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Pacers’ Buchanan Talks Turner, Rebuild, Haliburton, Smith

September 21st, 2022 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on the Kevin & Query show on 107.5 The Fan in Indianapolis on Wednesday, Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said Myles Turner will be on the team’s roster when the regular season tips off, indicating that he doesn’t expect the veteran center to be on the move before opening night.

Buchanan tacitly acknowledged that the Pacers have had trade discussions about Turner since last season ended, telling the hosts that the front office is “always going to have to listen if teams call.” However, he said the 26-year-old “handled everything like a pro.”

“Myles knows this is part of the business,” Buchanan said. “We’ve communicated with him all summer on what was going on. We do that with our players, we’ve very transparent with them. He understood that part of it. Maybe he didn’t always like it, but he understood it.”

Because he’s entering a contract year and the Pacers have embarked on a rebuild, Turner has been widely viewed as a logical trade candidate. Still, Buchanan pointed out that the shot-blocking center – who is also extension-eligible – is a nice fit on the current roster, especially now that Domantas Sabonis is no longer in the picture and the team has added play-making guards like Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin.

“It’s always going to be our job to listen if it helps improve the team, but Myles (fits) with this team, with a young group of guys – especially a young group of guards – that need some defensive protection behind them, that need some experience with them in the locker room,” Buchanan said. “His shooting, it really fits with a lot of our young guards, and so from a basketball standpoint, he’s an outstanding fit on the court for us.

“… Domas is no longer with us, (Turner has) got the starting center position, he’s playing with a great young guard in Tyrese, with a coach that believes in him, so he’s set up to have an opportunity to have a great season and that puts him in a great spot next summer (in free agency). We’ve got to weigh those conversations with Myles throughout the year, with his agent throughout the year, and evaluate how he fits with our young guards, because we haven’t seen him with Tyrese. We think it’s going to fit well, but we want to see what it looks like before we make some of those calls. I’m sure Myles wants to do the same thing on his end, it’s just part of the business.”

Here are a few more of Buchanan’s most noteworthy comments from his radio appearance:

On when the Pacers – long opposed to tanking – made the decision to rebuild:

“I think we felt that moment coming as the (2021/22) season started and we had injuries, and we just couldn’t gain any momentum. … For me personally, the game on New Year’s Eve when DeMar DeRozan throws in a running one-foot three-pointer, that felt like a dagger to me, just (for) that group and our season. It was time for a new path. The Pacers have always prided themselves on being competitive, being a playoff-caliber team. It was time for us to try something new. That group had reached its ceiling with its health, with its on-court play and success.”

On whether the Pacers will be stressing their place in the standings this season:

“I don’t think focusing on the wins and losses is appropriate with a young team. We want to see growth from start to finish. You’re going to have peaks and valleys. We’ve talked a lot about having calm waters around our team and not reacting to the highs or the lows too much. … We want to see growth from October to January to March to the end of the offseason, we want to see a trajectory of positive momentum. With a young team, that’s what you want.”

On whether the Suns – who built around lottery picks Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, and Cameron Johnson – are a good blueprint for the Pacers to follow:

“I think you’re spot on. Phoenix is a good example. I think Memphis and Cleveland are the other two examples that we look at. They have a couple high draft picks that they’ve hit on (and) they’ve drafted well late in the first round.”

On Haliburton entering his first full season in Indiana:

“I think Tyrese is ready to take the next step in his play. He’s more comfortable in his surroundings, he’s more comfortable with his teammates. I think we’re going to see a big jump from Tyrese this year, which I’m excited to see.”

On the Pacers’ expectations for Jalen Smith after he re-signed with the team:

“Jalen had a phenomenal summer. He was back in Baltimore training, and came back about two weeks ago and just floored everybody in the gym with some of the things he’s doing now. We’re super excited about how his game is expanding. … Him next to Myles brings us two shot blockers, two guys that can really stretch the floor and make shots, which helps our guards.

“Jalen, I think you’ll see, has added more dimensions to his game offensively, where he’s putting the ball on the floor a little bit, creating his own shot a little more. The challenge will be Jalen defending on the perimeter. That’ll be the thing that he’s really got to continue to develop on, and that’s what he worked all summer on. That’s a big thing we talked to him about when we signed him. As a power forward, your responsibilities are different than a center.”

Central Notes: Pistons, Turner, Bitadze

August 15th, 2022 at 9:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There are many ways Pistons coach Dwane Casey could go with his rotation next season, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. In Langlois’ view, Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Jaden Ivey are the only rotation locks, with Kelly Olynyk, Marvin Bagley III, Killian Hayes and Alec Burks “good bets” to join them. Beyond that, Casey has numerous choices between youth and experience.

We have more from the Central Division:

Pistons fans are brimming with optimism, though they’re realistic about next season’s prospects, The Athletic’s James Edwards III revealed in a fan poll. With nearly 2,000 subscribers weighing in, 98 percent professed confidence in the team’s direction and 64 percent said they were very confident in the front office. However, 72.5 percent voted that the team would only win between 26-35 games next season. Second-year forward Isaiah Livers received the most votes for “breakout” player.
Myles Turner‘s season could play out similar to the way Victor Oladipo departed from the Pacers organization in 2020, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files opines. Turner could get off to a good start and pump up his trade value. In the same mailbag piece, Agness speculates that Goga Bitadze won’t have a long-term role in the organization due to the team’s current playing style, along with the presence of Isaiah Jackson and Jalen Smith.
Earlier on Monday, Giannis Antetokounmpo stated he wouldn’t mind playing for the Bulls later in his career. Get the details here.

