Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Notes: Haliburton, Hield, Turner, Brogdon, Smith, Sabonis

February 11th, 2022 at 8:47pm CST by Rory Maher

New addition Tyrese Haliburton said the Kings gave him no indication that he might be traded to the Pacers or any other team, as Wheat Hotchkiss of Pacers.com writes. “It’s just overwhelming,” Haliburton told reporters on Thursday, following his first practice with Indiana. “I had no idea, they gave me no indication this was happening.”

Haliburton said it’s hard not to feel a little circumspect entering a new city after being hurt, but he’s still excited for a fresh opportunity.

“It’s scary, right?” he said. “I’ve put a lot of love, a lot of trust in Sacramento and kind of immersed myself in the community and with the people. They got rid of me, but you know that’s part of the business. I think that’s kind of my best trait. It’s like somebody who just loves hard. I want to be here. I want to be a part of it.

“It can be the biggest upside, but it can be a big downfall, too. It hurt when I got traded because I loved being there and I loved the people, but coming here I’m going to do the same thing. They’ve shown me nothing but love since I’ve gotten here and they’re another organization taking a chance on me (when) they have no reason to. So I’ll put everything I’ve got into it.”

Here’s more from Indiana:

Buddy Hield, who was also part of the trade, said it was “a shift that was needed,” after a disappointing season in Sacramento, Joel Lorenzi of The Indianapolis Star relays. “Just want to go there and do what I do best, shoot the ball and try to make opportunities for my teammates,” Hield said. “Just bring the positive energy I can bring to this team.”
Coach Rick Carlisle said Myles Turner (stress reaction in foot) will be out through the All-Star break, but Malcolm Brogdon (Achilles soreness) is “close” to returning. Neither player has an official timetable, James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star tweets.
If Jalen Smith plays well with the Pacers, he might price himself out of Indiana for an unusual reason, according to Nat Newell of The Indianapolis Star. Smith, who the Pacers acquired in a trade that sent Torrey Craig to the Suns, had his third-year team option declined by Phoenix, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer, but with one big caveat — Indiana can only offer up to the amount of his declined option, which was $4,670,160.
Two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis, who was sent to the Kings as part of the trade that brought Hield and Haliburton to Indiana, thanked Pacers fans on Instagram recently, Newell writes in a separate story for The Star.

Lowe’s Latest: Gasol, Bucks, Suns, Pacers, Kings, Sixers, More

February 11th, 2022 at 12:10pm CST by Luke Adams

With Brook Lopez sidelined indefinitely, the Bucks and center Marc Gasol, who is currently playing for Girona in Spain, had discussed the possibility of a possible late-season deal, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN (Insider link). However, Lowe suggests that a union “does not appear to be in the cards” now that Milwaukee has acquired Serge Ibaka.

It’s worth noting that the Bucks have three open spots on their 15-man roster following the trade deadline, so there still could be room for Gasol down the road, and it’s not like he and Ibaka haven’t had success teaming up in the past — the two vets played key roles for the 2019 champion Raptors. Still, Milwaukee may be looking to address other positions with those open roster spots, and there’s no guarantee Gasol will look to return to the NBA when his season is over in Spain.

Here are a few more highlights from Lowe’s post-deadline roundup:

Sources confirmed to Lowe that the Suns and Pacers had brief discussions about Deandre Ayton and Domantas Sabonis, which was first reported by Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Fischer suggested the two teams might be exploring the idea of an offseason sign-and-trade involving Ayton, and Lowe agrees that the talks seem to have been just exploratory and informal, possibly aimed at the future rather than present. Indiana subsequently traded Sabonis to Sacramento, which could eliminate the possibility of any future deal with Phoenix for Ayton, but Lowe points out that the Suns’ willingness to consider shaking up their roster – even in the offseason – is noteworthy.
Before acquiring Sabonis, the Kings approached the Hawks about John Collins, but they didn’t discuss Tyrese Haliburton or De’Aaron Fox in that context, says Lowe.
Lowe expects the Sixers to explore the buyout market for a backup center, since there’s no guarantee that Paul Millsap will bounce back in Philadelphia and Charles Bassey is unproven.
The Spurs explored ways to move up in last year’s draft, according to Lowe, who notes that San Antonio has since gained more draft ammo to potentially revisit that idea going forward.
Lowe contends that Kristaps Porzingis should take his trade to the Wizards “as a huge slap in the face,” given the modest return the Mavericks received. As Lowe writes, Dallas appeared to be trying to gain more flexibility for future moves by taking back two (relatively) smaller contracts for Porzingis’ max deal, which could pay off down the road. But it “seems to be selling unthinkably low” on Porzingis, Lowe says.

