Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Pacers Rumors

NBA Announces Player Pool For Rising Stars Event

January 31st, 2023 at 1:22pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA officially unveiled the 28-player pool for this year’s Rising Stars event on Tuesday, making the announcement via the NBA App. The following players made the cut:

Rookies:

Sophomores:

G League players:

As was the case last season, the Rising Stars event will consist of four teams and three games. The seven G League players will comprise one team, coached by longtime NBA guard Jason Terry. The other 21 players will be drafted to three squads coached by former NBA stars Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, and Deron Williams.

The four teams will be split into two first-round matchups and the winners of those two games will face one another for the Rising Stars championship. The two semifinals will be played to a target score of 40 points, while the final will be played to a target score of 25 points.

All three contests will take place on Friday, February 17 as part of All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City. The NBA’s full press release with more information on the event can be found right here.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Carlisle, Pritchard: Myles Turner Won’t Be Traded

January 30th, 2023 at 5:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers didn’t extend Myles Turner in order to trade him, coach Rick Carlisle told Marc Stein (Twitter link) and other media members.

“Yes, he’s off the trade block,” Carlisle said.

There were some questions initially whether the extension, which Turner signed on Monday, would still allow Indiana to deal the big man. While it turns out that Turner is trade-eligible, Carlisle’s comment made it clear that’s not going to happen.

President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard reiterated that Turner will be staying put, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star tweets.

“One of the things we’ve always believed in is we sign a player to sign a player. We don’t sign a player to trade a player. … We signed Myles to be here,” he said.

As for how Indiana will approach the trade deadline and this offseason, Pritchard spoke in vague terms, Dopirak adds in a separate tweet. Pritchard likes the way the Pacers have progressed and grown but adds they’ll be opportunistic if the right offer comes along.

Turner is enjoying a career year, averaging 17.5 points  and 7.8 rebounds per night. He received a $17.1MM renegotiation on his salary for the current season. He’ll make approximately $21MM for 2023/24 and $20MM for the following season.

Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Myles Turner Signs Two-Year Extension With Pacers

January 30th, 2023 at 2:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

JANUARY 30: Turner’s extension is now official, the Pacers announced in a press release.

JANUARY 28: The Pacers have reached a two-year extension agreement with Myles Turner, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Turner’s agent, Austin Brown of CAA Sports, tells Woj that the deal includes a $17.1MM renegotiation on the center’s salary for the current season. Turner will have that amount added to the $18MM he’s already receiving in 2022/23. It’s the largest renegotiation deal in NBA history, according to Wojnarowski, and it’s possible because the team had a significant amount of remaining cap space.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), Turner’s yearly salaries will be about $35MM for the current season, approximately $21MM for 2023/24 and $20MM for the following season, giving the deal a total value of approximately $58MM in new money.

Because Turner’s current contract contains $2MM in unlikely bonuses, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link), $17.1MM was the maximum amount the Pacers were allowed to add to his $18MM salary this season (Turner’s maximum salary is $37.1MM).

Marks explains that because Turner’s deal came through a renegotiation, the Pacers were permitted to drop his salary by 40% in the first year of the extension, to approximately $21MM in 2023/24. Marks adds that the agreement doesn’t change Turner’s trade status; he’s still eligible to be dealt before the February 9 deadline.

Turner appeared to be headed out of Indiana last summer, as one of the offseason’s hottest rumors was a deal that would have sent him and Buddy Hield to the Lakers in exchange for Russell Westbrook and L.A.’s first-round picks in 2027 and 2029. The Lakers decided against parting with that much draft capital, and Turner is putting up the best numbers of his career with a surprising Pacers team.

He’s averaging career-highs with 17.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while shooting 54.4% from the field and 39.1% from three-point range. He’s also among the league’s best shot blockers, swatting away 2.4 per game this season.

Assuming Indiana plans to keep Turner, he will be part of a young foundation for the team to build around, along with Tyrese Haliburton and rookie Bennedict Mathurin. Turner is only 26 and should be well positioned to land another large contract two years from now.

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Trade Rumors: Beasley, Vanderbilt, Pelicans, Hyland, Pacers

January 30th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Jazz have been involved in trade talks regarding Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt and are seeking a first-round pick in return for each player, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto notes that both players were part of trade discussions earlier this season involving the Hawks‘ John Collins, and he says the Suns are also interested in dealing for them.

