Pacers Rumors

2020 NBA Offseason Preview: Indiana Pacers

October 13th, 2020 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is previewing the 2020 offseason for all 30 NBA teams. We’re looking at the key questions facing each club, as well as the roster decisions they’ll have to make this fall. Today, we’re focusing on the Indiana Pacers.

Salary Cap Outlook

After using their cap room last summer to sign or acquire multiyear, eight-figure contracts for Malcolm Brogdon, T.J. Warren, and Jeremy Lamb, the Pacers will have no space available this offseason.

With nearly $123MM in guaranteed money committed to 11 players so far, Indiana may not be in position to use its full mid-level exception without going into tax territory. The club is more likely to make use of the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.72MM).

Our full salary cap preview for the Pacers can be found right here.

Roster Decisions To Watch

Options:

None

Non-Guaranteed Contracts:

T.J. McConnell ($3,500,000)
- Note: Partially guaranteed for $1MM.

Two-Way Contracts:

Brian Bowen (expiring)
Naz Mitrou-Long (expiring)

Free Agents:

Justin Holiday (Non-Bird)
JaKarr Sampson (Non-Bird)
Alize Johnson (RFA; Early Bird)

2020 Draft Assets

First Round:

None

Second Round:

No. 54 overall pick

The Pacers have their own second-round pick, but traded away their first-rounder (No. 24) to Milwaukee in last year’s Malcolm Brogdon sign-and-trade.

Three Key Offseason Questions

1. Has Victor Oladipo played his last game for the Pacers?

Oladipo will be entering a contract year in 2020/21 and he’s not a lock to remain in Indiana beyond his current deal. Ever since a spring report suggested that teams were monitoring Oladipo’s situation with the Pacers, rumors about his future have popped up more and more frequently.

The Heat were identified in the summer as a potential threat to lure Oladipo away from Indiana, with reports at the time suggesting the two-time All-Star would be prioritizing two things on his next contract: maximizing his earnings and putting himself in position to win a championship.

The unstated implication? If Oladipo decided the Pacers weren’t on track to become a legit title contender, it might make sense for him to push for a trade to a preferred destination sooner rather than later, since that would put him in position to get the best possible offer from that team in free agency (when he becomes a free agent, his current team can offer him more years and more money than rival suitors).

As a result of those earlier rumors, it didn’t come as a major surprise when a September report indicated Oladipo was “looking to move on” from Indiana or when a second report confirmed that he’s a candidate to be dealt this offseason. The 28-year-old has since attempted to downplay that chatter, but at this point it would be a bit surprising if Oladipo remains with the Pacers through 2020/21 and then signs a long-term deal with the franchise.

Throughout the process, the Pacers have stated that retaining Oladipo is a priority and have shown signals that they’ll do all they can to make it happen. They were even willing to pay him the remainder of his 2019/20 salary when he initially planned on opting out of the summer restart to focus on his health, despite the fact that he’d received medical clearance from doctors.

But if Indiana knows Oladipo plans to leave in free agency in 2021, it’s in the organization’s best interests to see what it can get for him before then rather to resign itself to losing him for nothing. The Pacers’ willingness to take that route with Paul George was the reason the team landed Oladipo (and fellow All-Star Domantas Sabonis) in the first place.

The challenge for the Pacers if they explore the trade market for an Oladipo deal will be finding a trade partner willing to give up a package that reflects the guard’s pre-injury value. Since Oladipo returned from his torn quad tendon in January, he hasn’t quite looked like the same player — in 19 games this season, he averaged just 14.5 PPG on .394/.317/.814 shooting.

Questions surrounding Oladipo’s health and production going forward will complicate any trade talks, especially if suitors believe they’ll have a shot to sign him outright in free agency a year from now. As such, an offseason trade definitely isn’t a sure thing.

In fact, sticking with Oladipo and hoping he looks like his old self to start next season may end up being Indiana’s best strategy. If Oladipo alleviates his health concerns in the first half, the Pacers could potentially extract more value for him at the trade deadline than they could this offseason — especially if multiple contenders view him as a missing piece for the stretch run.