Leftover Deadline Rumors: Raptors, Rockets, Lakers, Nuggets, Knicks

February 11th, 2022 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors considered a series of potential trade scenarios before they agreed to send Goran Dragic and a draft pick to San Antonio for Thaddeus Young, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.

According to Grange, Toronto had hoped the Hawks would make Bogdan Bogdanovic available, viewing the veteran wing as someone who could help the team in both the short- and long-term. However, Atlanta didn’t budge on Bogdanovic, forcing the Raptors to look elsewhere.

The Raptors inquired on Pistons forward Jerami Grant and Kings forward Harrison Barnes, sources tell Grange, but the price tags for those players were high. As previously reported, there were also discussions about a three-team deal that would’ve sent Talen Horton-Tucker and Nerlens Noel to Toronto, but Grange suggests those talks never gained serious traction.

Here are a few more leftover rumors on trades that didn’t get made on deadline day:

The Rockets never made real progress on a John Wall trade with the Lakers, who were unwilling to attach a first-round pick to Russell Westbrook, but a few days before the deadline, Houston got much closer to moving Wall to another team, a source tells Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. That proposed deal ultimately fell through, per Feigen, who doesn’t specify which team the Rockets were talking to.
During a TV appearance, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (video link) said one concept that “could have been discussed” by the Rockets and Lakers before the deadline, “depending on who you believe,” was a swap of Westbrook, Horton-Tucker, and draft capital for Wall and Christian Wood. It doesn’t sound like those talks, if they even occurred, advanced at all.
After agreeing to acquire center Jalen Smith from Phoenix, the Pacers explored flipping him to a new team, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Fischer says the Nuggets were among the clubs in the mix for Smith, but Indiana didn’t find a deal it liked and ended up hanging onto the third-year big man.
The Knicks didn’t make a deal on deadline day, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Sources tell Steve Popper of Newsday that the club was willing to move just about anyone on its roster, but had trouble finding trade partners for many of its top trade candidates, including Kemba Walker and Noel. According to Popper, his sources suggested there was a “universal lack of interest in the Knicks’ talent and contracts.”

Pacers, Suns Swap Torrey Craig, Jalen Smith

February 10th, 2022 at 7:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

7:33pm: The trade is official, according to an announcement from the Suns.

3:57pm: The Pacers will receive the Suns’ 2022 second-round pick in the deal, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link).

1:03pm: The Pacers will send Torrey Craig to the Suns in exchange for Jalen Smith, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Indiana will also receive a future second-round pick in the deal.

Craig, 31, was part of the Phoenix team that reached the NBA Finals last season. He only got into 32 games with the Suns and left in free agency to find a team that would give him a larger role. He signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Pacers and averaged 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in 51 games.

There has been speculation that Smith, a 21-year-old big man, would be moved ever since the Suns decided not to pick up his third-year option. The 10th pick in the 2020 draft, Smith got into 29 games this season, averaging 6.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in 13.2 minutes per night. He may get a larger opportunity on an Indiana team that traded away Domantas Sabonis this week.

Because Smith’s option for next season has already been declined, the Pacers can’t offer him a new contract starting at more than $4,670,160, which was the amount of the option.

Trade Rumors: Mavs, R. Lopez, Hawks, Wizards, Pistons, More

February 10th, 2022 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks have made Dwight Powell available, but they remain uninterested in moving Jalen Brunson or Dorian Finney-Smith, reports Matt Moore of ActionNetwork.com. If those two players are off the table, Dallas may have a hard time finding a deal that significantly upgrades its roster.

According to Moore, Tim Hardaway Jr., who is out indefinitely due to a foot injury, is the player the Mavericks have shopped most aggressively. Hardaway was having a down year prior to his injury and is on a sizable long-term contract ($53.7MM for three years after this season), so his value will be limited.

