Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Sloan, Fisher, Sixers

October 9th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Donald Sloan knew at this point last season that his salary was guaranteed, and he went on to put up career-best numbers across for the Pacers, but now he is one of seven on the 20-man Nets roster without a full guarantee. He’s nonetheless confident, and Nets coach Lionel Hollins is high on the point guard’s ability, too, observes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.

“I thought Donald Sloan’s athleticism, size and quickness could help us,” Hollins said. “We’re looking for a third guard, and he was a guy that was out there that showed a little bit of tenacity and toughness, as well as athleticism and quickness.”

Bontemps suggests that Sloan, who has a partial guarantee of $50K, is fighting for the third point guard job, and ostensibly a regular season roster spot, with rookie Ryan Boatright, who has a $75K partial guarantee. See more from the Atlantic Division:

It was a plane issue that kept Knicks coach Derek Fisher from making it back to New York from Los Angeles for Monday’s practice, not his alleged scrap with Matt Barnes, Fisher contended Thursday, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Fisher added that he’s spoken with his boss, team president Phil Jackson, about what happened. The coach drew criticism for his absence from work.
Nerlens Noel and new addition Jahlil Okafor experienced some growing pains Thursday as they failed to mesh as well as they had two nights before, and Sixers coach Brett Brown admitted, “We’re going to have this conversation for a while, growing these two guys,” observes Tom Moore of Calkins Media.
Brown expects Kendall Marshall and Tony Wroten to miss at least the next month as they continue to recover from their injuries, Moore notes in the same piece, further jumbling the point guard picture for the Sixers, who have six point guards on their preseason roster.

Central Notes: Butler, Jack, Cook, Bullock

October 8th, 2015 at 9:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The relationship between stars Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose has reportedly been a bit rocky at times, and the discord between the two is a result of Butler not being satisfied with Rose’s work ethic, an unnamed former member of the Bulls tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “Personally, the two are great. Professionally is where they have a difference of opinion,” said the source. While Butler does consider Rose a friend, Butler doesn’t have a lot of respect for Rose’s practice habits, and he feels that if Rose is supposed to be the face of the franchise, he should also be one of the hardest workers on the team, Cowley hears. The source also noted that Butler took offense to a comment Rose made during the playoffs last season, when the point guard was asked if Butler had reached superstar status. “I think it’s going to take a little minute for Jimmy to get there,’’ Rose said, according to Cowley.

There are no such concerns regarding Butler’s work ethic from his other teammates and coaching staff, writes Cowley, with new head coach Fred Hoiberg raving about the swingman, saying, “I’m telling you, the amount of work he puts in … even during two-a-days, he would still come in a third time. I mean the guys is unbelievable how much energy he has. He’s just so dedicated to putting the right things in his body, his training, and he wants to continue to add to his game every year. I take my hat off to him. It’s been fun to see everything he’s been able to do out there on the floor.’’

Here’s more from the Central Division:

The Pacers‘ signing of power forward Kadeem Jack to a minimum salary, non-guaranteed deal was a developmental move, Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star tweets. Indiana intends for Jack to play for its new D-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, this season, Buckner notes.
With six players vying for the Cavaliers‘ final regular season roster spot, point guard Quinn Cook is making a strong impression on the coaching staff, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. “I’ve been fighting my whole life,” Cook said. “Fighting to get in a position to be in high school. Fighting to get playing time at Duke and fighting now for a roster spot. I’m used to fighting, and I’m just happy to be at this point, happy that the Cavaliers are giving me this opportunity.”
In Detroit, Reggie Bullock has made a strong case to secure himself a roster spot on the Pistons with his hard-nosed defensive play, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes. “He’s done everything he can possibly do for us to think about him because he really goes out and defends,” coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said. “He plays with high energy. I think he stepped up last night and did a good job.”

Pacers Sign Kadeem Jack To Camp Deal

October 7th, 2015 at 12:17pm CST by Chuck Myron

WEDNESDAY, 12:17pm: The deal is official, the team announced (Twitter link).

MONDAY, 2:39pm: Jack has put pen to paper with the Pacers, Bass shows via Instagram.