2. Will the Pacers break up the Domantas Sabonis/Myles Turner frontcourt?

Since acquiring Sabonis in 2017, the Pacers have stubbornly insisted that he and Turner are capable of sharing the frontcourt in Indiana. They’re not necessarily wrong, but after three years of experimentation, it seems obvious that – despite some modest success – the two big men don’t exactly fit together seamlessly.

Two developments during the 2019/20 season may help steer the Pacers toward the idea of trading Turner.

The first was Sabonis’ emergence as an All-Star caliber player. He enjoyed a breakout year, averaging 18.5 PPG, 12.4 RPG, and 5.0 APG on 54.0% shooting in 62 games (34.8 MPG) and was badly missed during the restart when he was sidelined by a foot injury. He was perhaps Indiana’s best player in ’19/20 and is about to begin a team-friendly four-year, $75MM deal. It makes sense for the Pacers to keep him.

The second development was the emergence of T.J. Warren as one of the NBA’s most impressive scorers this summer. Warren’s numbers during the seeding games (31.0 PPG) almost definitely aren’t sustainable, but the fact that he enjoyed his best stretch of the season while serving as the team’s de facto power forward was eye-opening. He might not have been in position to produce like that Walt Disney World if both Sabonis and Turner had been healthy and in the starting lineup.

Turner is one of the NBA’s best shot-blockers and has knocked down 35.9% of his three-pointers over the last four seasons. He’s just 24 years old and he still has three years and $54MM left on his contract. That’s a very fair price for a two-way center entering his prime. He’d be a tremendous trade chip if Indiana makes him available — I wouldn’t even be shocked if the Pacers get a stronger offer for him than for Oladipo.

Cashing in Turner for 50 cents on the dollar because of the positional overlap with Sabonis would be a mistake, but there’s no indication the Pacers will make such a deal. If they do move Turner, they’ll do so with an eye toward acquiring an impact player who better suits their roster. I’ll be very interested to see if they can find that sort of trade this fall.

3. Who will the Pacers hire as their head coach?

Nate McMillan‘s ouster in Indiana this summer came as a bit of a surprise, since the veteran head coach had led the Pacers to a top-four seed in the East despite a handful of injury issues this season. Two key factors played a role in the front office’s decision — McMillan’s playoff record and his offensive style.

The Pacers are reportedly seeking a head coach who can modernize the club’s offense and get the team over the hump in the postseason after McMillan lost 16 of 19 playoff contests during his four-year tenure.

President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard and the front office know they’ll have to hit a home run after parting ways with a popular head coach who had outperformed expectations during the regular season. All indications are that the organization is doing a ton of homework in an effort to make the right hire, having reportedly spoken to more than 20 candidates so far during the search process.

Indiana’s pool of contenders ranges from experienced former head coaches such as Mike D’Antoni, Mike Brown, and Dave Joerger to up-and-coming assistants like Darvin Ham, Ime Udoka, and David Vanterpool to a potential first-timer like Chauncey Billups.

Although McMillan’s dismissal wasn’t entirely expected, the Pacers generally don’t have a quick trigger finger when it comes to their head coaches — the team’s four most recent coaches have each served for four or more years. This is also the first time since his 2017 promotion that Pritchard will be responsible for a head coaching hire, so he’ll be looking for someone who can lead the franchise for years to come. It will be fascinating to see which direction the club goes.

Information from Basketball Insiders and ESPN was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Community Shootaround: Eastern Conference Odds For 2020/21

October 13th, 2020 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat lost just three games during the first three rounds against their playoff opponents in the East en route to an NBA Finals appearance this year, eliminating three of the top four seeds in the conference in the process. However, Miami’s impressive postseason run hasn’t made the team the favorite to come out of the East in 2021, according to oddsmakers.

At BetOnline.ag, the Heat are listed at +450 to win the Eastern Conference in ’21, meaning you’d win $450 on a $100 wager should Miami repeat as conference champs. The Bucks (+375), Celtics (+425), and Nets (+425) are currently considered more likely to represent the East in next year’s NBA Finals.