Beasley and Vanderbilt have been important contributors since Utah acquired them from Minnesota last summer in the Rudy Gobert trade. Beasley has bolstered the Jazz bench and is averaging 13.6 PPG, while Vanderbilt moved into the starting lineup and is posting 8.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per night.

Utah has interest in acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith from the Mavericks or Jalen McDaniels from the Hornets, sources tell Scotto. He suggests that Beasley and Vanderbilt could be combined in an offer for Finney-Smith, but the Jazz may wait until the offseason to try to sign McDaniels in free agency. Scotto adds that the Suns and Raptors are also watching McDaniels and may attempt to trade for him now to acquire his Bird rights.

Scotto cites the Hawks, Cavaliers and Pelicans as teams that have reached out to Utah about Beasley. He mentions the Knicks as another potential landing spot, as New York had interest in Beasley before he signed his last contract with the Wolves. Knicks executive Gersson Rosas traded for Beasley and Vanderbilt when he ran Minnesota’s front office, and Scotto hears that he has been monitoring Beasley’s availability.

There are more trade rumors to pass along:

  • League executives tell Scotto that Pelicans reserves Devonte’ Graham and Jaxson Hayes are considered to be available. Graham is under contract for $12.1MM for next season and has a $2.85MM guarantee on his $12.65MM salary for 2024/25. Hayes is headed for restricted free agency this offseason.
  • It may seem surprising that the Nuggets are gauging the value of second-year guard Bones Hyland, but trading him is the team’s best chance to improve before the deadline, Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype states in the same story. Denver would like to add a defensive forward, but apart from its rotation the team doesn’t have many players who would be useful in salary matching. Sources tell Scotto the Nuggets are reluctant to part with any draft assets in a deal involving Hyland. Gozlan also points out that getting another wing player now would provide insurance in case Bruce Brown decides to turn down his $6.8MM player option for next season.
  • After reaching an extension agreement with Myles Turner, the Pacers have $10.7MM in cap space to work with on the trade market, Gozlan adds. Indiana and San Antonio are the only teams that still have cap room available for the current season.
Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Charania’s Latest: Anunoby, Collins, Poeltl, Hyland, More

January 30th, 2023 at 9:42am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks and Suns are among the teams interested in acquiring OG Anunoby, but it may be a few more days before the Raptors decide whether to make him available, writes Shams Charania of The Athletic. Sources tell Charania that Toronto won’t decide whether to be a buyer or seller until close to the February 9 trade deadline. That decision will affect the availability of Anunoby, along with Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. and possibly others.

The Raptors were counting on another strong season after finishing fifth in the East last year, but they’re just 23-28 so far and stuck in 12th place. However, Toronto has won two of the first three games on its current road trip and still has a realistic shot to reach the play-in tournament.

President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster want to take as much time as they can to evaluate the current roster before deciding whether to keep the core together or try to rebuild around Scottie Barnes. The Raptors are expected to seek a premium price if they do make their top players available, and Charania hears that the Knicks are willing to part with multiple first-round picks to land Anunoby.

The organization will also make a decision this summer on the future of head coach Nick Nurse, Charania adds. Toronto hasn’t released the details of Nurse’s most recent contract extension, but sources tell Charania it will expire after the 2023/24 season. He also hears from sources that Nurse has been the target of some of the frustrations this season, and the front office will consider whether a coaching change is in the team’s best interest.

Charania offers more inside information heading into the trade deadline:

