Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Sign Lance Stephenson To Fourth 10-Day Contract

January 24th, 2022 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have signed Lance Stephenson to a second standard 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. It’s Stephenson’s fourth overall 10-day deal with Indiana this season, since he also inked two hardship contracts with the club.

Stephenson, 31, quickly became a regular rotation player for the Pacers after first rejoining the organization on January 1. He has appeared in 11 games so far, averaging 9.5 PPG, 3.6 APG, and 2.5 RPG on .462/.281/.800 shooting in 19.0 minutes per contest.

There was an expectation at one point earlier this month that Indiana would lock up Stephenson for the rest of the season, but the team has opted to continue the relationship 10 days at a time for now. That allows the Pacers to remain flexible with their roster ahead of the February 10 trade deadline.

A player typically isn’t allowed to sign more than two 10-day contracts with the same team in a given league year, but that restriction only applies to standard 10-day agreements, not to those completed using a COVID-related hardship exception.

While several players have signed three 10-day deals with the same club so far this season, Stephenson is the first to get a fourth. He signed hardship contracts on January 1 and January 11, then completed a new standard 10-day deal on January 14 so that he could remain active when the Pacers no longer had any players in the health and safety protocols — that contract expired on Sunday night.

Because this is Stephenson’s second standard 10-day deal, the Pacers will face a decision on his future soon. Assuming Indiana doesn’t have any players in the protocols when his new contract expires next week, Stephenson would have to be signed for the rest of the season or let go.

Latest On Ben Simmons

January 24th, 2022 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers continue to discuss possible Ben Simmons trades with potential suitors, but sources with direct knowledge of the team’s thinking – and sources from rival clubs – believe Philadelphia still prefers to hang onto Simmons until the offseason in order to pursue James Harden or another star player, according to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The Kings and Hawks are among the teams that have been most engaged with the 76ers as of late, with the Hornets also inquiring on Simmons, per The Athletic’s report. Philadelphia has asked Sacramento for a package that includes Tyrese Haliburton and multiple first-round picks, and wants John Collins and multiple first-rounders from Atlanta, according to Charania and Amick, who hear that the Sixers would also want the Hawks to take on Tobias Harris‘ pricey contract.

None of those scenarios have generated serious traction, and team officials in Sacramento and Atlanta are skeptical that the Sixers will lower their asking price for Simmons much – if at all – by the February 10 trade deadline, according to The Athletic’s duo.

Sources tell Charania and Amick that 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has the full support of ownership to extend the Simmons sweepstakes into the offseason. Although Philadelphia obviously doesn’t want to waste an MVP-caliber season from Joel Embiid, the club is more concerned about not squandering its top trade chip in Simmons by settling for one of the offers currently on the table. There’s a belief those offers will still be available in the summer, and there could be better options for Philadelphia at that point, Charania and Amick say.

“There’s no sense of panic (to do a deal before the deadline),” a source with knowledge of the Sixers’ thinking told The Athletic.

Here’s more on the Simmons situation:

The Sixers have explored deals that would be centered around players like Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, Pacers center Domantas Sabonis, and Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, but felt those players weren’t “championship-altering, perfect fits” for their roster, according to Charania and Amick.
When the Rockets traded Harden to the Nets a year ago, the Sixers were a serious contender for the star guard, having offered Simmons, Matisse Thybulle, and two first-round picks, per The Athletic. During the Rockets’ decision-making process, owner Tilman Fertitta asked Harden whether he preferred to go to Brooklyn or Philadelphia, and Harden chose Brooklyn. It’s unclear if Houston would’ve taken the Sixers’ deal if Harden preferred Philadelphia, according to Charania and Amick, who hear from sources that the Rockets liked the Nets’ proposal more.
Although Harden chose Brooklyn over Philadelphia last year, sources tell The Athletic that Morey is optimistic about his chances of landing the former MVP in the offseason and believes Harden views the Sixers’ situation “in a positive light.” Philadelphia’s cap situation would make an offseason sign-and-trade acquisition of Harden challenging (even if the Nets were interested in Simmons), but not impossible.

Lance Stephenson's 10-Day Contract About To Expire

January 23rd, 2022 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pacers have to make a decision on Lance Stephenson, whose 10-day contract expires tonight, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Stephenson joined the team under the hardship provision at the start of January, but because all of Indiana’s players cleared protocols by the time that deal expired, he had to sign a standard 10-day contract. The Pacers have the options of giving him another 10-day deal or signing him for the rest of the season. He has averaged 9.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 11 games.

Pacers Guard Malcolm Brogdon To Be Shut Down For 10 Days

January 22nd, 2022 at 7:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pacers will shut down guard Malcolm Brogdon for the next 10 days, tweets James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star. Coach Rick Carlisle told reporters that Brogdon will undergo a rehab program for his injured right Achilles.

Brogdon has only been able to play two games in the past month because of the injury, as well as a stay in the league’s health and safety protocols. He logged 17 minutes in a January 12 game against the Celtics and 26 minutes in Wednesday’s contest with the Lakers.

Brogdon, the team’s starting point guard, has appeared in 28 games this season, averaging 18.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per night. However, he’s shooting a career-low 30.7% from three-point range.

Brogdon’s condition is part of a terrible run of injuries for the Pacers, who have lost Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis in the past week. T.J. McConnell had hand surgery last month and may miss the rest of the season, while T.J. Warren has yet to play this season because of a foot fracture.