Still, Moore notes that Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is a big fan of Hardaway, whom he coached in Dallas. Moore has also heard that the Wizards and Mavericks discussed a deal involving Hardaway and Spencer Dinwiddie, though a source tells Moore that the two sides didn’t make much progress.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Magic have been willing to discuss center Robin Lopez, but are apparently asking for a first-round pick, according to Moore. I’d be surprised if a team is willing to meet that price.
The Hawks may have a quiet deadline, with John Collins appearing increasingly unlikely to be dealt, but they remain on the lookout for a backup point guard, Moore reports.
Within his trade-rumor roundup, Moore also says the Wizards have been willing to discuss anyone besides Bradley Beal or Kyle Kuzma, and adds that Pistons guard Cory Joseph is “gettable.” Moore has received mixed intel on whether Detroit is interested in moving Kelly Olynyk.
Pacers center Myles Turner appears less likely to be dealt now that the team has moved Domantas Sabonis, but the Knicks continue to pursue Turner, a league source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. The big man is dealing with a foot injury that may sideline him until at least March.
With Harrison Barnes looking like a good bet to stay with the Kings through the deadline, Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley III are the Sacramento players most often identified by rival teams as candidates to be moved in the next few hours, says Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Stein’s Latest: Lillard, Wall, Westbrook, Mavs, Turner, Harden, Simmons

February 10th, 2022 at 7:33am CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers‘ roster makeover this week has prompted multiple teams to place a call to Portland’s front office in an effort to engage in trade talks involving Damian Lillard, according to Marc Stein at Substack. However, Stein hears that those inquiries have been “swiftly rebuffed” by the Blazers.

Reporting following the CJ McCollum trade this week indicated that Portland’s plan is to reshape its roster around Lillard, and the star point guard still sounds committed to sticking it out with the Blazers. As Stein writes, there’s a growing expectation from the outside that Lillard probably won’t return from his abdominal surgery this season, with the Blazers seemingly shifting their short-term focus from playoff contention to draft positioning.

Here’s more from Stein:

A source close to the situation tells Stein that the Rockets remain unwilling to consider a John Wall/Russell Westbrook swap unless the Lakers are willing to put their 2027 first-round pick in a deal. There has still been no indication that Los Angeles is open to that concept, says Stein.
The Mavericks made a run at Caris LeVert before the Pacers traded him to Cleveland, but were unable to make a deal, according to Stein, who notes that the Cavaliers were able to offer better assets than Dallas. A Mavs offer may have required Indiana to take the long-term contract of injured swingman Tim Hardaway Jr., Stein writes.
Although a trade of Myles Turner hasn’t been entirely ruled out, the big man is widely expected to remain with the Pacers through the deadline, per Stein.
Stein says his best read of the James Harden/Ben Simmons situation is that there’s a price point at which the Nets would be willing to make a deal today, but it would be “steep” and it’s unclear if the Sixers have the appetite to meet it.

Pacers To Keep Hield, Mulling Thompson Buyout

February 9th, 2022 at 8:59pm CST by Rory Maher

Echoing a report from ESPN’s Zach Lowe this afternoon, a source tells James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star that the Pacers plan to keep shooting guard Buddy Hield past the Thursday, 2:00pm CT trade deadline. As our Luke Adams mentioned, Hield’s $23MM cap hit and the $40MM he’s owed for the two seasons after this would make it difficult to get value for him.

Coach Rick Carlisle is known to value shooting, which is Hield’s specialty, although his .368 3PT% is the worst mark of his career.

“You can never have too much shooting in today’s game,” Carlisle said Tuesday after Indiana lost 133-112 at Atlanta. “I think that’s an obvious fact. We’ve had our struggles this year … and so that was a priority for us as the deadline approaches.”

However, Boyd writes that Tristan Thompson‘s future with Indiana is far less certain, as the team is mulling a buyout of his $9.7MM expiring contract. Hield, Thompson, and Tyrese Haliburton were all acquired from the Kings on Tuesday in exchange for Domantas Sabonis, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb and a 2023 second-round pick.

Thompson, 30, has had the most limited role of his career this season in a crowded Sacramento frontcourt. He appeared in 30 games with the Kings, averaging 6.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per contest.

Thompson should have some suitors on the buyout market if the Pacers decide to go that route. Given their place in the standings, it would make sense to give younger big men like Goga Bitadze and Isaiah Jackson more opportunities.

Central Notes: Hield, Dosunmu, Bulls, Lopez, LeVert

February 9th, 2022 at 12:34pm CST by Luke Adams

A report on Wednesday morning indicated that the Pacers could flip veteran wing Buddy Hield to a new team today or tomorrow after acquiring him from Sacramento on Tuesday. However, Zach Lowe of ESPN (Twitter link) isn’t expecting that to happen, reporting that Indiana doesn’t plan to move Hield before Thursday’s deadline, despite some interest from other teams.

Lowe cautions that things could change in the next 24+ hours, but as I noted when we relayed the initial Hield rumor, his $23MM cap hit and the $40MM he’s owed for the two seasons after this one will probably make it tricky for the club to get anything of real value for him, especially since he’s in the midst of a down year — his .368 3PT% is the worst mark of his career.