  • The Hawks are still listening to offers for John Collins, but new head of basketball operations Landry Fields is telling teams that Collins is considered an important asset rather than a salary to dump. The Jazz remain interested in Collins, sources tell Charania, and when the teams discussed a deal early this season, Atlanta sought Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt in return. Utah reportedly asked for a first-round pick as well, which caused negotiations to stall.
  • Spurs center Jakob Poeltl is getting increased interest on the trade market, and Charania believes he could be headed to an Eastern Conference team such as the Celtics or Raptors.
  • The Nuggets are holding active trade conversations regarding Bones Hyland, and sources tell Charania that the Timberwolves are among the interested teams.
  • The Hornets are engaged in trade talks regarding Mason Plumlee and Kelly Oubre, according to Charania, and the Suns, Raptors, Jazz, Pacers and Spurs are among the teams monitoring Jalen McDaniels. Charlotte may value McDaniels too highly to consider a trade, but teams with cap space are expected to target him when he becomes a free agent this summer.
  • The Jazz are also interested in Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith, and Charania reports that rival teams believe he would be available in a deal involving a star player. Executives tell Charania that Dallas has put a high price on Finney-Smith, who signed a four-year, $55MM extension last year.
  • Jaylen Nowell is strongly considering leaving the Timberwolves this summer in free agency if he doesn’t get an extension in Minnesota, according to Charania’s sources.
Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Injury Updates: Davis, James, Doncic, Wiggins, Gobert, Haliburton

January 29th, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers will play without both of their superstars against the Nets on Monday, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes.

LeBron James has a sore left ankle ankle, while Anthony Davis will rest his right foot. It’s the first game of a back-to-back, so they both could return on Tuesday against the Knicks.

We have more notable injury updates:

  • Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is listed as questionable to play against Detroit on Monday, the team’s PR department tweets. Doncic suffered a left ankle sprain three minutes into their game against Phoenix on Thursday. He missed their loss to Utah on Saturday.
  • Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, who missed the last two games due to a non-COVID illness, is not listed on the injury report for Monday’s game against Oklahoma City, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets.
  • Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert is listed as questionable to play against Sacramento on Monday due to right groin soreness, the team’s PR department tweets. Gobert played 36 minutes in Minnesota’s victory over the Kings on Saturday.
  • Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton hopes to practice Tuesday and Wednesday with “the aim to play this weekend,” according to coach Rick Carlisle, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star tweets. Indiana plays home games against the Lakers, Kings and Cavaliers later this week. Haliburton has missed 10 games due to knee and elbow injuries.
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Central Notes: Theis, Wade, Pistons, Bucks

January 29th, 2023 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Pacers center Daniel Theis hopes to make his 2022/23 season debut this coming week, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (subscription required). Acquired from Boston over the summer, Theis was dealing with recurring right knee soreness entering the season and underwent surgery in November to address the issue.

Although Theis seems unlikely to be part of the Pacers’ long-term plans, he has another guaranteed season on his contract beyond this one, so it would be a challenge for Indiana to extract much – if any – value for him at the February 9 trade deadline.

Here’s more from around the Central:

  • Cavaliers forward Dean Wade is getting an opportunity to show whether he can help solve the team’s issues on the wing, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who notes that Wade’s minutes restriction following his return from a shoulder injury has been lifted. Fedor explores what it means for the rest of Cleveland’s rotation if Wade is getting regular playing time and whether there might be an odd man out.
  • It has been an up-and-down week for the Pistons. While Detroit’s impressive road win in Brooklyn on Thursday served as a reminder that the team’s future is worth believing in, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, Saturday’s home loss to Houston was the worst of the season and signaled that a trade deadline deal should be welcomed, Edwards contends in another story for The Athletic.
  • Eric Nehm of The Athletic evaluates a series of reader-proposed trades for the Bucks. Nehm considers hypothetical deals involving Cam Reddish, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Josh Hart, among others, but concludes that none of them quite work, with either Milwaukee or its proposed trade partner likely to say no.
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Notes On Myles Turner’s New Deal With Pacers

January 29th, 2023 at 8:54am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers‘ ability to use their remaining cap room as part of Myles Turner‘s extension makes the deal extremely team-friendly over the next two seasons, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

Turner will receive an extra $17.1MM for the current season as part of a renegotiation that adds two years to his contract. Dopirak notes that he will earn $21MM in 2023/24, which is less than 16% of a projected $134MM salary cap. Turner will take up an even smaller percentage of the cap in 2024/25, when his salary declines to $20MM. As Dopirak points out, that’s significant because 2024/25 will be the first year of Tyrese Haliburton‘s expected extension.

Turner is putting up career numbers this season, which has coincided with his full-time move back to center after Domantas Sabonis was traded to the Kings at last year’s deadline.