Myles Turner Is Used To Being Part Of Trade Rumors

January 22nd, 2022 at 6:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

Despite being one of the league’s best shot blockers and part of the Pacers‘ foundation for the last six and a half years, Myles Turner is no stranger to trade rumors. In an interview with Mark Haynes of ClutchPoints, Turner says he has gotten accustomed to hearing his name thrown around. “I would say the first time I’ve dealt with trade rumors was probably like four years ago,” Turner said. “I didn’t know what to think of it. As the summers progressed, I kept hearing more things, and that stuff was almost getting done. I kind of got used to hearing it all the time. I just took it as part of the business.”

Carlisle: Sabonis Expected To Miss "At Least A Few Games"

January 21st, 2022 at 9:36am CST by Luke Adams

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said on Thursday that the team doesn’t have a “definitive” timeline for Domantas Sabonis‘ return from a left ankle sprain, but told reporters the All-Star big man will likely miss “at least a few games” (Twitter link via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN).

As we observed on Thursday, it’s bad luck for the Pacers that two of their top trade candidates – centers Sabonis and Myles Turner – are battling injuries with the February 10 deadline around the corner. However, Sabonis’ injury in particular seems unlikely to be a long-term concern. There’s still a good chance Indiana hangs onto Sabonis, but any trade offers the team gets shouldn’t be negatively impacted by what appears to be a minor ailment.

Agness Examines Impact Of Turner Injury For Pacers

January 20th, 2022 at 10:52am CST by Luke Adams

Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files explores the impact that Myles Turner‘s injury will have on the Pacers and their trade deadline plans.

Domantas Sabonis Sprains Left Ankle

January 20th, 2022 at 8:07am CST by Luke Adams

Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis suffered a left ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of the team’s win over the Lakers on Wednesday when he landed on Russell Westbrook‘s foot while going after a rebound.

Despite being in obvious pain, Sabonis stayed in the game and helped Indiana secure the victory. That doesn’t mean his ankle injury is minor, however. As James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star writes, head coach Rick Carlisle said after the game that the sprain is “probably going to be significant.” At the very least, the Pacers will likely hold the All-Star center out of the second game of a back-to-back set on Thursday in Golden State, though no decisions have been announced yet.

“He was not gonna come out of this game,” Carlisle said after the victory, per Boyd. “He was determined to help will us to the win along with Caris (LeVert) and the guys who were out there. … The 3-point shot that Sabonis hit on the bad ankle (to put the Pacers up by eight with 2:28 left) was one of the big shots of the year and just a guy that was completely determined to pull us through this thing.”

LeVert, Sabonis, and Myles Turner have been mentioned most frequently in recent weeks as possible trade candidates for the Pacers. With the February 10 deadline just three weeks away, Sabonis and Turner – who has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left foot – are both banged up. Those injuries could complicate Indiana’s trade discussions, though Sabonis’ ankle sprain seems unlikely to be a long-term concern.

If Sabonis does miss time, young centers Goga Bitadze and Isaiah Jackson could be in line for increased roles.

COVID-19 Updates: Grant, Batum, Herro, McConnell, Smart, T. Jones, Jenkins

January 19th, 2022 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sidelined since December 10 after surgery on his right thumb, Pistons forward Jerami Grant has now entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Grant has been making progress toward playing again and began a rehab assignment with the G League’s Motor City Cruise this week.

Grant is considered the “grand prize” by some observers heading into the trade deadline and has been the subject of rumors involving at least nine teams. His time in the protocols could further limit the number of games he can play before Detroit has to make a decision on a deal.

He and rookie center Luka Garza are the only players currently in the protocols for the Pistons, who recently were among the hardest-hit teams in the league by COVID-19.

Here are some more protocol-related updates:

Clippers forward Nicolas Batum has been placed in the protocols, tweets Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Batum also spent time in the protocols in November.
Heat guard Tyler Herro has entered the protocols, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Herro is the only Miami player currently in the protocols.
Pacers guard T.J. McConnell, who may miss the rest of the season after having hand surgery, has been placed in the protocols, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.
Celtics guard Marcus Smart has exited the protocols, the team announced in its injury report. However, he’s not playing tonight due to “return to competition reconditioning.”
Spurs guard Tre Jones has cleared the protocols, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express News. He missed seven games while he was out of action.
Taylor Jenkins is out of protocols and is coaching the Grizzlies tonight, according to Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link). Jenkins missed six games.

Moore’s Latest: Hawks, Bogdanovic, LeVert, Celtics, Robinson

January 19th, 2022 at 5:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks are a good bet to make significant changes at the trade deadline, according to Matt Moore of Action Network. Multiple sources tell Moore that the directive from team ownership is to turn the season around following an 18-25 start, so Atlanta won’t just be sellers — they’ll want to acquire players who can help right away.

While the price tag would likely be high, John Collins is someone the Hawks are willing to talk about, according to Moore, who hears from sources that Bogdan Bogdanovic is another veteran the team would discuss.

Here are a few more items of interest from Moore:

The Pacers have received multiple offers for Caris LeVert, sources tell Moore. While Moore views LeVert as the Pacer most likely to be traded, he says it wouldn’t be surprising if others, such as Justin Holiday, are on the move, possibly in a larger deal.
A pair of rival executives who spoke to Moore were skeptical that the Celtics will do anything too drastic at the trade deadline. “They’re not so off track that they need to just give up and trade Jaylen Brown and blow the whole thing up,” one of the execs said. “They’re where they usually are, with a team good enough to compete but not good enough to scare you. They’ll look for a big upgrade without having to give up anything.”
With Max Strus‘ playing time on the rise and Duncan Robinson seeing his role reduced a little as of late, there’s a belief around the league that the Heat would be open to discussing the sharpshooter, says Moore. Robinson, who entered the season with a .423 career 3PT%, has made just 34.8% of his threes in 2021/22.