Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

NBA Teams With Most, Least Roster Continuity

December 22nd, 2020 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s offseason felt awfully busy, with free agency opening just two days after the draft and training camps starting about 10 days later. As hectic as those couple weeks were though, they actually didn’t feature a ton of player movement relative to a typical offseason.

A year ago, for instance, when we looked at the teams with the most and least roster continuity from year to year, we found that only one team was bringing back 13 players (counting two-ways) from its previous squad, while a total of four had 11 or more returning players.

This time around, seven clubs are bringing back 13 or more players from their end-of-season 2019/20 rosters, and a total of 18 teams will have 11 or more returning players. The Bulls and Pacers lead the way, having carried over 14 players apiece.

While the condensed offseason made for an exciting November, the quick turnaround also likely played a major part in teams’ decisions to stand relatively pat. Without a Summer League or the opportunity to conduct offseason mini-camps, teams haven’t had a lot of time to integrate new players, and have generally opted for as much continuity as possible.

Of course, while that may have been the general rule for the 2020 offseason, it certainly doesn’t apply to every team. A year ago, seven teams – including the eventual-champion Lakers – brought back just six players from their 2018/19 rosters. This time around, two clubs had that much turnover.

Of those two clubs, one – the Pistons – exhibited an impressive disregard for roster continuity, retaining just four players (Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose, Sekou Doumbouya, and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk) from last season’s roster. That’s the lowest number of returning players a team has had to start a season since the 2017 Celtics.

Here are the number of returning players for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, from most to fewest:

Chicago Bulls: 14
Indiana Pacers: 14
Boston Celtics: 13
Brooklyn Nets: 13
Memphis Grizzlies: 13
Miami Heat: 13
San Antonio Spurs: 13
Golden State Warriors: 12
Orlando Magic: 12
Cleveland Cavaliers: 11
Los Angeles Clippers: 11
Los Angeles Lakers: 11
Minnesota Timberwolves: 11
New York Knicks: 11
Sacramento Kings: 11
Toronto Raptors: 11
Utah Jazz: 11
Washington Wizards: 11
Charlotte Hornets: 10
Dallas Mavericks: 10
Denver Nuggets: 10
Portland Trail Blazers: 9
Atlanta Hawks: 8
Houston Rockets: 8
New Orleans Pelicans: 8
Phoenix Suns: 8
Milwaukee Bucks: 7
Philadelphia 76ers: 7
Oklahoma City Thunder: 6
Detroit Pistons: 4

Pacers’ Goga Bitadze Out Indefinitely With Ankle Sprain

December 21st, 2020 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Pacers big man Goga Bitadze has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 right ankle sprain, the team announced today in a press release.

There’s no set timetable for how much time Bitadze will miss, according to the Pacers, who said in today’s announcement that he’ll be out indefinitely. The plan is to reevaluate him in two weeks to assess his progress.

As Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files notes (via Twitter), Bitadze’s ankle sprain is the latest example of the bad luck he has endured since being selected 18th overall in the 2019 draft. Visa issues delayed his initial arrival stateside, forcing him to miss Summer League as a rookie, and he has also dealt with knee issues since beginning his NBA career.

Bitadze, 21, appeared in 54 games as a rookie for the Pacers, averaging 3.2 PPG and 2.0 RPG in 8.7 minutes per contest. When healthy, he’ll provide depth at the five behind Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner.

Pacers Expect To Have Turner, Warren For Season Opener

December 20th, 2020 at 8:55pm CST by JD Shaw

The Pacers expect to have Myles Turner and T.J. Warren available for their season opener against the Knicks on Wednesday, J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star writes. Turner had been coping with a concussion, while Warren had been dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. “They were in a full physical, contact practice today and they looked good,” coach Nate Bjorkgren said. “There was a lot on 5-on-5. That’s what I would expect. They’re getting the green light to get closer and closer to that.”

Central Notes: Cavs, Giannis Effect, Mad Ants, Pistons

December 20th, 2020 at 2:44pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Thanks to the intriguing addition of rookie swingman Isaac Okoro, drafted with the No. 6 pick out of Auburn, the Cavaliers will suddenly face some fun wing rotation questions, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

Fedor speculates that Collin Sexton will most likely remain the starter at the shooting guard slot, pointing to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff‘s recent praise of Sexton. Bickerstaff declined to officially confirm whether or not Sexton would start.