The rest of the odds to win the East next year are as follows, per BetOnline.ag:

Raptors: +750
Sixers: +1200
Bulls: +3300
Hawks: +3300
Pacers: +3300
Wizards: +3300
Magic: +10000
Cavaliers: +12500
Knicks: +12500
Pistons: +12500
Hornets: +17500

It’s obviously way too early to forecast the outcome of the 2020/21 season with any confidence. The draft and free agency are still to come, and we don’t know yet which teams will make major splashes on the trade market. If Victor Oladipo is dealt from Indiana to another Eastern team, for example, it could significantly change the conference’s outlook for next season.

Still, anticipated roster moves are at least somewhat baked into BetOnline’s current odds — if the Pacers had a ton of cap room to use this offseason and Oladipo and Myles Turner weren’t viewed as potential trade candidates, it’s a safe bet that they wouldn’t be listed alongside lottery teams Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington on the list above.

So, with the caveat that plenty could change in the coming months to alter the outlook of the East for the 2020/21 season, we want to get your thoughts on the early projections from oddsmakers.

Should the Bucks be considered the favorites to win the East? Should the Heat be listed higher than fourth among Eastern teams? Are the Nets or other teams being overvalued? Are the Pacers or other teams being undervalued? Which team do you like to come out of the East next season? And which club do you view as the best value pick based on the odds listed above?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your early forecast for the Eastern Conference in 2020/21!

Checking In On NBA’s Active Head Coaching Searches

October 12th, 2020 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

It has been a busy year on the NBA’s head coaching carousel, with four teams having hired new coaches since the hiatus originally began in March and five more clubs still in the market for a new coach.

In the space below, we’re checking in on where those five active searches stand and passing along what we know so far about the most likely candidates for those openings.

While this post is just meant to provide a snapshot of where things stand as of October 12, you can continue to follow the NBA’s coaching carousel in the coming weeks via our tracker.

Let’s dive in…

Houston Rockets

We just passed along an update on the Rockets’ search earlier today. It sounds like the team’s interview process currently includes seven candidates, several of whom have already spoken to the team: Tyronn Lue, Jeff Van Gundy, Kenny Atkinson, Stephen Silas, Wes Unseld Jr., David Vanterpool, and John Lucas.

Although assistant coaches Sam Cassell and Chris Finch have also been linked to the job, it doesn’t sound as if they’ve interviewed for it. For now, the seven candidates listed above appear to make up Houston’s pool of contenders, though it’s possible the team eventually casts a wider net.

Lue and Van Gundy were two of the first candidates connected to the position even before Mike D’Antoni parted ways with the team, and general manager Daryl Morey was reportedly interested in JVG a few years ago, when the Rockets ultimately went with D’Antoni. I’d probably view Lue and Van Gundy as the favorites, but if salary becomes an issue at all, perhaps the club will instead opt for a potential first-timer such as Silas, Unseld, or Vanterpool.

Indiana Pacers

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst previously reported that the Pacers had talked to over 20 candidates about their head coaching job. It’s not clear if all 20+ of those candidates had formal interviews with Indiana or if some of those conversations were more casual in nature, but it’s clear the team is being thorough as it seeks a replacement for Nate McMillan.

Based on a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski earlier this month, it sounds as if the Pacers have gotten serious about the interview process within the last two weeks. Dave Joerger and Darvin Ham were reportedly among the candidates to emerge during that time, though it’s unclear how aggressive Indiana has been in narrowing down its list of finalists. Joerger and Ham may have plenty of company in that group of “finalists.”

Chris Finch and Chauncey Billups are reportedly among the other candidates to meet with the Pacers in the last couple weeks, and Scott Agness of VigilantSports.com tweeted on Sunday night that the team will have an opportunity to meet with Heat assistants Dan Craig and Chris Quinn now that the Finals are over. The full list of candidates linked to the Pacers’ job can be found within our tracker.