Here are a few more items from around the Central:

The Bulls‘ injury woes continued on Tuesday, as rookie guard Ayo Dosunmu entered the NBA’s concussion protocol, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Dosunmu has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game in Charlotte, but it’s unclear how much more time he might miss beyond that.
Star forward DeMar DeRozan doesn’t believe the Bulls needs to make any trades at the deadline, suggesting that getting healthy is the top priority for the club. “We’re missing Lonzo Ball, one of the top point guards in this league,” DeRozan said, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “Alex Caruso, one of the best defenders in this league. Patrick Williams, one of the young stars in this league. We haven’t had those guys. And we have them; they’ll be back. We don’t need to worry or stress about having nobody else.
Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said on Tuesday that the team continues to get positive news about Brook Lopez‘s recovery from back surgery and remains hopeful that the veteran center will be back before the end of the regular season, says Jamal Collier of ESPN (Twitter link).
New Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert is excited to be back in the thick of a playoff race after spending the first half of the season with a lottery-bound Indiana squad, writes Tom Withers of The Associated Press. “Here, we’re playing for a championship,” LeVert said.

Pacers Rumors: Brogdon, Hield, Warren, Craig, Turner, Korkmaz

February 9th, 2022 at 8:49am CST by Luke Adams

There are rival executives around the NBA who believe the Pacers will trade Malcolm Brogdon this offseason following their acquisition of Tyrese Haliburton, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Brogdon isn’t eligible to be traded this season due to the contract extension he signed in the fall, but could be moved in the summer

The Pacers shouldn’t feel any urgency to deal Brogdon, since he and Haliburton are both solid ball-handlers, defenders, and shooters who could complement one another in the backcourt. But the presence of Haliburton certainly will give Indiana more options if the team wants to try to use Brogdon in a trade to address another area of the roster.

According to Scotto, the Pacers are also open to flipping newly-acquired shooting guard Buddy Hield prior to Thursday’s trade deadline. Hield’s $23MM cap hit and the $40MM he’s owed for the two seasons after this one will probably make it tricky for the club to get much of value for him, especially since he has had a down year — his .368 3PT% is the worst mark of his career.

Here’s more on the Pacers:

Veteran forwards T.J. Warren and Torrey Craig are among the other players the Pacers have made available in advance of Thursday’s trade deadline, league sources tell Scotto. Warren, who will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, hasn’t played since December 2020 due to a foot injury, so teams may be reluctant to take a flier on him.
Myles Turner is expected to remain with the Pacers beyond the deadline, a source with knowledge of the team’s thinking tells Chris Mannix of SI.com. Mannix and Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com have both heard that the Pistons and Pacers discussed a swap centered around Turner and Jerami Grant, but Bulpett says Indiana rejected it. According to Bulpett, the Bucks have also shown some interest in Turner to fill the Brook Lopez role on their roster, with Lopez’s availability for the rest of the season up in the air.
The Pacers have some interest in Sixers wing Furkan Korkmaz, believing that he could benefit from a change of scenery, sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. A career 37.7% three-point shooter entering this season, Korkmaz has made just 28.7% of his attempts from beyond the arc in 2021/22.

Pacers Notes: Turner, Rebuild, Roster, Carlisle

February 8th, 2022 at 10:44pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The deal today between the Pacers and Kings that exchanged headliners Domantas Sabonis and Tyrese Haliburton, among others, could prove to be good news for remaining Indiana big man Myles Turner, says Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

According to Wojnarowski, Turner seems to be excited to play alongside Haliburton. Turner, currently recuperating from a stress reaction in his right foot, has had another solid-if-injury-plagued season with Indiana. Turner, averaging 12.9 PPG and 7.1 RPG this year, should see additional offensive touches as he shifts over to a full-time center role.

There’s more out of the Hoosier State:

After opting to move on from two-time All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis, the Pacers will pivot its focus to Turner and budding second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton as they retool their roster, writes James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star. Boyd credits the Indiana front office with making the right call in moving perhaps its best trade chip for a possible future star in Haliburton.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle raved about his team’s new additions tonight, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link). Carlisle praised new wing Buddy Hield as a high-level shooter, and expressed his enthusiasm to work with Haliburton, hailing the latter as “an elite young point guard that affects the game positively in many, many ways.”
In his first season back with the Pacers since 2007, returning head coach Rick Carlisle has become a key voice as the Pacers make roster decisions with an eye towards the future, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “We’re putting together a path forward that is going to be a little bit different, obviously, after, after today and tonight,” Carlisle said after the team traded veteran wing Caris LeVert in exchange for the expiring contract of injured guard Ricky Rubio and three future draft picks.