“I think his performance last year, and at the end of last season, was above and beyond,” Bickerstaff said. “I think he’s one of those guys who earns the opportunity to play extended minutes.”

Fedor opines that the tough, defensive-minded Okoro’s strong showing in training camp and the preseason suggests that he deserves the opportunity to start over incumbent starting small forward Cedi Osman.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

The Bucks are benefiting from a “Giannis effect” merchandise boon, according to Jabari Young of CNBC. “The phone calls started both ways,” Matt Pazaras, chief business development and strategy officer for Milwaukee, said. The team’s sponsored jersey patch is now open for new bidders after its deal with Harley-Davidson expired this offseason. Interest in a sponsorship is strong now that MVP forward Giannis Antetokounmpo inked a record five-year, $228MM contract extension.
The G League affiliate of the Pacers, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, intend to take part in the proposed G League “bubble,” according to team president Tim Bawmann in a conversation on 1380 The FAN’s Sports Rush with Brett Rump, (hat tip to Caitlin Cooper of Indy Cornrows). Bawmann notes that the bubble’s locale could be Atlanta or Orlando.
With the 2020/21 NBA regular season fast approaching, James L. Edwards III of the Athletic assesses the depth chart for the Pistons and, in a surprise, speculates that oft-injured power forward Blake Griffin and new small forward Jerami Grant could play the most minutes per game (28) for a rebuilding Detroit team.

Pacers Waive Naz Mitrou-Long, Josh Gray, Devin Robinson

December 19th, 2020 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have reduced their preseason roster from 20 players to 17, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived guard Naz Mitrou-Long, guard Josh Gray, and forward Devin Robinson.

Mitrou-Long spent the 2019/20 season on a two-way contract with the Pacers, appearing in five regular season NBA games. Gray was on a two-way deal with the Pelicans last season and played in just two games with the team. Robinson has some previous NBA experience with the Wizards but spent the ’19/20 campaign in the G League.

All three players were on non-guaranteed contracts, so Indiana won’t be on the hook for any dead money after cutting them.

The Pacers’ roster now appears set for the regular season, with 14 players on guaranteed deals, one with a partial guarantee (Kelan Martin) and a pair on two-way contracts (Brian Bowen and Cassius Stanley).

Pacers Waive Brimah, Hammonds, Add Gray, Robinson

December 18th, 2020 at 9:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers have waived Amida Brimah and Rayshaun Hammonds and signed Josh Gray and Devin Robinson, according to a team press release.

Brimah and Hammonds were on Exhibit 10 contracts and could resurface on the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Indiana’s G League team, once they clear waivers.

Brimah, 26, was in Indiana’s training camp last season on an Exhibit 10 contract but suffered a torn right ACL that required surgery.

Brimah’s previous NBA experience includes an Exhibit 10 deal with the Spurs in 2018 and a Summer League stint with the Bulls in 2017. He played two G League seasons with the Austin Spurs and spent one season in Belgrade.

Hammonds is a rookie forward out of Georgia. He averaged 12.9 points and 7.4 rebounds in 32 games for the Bulldogs last season.

Gray was waived by the Thunder early this month after they acquired the guard in a multi-team trade. The 27-year-old Gray played in five games for the Suns during the 2017/18 season. He had a two-game cameo with the Pelicans during 2019/20. Across 15.6 MPG with those clubs, Gray has averaged a cumulative 4.9 PPG, 2.0 APG, 1.7 RPG and 1.14 SPG.

Robinson, 25, played for the Raptors’ G League team, Raptors 905, last season. The 6’8” forward averaged 17.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists.

An Exhibit 10 contract provides players with an invitation to training camp and a guarantee of up to $50K if they are waived and later stay with the team’s affiliate in the G League for at least 60 days.

Hollinger Reviews Pacers' Offseason, Previews 2020/21

December 18th, 2020 at 12:54pm CST by Luke Adams

In his review of the Pacers‘ offseason and preview of their coming year, John Hollinger of The Athletic notes that there are still two big lingering questions hanging over the franchise: Whether Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner can thrive alongside one another, and whether it makes sense to trade Victor Oladipo before he reaches free agency.