Los Angeles Clippers

There hasn’t been a ton of chatter about the Clippers’ opening since Doc Rivers‘ surprising departure two weeks ago. His lead assistant, Tyronn Lue, was identified as the early frontrunner, but those reports came with the caveat that the Clippers do intend to conduct a full-fledged search.

Jeff Van Gundy, Mike Brown, Darvin Ham, and Wes Unseld Jr. have been mentioned as possible candidates for L.A. With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George only a year away from free agency and the Clippers in championship-or-bust mode, the club will spare no expense on its new head coach, so it will be fascinating to see which direction Steve Ballmer and Lawrence Frank will go.

Frank is coming off an Executive of the Year win and hasn’t had a chance to pick his own head coach yet during his tenure with the Clippers (Rivers’ stint predated Frank’s arrival in L.A.). In theory, he should have some leeway to take a risk and go off the board with an unconventional Steve Nash-esque hire if he feels confident that’s the best path to take. But with such lofty expectations facing the Clippers in 2020/21, Frank will want to be absolutely sure he gets this hire right.

New Orleans Pelicans

Back when the Pelicans dismissed Alvin Gentry in August, one team (the Knicks) had already completed a coaching search and only one other (the Bulls) had a search in progress. Since then, the Bulls have finalized a hire, six more teams have parted ways with their head coaches, and two of those six teams (Brooklyn and Philadelphia) have made new hires of their own.

In other words, the Pelicans appear very willing to take their time with this process.

The lack of reports about the New Orleans job is somewhat surprising. Jason Kidd, Kenny Atkinson, and Jacque Vaughn were cited as possible candidates around the time of Gentry’s firing, but there haven’t been any real updates on them in recent weeks. Mike D’Antoni was said to be a dark-horse candidate before he left Houston, and that rumor popped up again when the Rockets parted ways with him, but it’s been quiet on that front as of late.

There are two scenarios I find most plausible here. One is that Tyronn Lue, who worked under Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin in Cleveland, is New Orleans’ top choice and the team is waiting for him to go through the process with the Rockets and Clippers and make a decision.

The other viable scenario? Maybe the Pelicans are just playing things very close to the vest as they consider their options and will surprise us at some point with their decision.

Oklahoma City Thunder

If the silence around the Pelicans’ coaching job has been loud, the silence surrounding the Thunder’s vacancy has been deafening.

It has now been over a month since Oklahoma City and Donovan parted ways, and we’ve essentially heard nothing concrete since then about potential replacements. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst did name David Vanterpool, Adrian Griffin, and Will Hardy as possible candidates at one point, but that sounded like it could’ve just as easily been informed speculation rather than anything solid.

Given the reported motivation for Donovan’s departure, it seems like a safe bet that the Thunder will be looking to hire an up-and-coming coach who doesn’t mind enduring a rebuild and who can grow and develop along with the team’s young core. Given the lack of info coming out of Oklahoma City on the search so far, it’s unclear if the team is seriously clamping down on any leaks or if the search process just hasn’t gotten serious yet.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Oladipo Has Spoken With Pacers Front Office Recently

October 10th, 2020 at 3:32pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Pacers front office has recently spoken a couple times with star guard Victor Oladipo, J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star tweets. Last week, there were rumblings that Oladipo, a free agent in 2021 and a two-time All-Star with Indiana, would be amenable to a trade.

Darvin Ham A Finalist For Pacers’ Job, Also Interviewing With Clippers

October 6th, 2020 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Bucks assistant Darvin Ham is receiving head coaching interest from multiple teams, according to a report from Malika Andrews of ESPN, who tweets that Ham is a finalist for the Pacers‘ head coaching job. In addition to meeting with Indiana’s top decision-makers in person soon, Ham will also interview for the Clippers‘ head coaching job this week, says Andrews.

Ham and fellow Bucks assistant Charles Lee were previously identified as candidates for the Pacers’ head coaching job, but Andrews’ note that he has advanced beyond the first round of interviews is new. Indiana reportedly talked to at least 20 candidates during the first round of the team’s coaching search, but it’s unclear how significantly the field has been narrowed since then.