“He’s been itching to play the five,” lead assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said. “What that means and what it does is it puts him into the action in terms of setting screens, being in trail, reversing the ball through him. Any player knows when they get to touch the basketball, whether they’re shooting it, passing it or just reversing it, it just engages their mind a little bit.

“We’re seeing him finish at the rim. We’re seeing him get more shots at the rim this year. We’re seeing him make a concerted effort to get offensive rebounds, especially against teams that switch and he’s got a smaller guy on him. But I think he’s embracing the role. I think he’s embracing the physical nature that we need from him.”

Here’s more on Turner’s renegotiation and extension with the Pacers:

  • There are conflicting interpretations on whether the rules related to renegotiations in the Collective Bargaining Agreement would allow Turner to be traded prior to the February 9 deadline. ESPN’s Bobby Marks stated on Saturday that Turner remains trade-eligible, and cap expert Larry Coon agrees with that interpretation (Twitter link), but Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) isn’t so sure. As Pincus notes (via Twitter), the language in the CBA is vague, indicating that a renegotiation can’t be completed in conjunction with a trade, but not providing any information on whether a player could be traded a week or two after finalizing a renegotiation.
  • The CBA provides specific guidelines for extensions and trades, making players ineligible to be dealt for six months if their new contract exceeds the extend-and-trade limits (Turner’s doesn’t). For now, we’re assuming Turner remains trade-eligible, but the extension seemingly eliminates the Pacers’ motivation for moving him, since they no longer have to worry about losing him for nothing in free agency this summer.
  • Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files hears that Turner’s agent Austin Brown and the Pacers’ front office were engaged in contract negotiations over the last two weeks, with the agreement being finalized during the last 48 hours.
  • The Pacers will still have approximately $10.7MM in cap room after completing their deal with Turner, Marks states in a YouTube video breaking down the renegotiation and extension. Indiana’s team salary is now above this season’s minimum salary floor, Agness notes.

Arthur Hill contributed to this post.

Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Rockets Rumors: Collins, Turner, Gordon, Martin

January 27th, 2023 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets have some interest in Hawks forward John Collins, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Iko suggests that Houston hasn’t put a formal offer on the table for Collins, but that the two teams have talked as Atlanta gauges league-wide interest in the big man.

As Iko details, the Rockets have expressed interest in Collins in the past, including when they traded Clint Capela to Atlanta back at the 2020 deadline. Although they’re intrigued by the possibility of acquiring the 25-year-old, the Rockets would have to consider a number of factors, including Collins’ fit alongside young cornerstones Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith, as well as his long-term contract.

According to Iko, the Rockets value the cap flexibility they have going forward. Collins’ contract would cut significantly into that flexibility — he’s owed $25.3MM next season and $26.6MM in 2024/25, with a $26.6MM player option for ’25/26. Before talks with the Hawks get serious, Houston would have to decide whether it’s worth sacrificing both current assets and future opportunities for Collins.

Here’s more from Iko on the Rockets:

  • Houston has interest in Pacers center Myles Turner, but he’d likely be a target in free agency rather than via trade, according to Iko. The Rockets would be reluctant to engage in a bidding war and surrender valuable assets for a player on an expiring deal.
  • Veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon remains a strong candidate to be traded before the February 9 deadline (and has privately expressed some frustration with his situation, per Iko), but the Rockets are also open to the idea of adding another veteran or two to their roster. As Iko explains, the team’s rebuild has perhaps left the roster perhaps too young, with 10 Houston players no older than 22. The front office may prefer a little more balance.
  • Team and league sources tell Iko that a few clubs around the league have floated the idea of offering a first-round pick for Kenyon Martin Jr., but the Rockets haven’t received any concrete offers. Houston wouldn’t be interested in trading Martin for a second-round pick, Iko adds.
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Kendall Brown Used Layoff Wisely

January 26th, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • Pacers’ second-round rookie Kendall Brown is back in action with the G League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants after sitting out six weeks due to a stress reaction in his right tibia. He absorbed a lot on information during his recovery, he told Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. “It’s been a lot of rehab, sitting on the bench watching my teammates play,” he said. “Being off, I spent a lot of time with the Pacers — in the film room and courtside just watching everything. It was really good to see everyone play and the speed of the game. I think it helped me a lot.”
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts