultz of ESPN reports (Twitter link) that the new-look Lakers are also eyeballing Iguodala as a savvy veteran contributor. Given Iguodala’s advanced age and on-court performance of late, it seems likely he’ll have to settle for significantly less than his $15MM player option for the season.
The Mavericks expect to be able to re-sign reserve big man Boban Marjanović this summer, reports Marc Stein (via Twitter). The Mavericks first signed the 7’4″ center in free agency during the 2019 offseason, on a two-year, $7MM deal. The 32-year-old averaged just 8.2 MPG as a backup big with a playoff Dallas team this year, but in that brief time he produced (in a per-minute sense), averaging 4.7 PPG and 3.9 RPG.