Dave Joerger was said last week to be a strong contender for the Pacers’ vacancy. Mike D’Antoni, Chauncey Billups, and many others have also been linked to the job.

As for the Clippers, Tyronn Lue was dubbed the early frontrunner for that job, but Mike Brown has also interviewed and now Ham will too. Los Angeles is said to be conducting a full-fledged search for Doc Rivers‘ replacement, so I imagine more names will be added to the club’s list of candidates in the coming days.

A former NBA forward, Ham has impressed teams with his work as an assistant under Mike Budenholzer, having been a member of the Hawks’ staff from 2013-18 before being hired by Milwaukee in 2018. He also served as a Lakers assistant from 2011-13.

Ham reportedly received head coaching interest from the Bulls and 76ers this summer before those teams went in other directions.

Oladipo Expected To Draw Trade Interest From Knicks

October 6th, 2020 at 9:51am CST by Luke Adams

Following a report that stated Victor Oladipo was “looking to move on” from the Pacers, the two-time All-Star dismissed the idea that he wants to leave Indiana.

Still, with just one year left on his contract and no guarantee he’ll re-sign with the Pacers, Oladipo figures to draw trade interest this offseason, and the Knicks look like one of the teams that will kick the tires on a potential deal, as Marc Berman of The New York Post writes.

Addressing the possibility of the Knicks pursuing Chris Paul, Berman cites NBA officials who say that putting together an offer for Oladipo is expected to be a “higher priority” for the club.

New president of basketball operations Leon Rose has a long-standing connection to Paul, having previously represented him at CAA. However, Oladipo is seven years younger and has a major booster in New York’s front office as well, Berman explains — general manager Scott Perry drafted the guard in 2013 when he was a member of Orlando’s front office and “still is enamored” with him.

As Berman points out, the Knicks have already made a habit of acquiring players Perry previously drafted in Orlando, signing Mario Hezonja in 2018 and Elfrid Payton in 2019.

Of course, a trade for Oladipo would require a more significant investment, both in terms of the trade package required to land him and in terms of the financial commitment it would take to sign him to a long-term deal.

One NBA personnel person who spoke to Berman suggested that an offer of Julius Randle, Dennis Smith Jr., and the Mavericks’ 2021 and 2023 first-round picks could “whet the Pacers’ appetite,” though I’d be surprised if Indiana is enamored with any Knicks package that doesn’t include one of New York’s own future first-rounders.

If the Pacers do seriously consider moving Oladipo this fall, the Heat are expected to be among the other clubs with interest.

Dave Joerger A Strong Contender For Pacers’ Coaching Job

October 2nd, 2020 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers are meeting with head coaching candidates this week and next, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that former Grizzlies and Kings coach Dave Joerger has met with the team and is considered a “strong contender” for the position.

Wojnarowski says that Pelicans assistant Chris Finch is among the candidates to meet with Indiana, and adds that Chauncey Billups will also get an interview.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst previously reported that the Pacers had talked to over 20 candidates about their head coaching job, but it’s possible those conversations were informal in nature, and that the team is now narrowing down the field as it conducts more in-depth interviews.

While we don’t know the full list of the 20+ candidates who have talked to the Pacers, Finch’s name is the 19th we’ve heard linked to the job, as our head coaching search tracker shows. Indiana’s interest in Joerger and Billups had been previously reported.

After parting ways with Nate McMillan, Pacers management talked about wanting to hire a head coach who takes a “modern approach” to the game and has the ability to connect with younger players.

Victor Oladipo Downplays Trade Rumors

October 1st, 2020 at 2:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Pacers guard Victor Oladipo has been the subject of trade rumors recently, with a report earlier this week suggesting that the two-time All-Star is “looking to move on” from Indiana. Appearing on “The Fat Joe Show” on Instagram Live on Wednesday, Oladipo addressed that report for the first time, as Chris Sims of The Indianapolis Star writes.