FRIDAY, 9:50am: The Pacers will sign power forward Kadeem Jack and add him to their training camp roster, a league source tells Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops (Twitter link). Agent Brian J. Bass confirms the move via Twitter. Jack, who turns 23 later this month, went undrafted out of Rutgers this year. He’ll become the 18th player on the Pacers, who were tied with the Clippers and Trail Blazers for the most open spots beneath the 20-man preseason roster limit.

Jack was a largely unheralded draft prospect, though his numbers at Rutgers weren’t shabby, as he put up 13.0 points and 6.4 rebounds in 31.0 minutes per game as a senior this past season. Those were nonetheless declines in his production from his junior year, when he’d done more in fewer minutes, with 14.3 PPG and 6.9 RPG in 29.3 MPG. He altered his shot selection, taking 48 total three-pointers and connecting on 15 of them in 2014/15 after attempting just a trio of three-pointers as a junior.

Indiana already has 15 players on fully guaranteed contracts, as our roster count shows, plus a partial guarantee for Toney Douglas and a non-guaranteed pact with C.J. Fair. The level of guarantee Jack is receiving isn’t clear, but it doesn’t appear as though he has much chance to stick for opening night. The Pacers can retain the D-League rights to as many as four players they waive, so the odds would seem better that Jack ends up with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, who became Indiana’s one-to-one D-League affiliate this year.

Central Rumors: George, Jackson, Cavs

October 5th, 2015 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Paul George has voiced some displeasure with the Pacers’ plan to move him to power forward, though he says he’s willing to stick with it, Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star reports. George felt overmatched trying to guard Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis in the team’s first preseason game but after meeting with coach Frank Vogel and president of basketball operations Larry Bird, George said on Monday afternoon that he would remain in that role, Buckner continues. “We’re going to still stick with it, see how it works,” he told Buckner. That fact that George lobbied to scrap the team’s entire offseason plan after one game is “lunacy,” Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel opines. But Vogel told Doyel that he’s not worried about George’s reluctance to play there. “Well, he’s going to buy in, so I’m not really sure how to answer that,” Vogel said. “We’re going to work together to figure out the best combination of all these things.”

In other news around the Central Division:

Reggie Jackson can produce John Wall-type numbers because he has a top-notch pick-and-roll partner in Andre Drummond and plays in a system suited to his skills, according to Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com. Wall complained when the Pistons gave Jackson a five-year, $80MM contract this summer but Jackson doesn’t have to be as talented as Wall to put up gaudy statistics because the Pistons will surround him and Drummond with shooters, Tjarks continues. In contrast, Wall often plays with Nene Hilario and Marcin Gortat up front, which gives Wall less room to drive than Jackson will enjoy in Detroit, Tjarks points out. Even when the Wizards go small, they don’t have a roll man with Drummond’s talent, Tjarks adds, which means Jackson can live up to the contract just by the nature of Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy’s offensive system.
Cavaliers center Sasha Kaun has no plans to play in Europe again, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Kaun joined the Cavs this summer as a backup to Timofey Mozgov on a two-year, $2.5MM deal after his contact with CSKA Moscow expired. “When I said I was done in Europe, I was definitely done in Europe,” Kaun told Lloyd. “Seven years was long enough. My wife [a Kansas native] made an amazing sacrifice in moving over there.” Kaun wanted to join the Cavs three years ago, Lloyd adds, but they only offered him the league mininum.

Central Notes: George, Robinson, Hoiberg, Rose

October 3rd, 2015 at 10:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Paul George still doesn’t sound like a fan of his new position or the Pacers‘ new lineup, tweets Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star. Indiana is experimenting with George as its starting power forward, a move brought on by David West signing with San Antonio and Luis Scola going to Toronto. “I don’t know if I’m cut out for a four spot,” George said tonight after Indiana’s preseason opener. “I don’t know if this is my position.” George also implied that he’s not the only Pacer unhappy with the strategy. “It’s not just myself,” he said. “The four other guys out there, it’s an adjustment for them. We’re all talking (Twitter link). … A couple other guys are uncomfortable with how we’re going to run it. It’s new to everyone (Twitter link).”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Pacers president Larry Bird says he tried for a year to acquire Glenn Robinson III, according to Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star. The 21-year-old caught Bird’s eye during a preseason game last year as a member of the Timberwolves. Robinson played just 21 games in Minnesota before being cut in March, but the Sixers claimed him on waivers before the Pacers could grab him. He signed with Indiana this summer. “He sees something he likes in me, and it makes you feel good,” Robinson said. “I mean, he’s Larry Bird.”
Veteran guard Kirk Hinrich tells Mike McGraw of The Daily Herald that new coach Fred Hoiberg is bringing a faster pace and more relaxed atmosphere to the Bulls. It’s a drastic change from Tom Thibodeau, who was known for his intensity and his grind-it-out style. “Fred’s really calm,” Hinrich said. “He teaches. He’s a very good teacher, makes his points, but he’s calm.”
Derrick Rose will learn the Bulls‘ new offense from home while he recovers from a facial injury, McGraw writes in a separate story. Rose had surgery this week after fracturing an orbital bone below his left eye during Tuesday’s practice. He is not expected to resume basketball activities until October 14th. “We’re going to actually get over there and watch some film with him today, because again, we’ve added new sets, new things,” Hoiberg said Saturday. “So we’ll get him caught up by a couple of coaches going over and seeing him at his house.”