Pacers Table Plan To Add To Front Office

December 16th, 2020 at 8:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pacers appeared to be on track to make another front office addition, possibly a second assistant general manager, but they’ve tabled those plans for now, tweets J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star.

2020/21 NBA Over/Unders: Central Division

December 16th, 2020 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2020/21 NBA regular season will get underway on December 22, so it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign.

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.

Of course, there are plenty of wild cards to take into account this season. For one, teams are scheduled to play 72 games instead of 82, so if you’re picking a team to win 41 games, you’re not just expecting them to be a .500 club — you’re projecting them to finish 10 games above .500. For each team’s over/under below, we’ve noted the record they’d have to achieve to finish “over” their projection, as a reminder.

It’s also worth noting that the coronavirus pandemic could cause some games to be canceled in 2020/21. We don’t want you to have to take possible cancellations into account when making your picks though, so don’t let that stop you from taking the “over.” If a team has a couple games canceled, we’ll adjust their over/under figure downward, so you’re essentially just projecting that team’s winning percentage.

We’ll turn today to the Central…

Milwaukee Bucks

2019/20 record: 56-17
Over/under for 2020/21: 51.5 wins (52-20)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Jrue Holiday, D.J. Augustin, Bobby Portis, Bryn Forbes, Torrey Craig, Jordan Nwora, Sam Merrill
- Lost: Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez, Ersan Ilyasova, Kyle Korver, Marvin Williams

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bucks poll.

Indiana Pacers

2019/20 record: 45-28
Over/under for 2020/21: 39.5 wins (40-32)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Kelan Martin, Jalen Lecque
- Lost: T.J. Leaf, Alize Johnson

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pacers poll.

Chicago Bulls

2019/20 record: 22-43
Over/under for 2020/21: 29.5 wins (30-42)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Patrick Williams, Garrett Temple
- Lost: Kris Dunn, Shaquille Harrison

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bulls poll.

Cleveland Cavaliers

2019/20 record: 19-46
Over/under for 2020/21: 23.5 wins (24-48)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Isaac Okoro, JaVale McGee, Damyean Dotson
- Lost: Tristan Thompson, Jordan Bell, Alfonzo McKinnie, Ante Zizic

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Cavaliers poll.

Detroit Pistons

2019/20 record: 20-46
Over/under for 2020/21: 22.5 wins (23-49)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Jerami Grant, Delon Wright, Mason Plumlee, Josh Jackson, Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey, Jahlil Okafor, Wayne Ellington, Dzanan Musa, Deividas Sirvydis, Rodney McGruder
- Lost: Christian Wood, Luke Kennard, Langston Galloway, Bruce Brown, Khyri Thomas, Brandon Knight, John Henson, Tony Snell, Thon Maker, Jordan McRae, Justin Patton

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pistons poll.

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

Boston Celtics (45.5 wins): Over (66.3%)
Brooklyn Nets (45.5 wins): Over (58.6%)
Philadelphia 76ers (44.5 wins): Over (57.4%)
Toronto Raptors (42.5 wins): Over (54.7%)
New York Knicks (22.5 wins): Under (59.5%)

Northwest:

Denver Nuggets (44.5 wins): Over (69.7%)
Utah Jazz (42.5 wins): Over (59.9%)
Portland Trail Blazers (41.5 wins): Over (70.1%)
Minnesota Timberwolves (29.5 wins): Under (50.3%)
Oklahoma City Thunder (22.5 wins): Under (64.4%)

Pacers' G League Affiliate Expected To Join Atlanta "Bubble"

December 10th, 2020 at 6:02pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The G League affiliate of the Cavaliers – the Canton Charge – and the G League affiliate of the Pacers – the Fort Wayne Mad Ants – are among the teams that plan on participating in the NBA’s G League proposed “bubble” this season, per JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link).

Cavaliers wing Kevin Porter Jr. rejoined the club for his first practice with Cleveland this season, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. A source told Fedor that the Cavaliers “probably won’t rush” Porter into the Cavaliers’ first preseason contest on Saturday, against the Pacers.