“I knew that question was coming. I don’t know what you’re talking about, man. I’m a Pacer, man. … I’m a Pacer,” Oladipo replied when asked about his future in Indiana and whether a move to the Knicks, Fat Joe’s hometown team, might be in the cards. “All these other rumors … I can’t control the rumors. I’m just focused on my knee.”

Oladipo is entering a contract year and reportedly plans to reach free agency in 2021 rather than negotiating an extension with the Pacers before then. That’s standard procedure for stars looking to maximize their earnings, but it has fueled trade speculation, especially given the team’s playoff struggles in recent years.

An Indianapolis Star report in July indicated that Oladipo’s top two priorities in free agency will be maximizing his earnings and putting himself in position to win championships. In his conversation with Fat Joe this week, the 28-year-old downplayed financial motivations, suggesting that he’s focused solely on winning.

“Charles Barkley is one of the greatest ever, for sure. But he don’t have a ring, though. … Not saying that Charles Barkley ain’t a great player, but at the end of the day, I want to be able to show my kids, when I have them, how great of a player I was,” Oladipo said. “And in order to do that, you gotta show them some hardware. So that’s what I’m locked in on doing, man. I want some hardware and I want a lot of hardware.”

If Oladipo is unconvinced that the Pacers have the pieces necessary to contend for a title, that would be a red flag for the front office, who won’t want to lose the standout guard for nothing in free agency. Oladipo’s assertions that he’s “a Pacer” are unlikely to bury these trade rumors, so the situation continues to be one worth monitoring.

Questions That Coaching Candidates Need To Answer

September 29th, 2020 at 6:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers are looking for a coach and Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files goes over some of the questions those candidates need to answer, including their ability to develop young players and their plan to make the team’s offense more potent.

Pacers’ Oladipo, Turner Viewed As Offseason Trade Candidates?

September 28th, 2020 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Pacers guard Victor Oladipo is “looking to move on” from Indiana this offseason, sources tell Jared Weiss of The Athletic, who writes that Pacers big man Myles Turner is “possibly in the same boat.”

Weiss is a Celtics beat writer and his update on Oladipo and Turner is buried within a piece about Boston’s future and upcoming roster decisions. However, J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star confirms Weiss’ intel, tweeting that – based on conversations he has had – Oladipo and Turner are the two Pacers most likely to be moved before the 2020/21 season begins.

There has been some smoke on the Oladipo front for several months now. A report in the spring indicated that opposing teams were monitoring his situation in Indiana as he prepared to enter a contract year in 2020/21. A series of subsequent stories in July named the Heat as a probable suitor and indicated that the two-time All-Star intends to reach free agency in 2021 rather than signing an early extension with the Pacers.

An Indianapolis Star report at that time suggested that Oladipo’s top two priorities in free agency will be maximizing his earnings and putting himself in position to win championships. Whichever team holds Oladipo’s Bird rights when he reaches free agency will have the ability to offer him the most money and years, so if he’s not confident in the Pacers’ ability to compete for titles over the next several years, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him start pushing for a deal to a preferred destination.

Following the Pacers’ elimination from the postseason in August, Oladipo didn’t suggest in his public comments that he was seeking an exit ramp out of Indiana, but he also didn’t strongly commit to the franchise. His situation will be worth watching closely going forward, especially since the Pacers showed in 2017 with Paul George that they’re not afraid to trade a disgruntled star a year ahead of his free agency.

As for Turner, he has been the subject of trade rumors in the past, since there have long been questions about his positional overlap with fellow big man Domantas Sabonis. Both players are on reasonably team-friendly deals, with Turner locked up through 2023 and Sabonis under contract through 2024. However, Sabonis may have emerged as the Pacers’ preferred long-term building block in 2019/20, as he earned an All-Star berth for the first time.

Indiana has long denied that it wants to break up the Turner/Sabonis frontcourt duo, but many executives around the NBA remain convinced it will happen at some point, and T.J. Warren‘s success as the team’s de facto power forward this summer will only fuel those trade rumors. Moving Turner could help the Pacers acquire a player – or player(s) – who would fit better with their core.

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