Central Notes: Thompson, Rose, Gansey

October 3rd, 2015 at 12:36pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Tristan Thompson has become a virtual outsider for the Cavaliers as his training camp holdout continues, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com writes. “Right now, my thoughts are just about the guys that are here and how hard and how well they are working and no specific expectation otherwise,” said coach David Blatt when asked for his reaction to Thompson not signing the team’s qualifying offer. “Just happy to see our guys working as well as they are.” The coach noted that he isn’t losing any sleep over the situation — literally, with Blatt admitting that he was fast asleep when Thursday night’s deadline for Thompson to accept the qualifying offer passed, McMenamin adds. “I was liking the dream I was having,” Blatt said. “Usually I don’t go to sleep that early, but [that] night I was tired. We’re just back at it. We’ve got to focus on the now and here and that’s what we’re doing.”

Here’s what else is happening around the Central Division:

The city of Chicago’s love for hometown star Derrick Rose is waning rapidly, and the story between him and the Bulls may not have a happy ending, Scoop Jackson of ESPN.com writes. Outside of his numerous injuries the past few seasons, Rose didn’t help public perception of himself with his comments saying that he was looking forward to becoming a free agent in 2017, Jackson notes. “What is interesting about Derrick Rose’s career is the public has seen him grow as a man and a spokesperson for himself and the team. For someone who has played in so little games, he is still the face of the team. He has gone from a shy introvert to an aggressively vocal [player] on the court and defender of himself and team to the media,” communications strategist Micaeh Johnson of Carte Blanche LTD, a Chicago-based public relations firm, told Jackson. When asked what Rose could do to help the public’s perception of him, Johnson said, “In short: Recover, stay away from the media, don’t respond to the sport of media and fan [expletive] talking, speak to his fans with humility and confidence when he returns and play ball.“
The Pacers have officially named Steve Gansey as the head coach of their new D-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team announced. Gansey spent the 2014/15 season as associate head coach for Cleveland’s affiliate, the Canton Charge.
The Pistons have been hit by the injury bug at the point guard spot early on in training camp, which will give 2014 second-rounder Spencer Dinwiddie a chance to show what he can do, and potentially earn himself a slot in the team’s regular season rotation, Aaron McMann of MLive.com writes.

Central Notes: Bucks, Jackson, Turner

September 18th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Bucks signed Greg Monroe to a max contract this summer, but he’s probably not the best player on Milwaukee’s roster, Shaun Powell of NBA.com posits as he examines the team’s offseason. Still, bringing him aboard did much to enhance the franchise’s image, and while the Bucks don’t have a realistic shot at Kevin Durant next summer, their standing with top free agents around the league has improved, Powell believes. It worked out well enough for GM John Hammond to receive an extension this week, so while we wait to see if Milwaukee can keep it up, see more from the Central Division:

Reggie Jackson‘s struggles with his outside shot elicited questions about the merits of the trade that brought him to Detroit, but to enhance the five-year, $80MM investment they made in Jackson this summer, the Pistons are working with him to improve that part of his game, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com details.
Jackson could prove arguably just as valuable as John Wall if he carries the numbers he put up with the Pistons after the trade last season over to the first half of this season, Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders opines in the site’s season preview of the Pistons. Wall seemed to express frustration earlier this summer with the timing of the salary cap jump as he pointed out that he and Jackson wound up on similar contracts.
The Pacers spent plenty of free agent money this summer, especially on their four-year, nearly $44MM deal with Monta Ellis, but their top addition came through the draft, as Myles Turner is talented enough to contribute immediately, Brigham writes in the Basketball Insiders Pacers preview.

Pacers Sign C.J. Fair For Camp

September 16th, 2015 at 2:18pm CST by Eddie Scarito

SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2:18pm: The signing has taken place, though the team has made no official announcement, reports Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). It’s non-guaranteed with limited injury protection, Pincus adds, so it’s an Exhibit 9 contract.

SEPTEMBER 10TH, 5:56pm: The Pacers have agreed to a deal with unrestricted free agent small forward C.J. Fair, agent Joel Bell tells Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). It is a one year, minimum salary arrangement notes Charania.

Fair, 23, went undrafted out of Syracuse in 2014, after averaging 16.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 37.8 minutes per contest as a Senior. His career collegiate numbers were 11.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 0.8 assists to accompany a slash line of .462/.343/.723. The forward attended training camp with Indiana last season, though he was unable to secure a spot on the team’s regular season roster. Fair spent the remainder of the 2014/15 season with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA D-League.

The forward is a longshot to make the team’s opening night roster, with the Pacers currently having 15 players possessing fully guaranteed deals. He will compete with Glenn Robinson III, Solomon Hill, Chase Budinger, and C.J. Miles, who are all in the mix at small forward behind Paul George, who is also expected to see minutes at the four this season.

Pacers Owner In Legal Fight With Family Over Team

September 14th, 2015 at 1:44pm CST by Chuck Myron

Pacers owner Herb Simon is pursuing legal means to keep the estate of his late brother and his brother’s widow from claiming part ownership of the team, reports Mark Alesia of the Indianapolis Star. Simon and his brother, Melvin, who died in 2009, were once co-owners of the team. Herb Simon has asked a court to declare that neither Melvin’s estate nor Bren Simon, his widow, has any financial state in the team, Alesia writes.

Herb Simon states in court documents that he has been trying to resolve a dispute between Bren Simon and Melvin Simon’s children since Melvin’s death, as Alesia details. Bren Simon is also involved in a suit in which she’s seeking to recover more than $21MM in taxes she paid to the IRS in protest, according to Alesia. The IRS contends that money that Melvin Simon received in a reorganization of Pacers ownership shortly before his death was a gift, Alesia writes. The brothers had agreed at that point that Melvin Simon would not have to fund the team’s losses and was “released from personal guarantees,” as Alesia recounts.

The Pacers are worth $830MM, according to annual valuations that Forbes magazine released in January. Forbes pegged the franchise value at just $281MM in December 2009, a few months after Melvin Simon’s death.

Family fights for control of NBA franchises are nothing new. Pelicans owner Tom Benson retains control of the team after part of his family reportedly ordered him to undergo psychological competency testing. A judge ruled the other way in the battle for the Clippers, upholding Shelly Sterling’s right to sell the team to Steve Ballmer.

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Indiana Pacers

Eastern Notes: Bullock, Pistons, Pacers

September 13th, 2015 at 9:13pm CST by Will Joseph

Reggie Bullock, a solid shooter who was traded to the Pistons during the summer, believes it will be his defense that helps him stick with Detroit, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes. Bullock is one of 17 players with a fully guaranteed deal with the Pistons, as our roster count shows. In a crowded wing field, Langlois adds, Bullock is likely the best shooter of those on the bubble for the last spot or two.

Here’s more news from around the Eastern Conference:

Speaking of Detroit, the Pistons, after some decisions during the summer, now resemble the team coach/executive Stan Van Gundy wanted to create when he took over two years ago, Shaun Powell writes in his 30 teams in 30 days series for NBA.com. By subtracting Greg Monroe and, perhaps, overspending on Reggie Jackson, the Pistons have a very athletic and young core. With that, Powell believes the Pistons are in position to make a decent playoff run this season.
Continuing his series with a look at the Pacers, Powell writes that Indiana is likely in what’s considered no-man’s land in the league: in between good and really bad. While the Pacers’ addition of Monta Ellis should help, Powell writes that Ellis is only a temporary solution. That’s because, as Powell points out, Ellis is not the most efficient shooter and he’s with his third team in four years.