Central Notes: Duarte, Travers, Smith, Simonovic

July 7th, 2022 at 10:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The toe injury that marred Chris Duarte‘s rookie season is still lingering, according to James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star. The Pacers guard initially suffered the left toe injury on February 13. He only played in five of the Pacers’ last 24 games.

“I’m just listening to my body right now,” he said. “Whatever my body tells me, if that be to stop, I stop. If not, then I keep going.”

Duarte still plans to play on the Pacers’ Summer League team.

We have more from the Central Division:

Cavaliers second-round pick Luke Travers will likely remain overseas next season, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. Travers is participating on the Cavs’ summer league team but with Cleveland’s current roster situation, the plan all along has been to stash the 6’7” wing. “At the end of the day, it’s whatever the team wants and that’s what I’m willing to do,” he said. “If that’s to go back and do another year then it is what it is. If that’s to stay, then I will do that as well.”
Jalen Smith could have gotten more money in free agency but he chose to re-sign with the Pacers because of his comfort level and the opportunity to be a starter, Boyd writes. “I chose my future over instant gratification,” said Smith, who signed a three-year deal with a player option. “I feel as though that was the biggest part. You don’t want to take on such a big task so early on in your life rather than trying to work towards it and miss out on it in the future, and that was pretty much the main thing that was going through my head the whole entire time.”
Improved conditioning could lead to more minutes for the Bulls’ Marko Simonovic, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “Every day I try to improve my body and put some muscles on. The last two months, I did it,” he said. “And when I came back here, everybody said I’m looking better than I was before. Just keep working.” He appeared in nine games last season.

Contract Details: J. Smith, Oladipo, Co. Martin, Payton, More

July 7th, 2022 at 6:45am CST by Luke Adams

Jalen Smith‘s new deal with the Pacers, initially reported as a two-year agreement, is actually a three-year contract with a player option in year three, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link). The deal also includes a trade kicker, says Agness.

Hoops Rumors can confirm Agness’ report and add that Smith’s trade kicker is worth 10%. The Pacers gave the big man the highest starting salary they legally could after the 2022/23 option in his rookie scale contract was turned down last year, resulting in a 2022/23 cap hit of $4,670,160 and subsequent 8% annual raises. Smith’s three-year deal has a total value of $15.13MM.

Here are a few more details on recently signed or agreed-upon contracts:

According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, Victor Oladipo‘s two-year deal with the Heat will be worth in the neighborhood of $18MM. As we relayed on Wednesday evening, Oladipo agreed to lower his 2022/23 salary in exchange for a second-year option. Dewayne Dedmon‘s two-year contract with the Heat, meanwhile, is worth $4.7MM in ’22/23 with a non-guaranteed $4.32MM salary in ’23/24.
Cody Martin‘s four-year contract with the Hornets is worth a total of $31.36MM, Hoops Rumors has learned. Martin’s $8.68MM salary in the final season of the deal (2025/26) is non-guaranteed.
Gary Payton II‘s three-year deal with the Trail Blazers has a starting salary of $8.3MM and is worth $26.15MM in total, slightly below its reported value of $28MM, Hoops Rumors has learned. The signing leaves Portland with a small portion of its mid-level exception remaining.
Jae’Sean Tate‘s three-year contract with the Rockets has a base value of $20.63MM, but can be worth up to $22.13MM if Tate earns all of his unlikely incentives. Kelly Iko of The Athletic previously reported that those incentives are tied to the team’s performance and that Tate’s contract includes a third-year team option.
Anfernee Simons‘ new four-year, $100MM contract with the Trail Blazers is fully guaranteed, without any incentives, Hoops Rumors has learned. It begins at $22.32MM in 2022/23 and eventually increases to $27.68MM in ’25/26.
New Raptors forward Otto Porter will earn $6MM in 2022/23, with a $6.3MM player option in ’23/24, Hoops Rumors has learned.

Pacers Re-Sign Jalen Smith

July 1st, 2022 at 8:05pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 6: The Pacers have made it official with Smith, according to NBA.com’s transactions log. Head coach Rick Carlisle said today at a media session that the plan is for Smith to be Indiana’s starting power forward in the fall (Twitter link via Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files).

JULY 1: Free agent big man Jalen Smith has agreed to a two-year contract with the Pacers and will return to Indiana, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Smith’s new two-year deal is worth $9.6MM, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. That’s approximately the maximum amount the Pacers could offer over two seasons.

The 10th overall pick in 2020, Smith barely saw any action as a rookie in Phoenix in 2020/21, then found himself out of the Suns’ plans. They turned down his third-year rookie scale option for 2022/23 at the start of last season and traded him to Indiana at this year’s deadline.

With the lottery-bound Pacers, Smith began to flash the upside that made him a lottery pick two years ago, averaging 13.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.0 BPG on .531/.373/.760 shooting in a part-time role (24.7 MPG).

There was a sense that Smith may be playing himself out of the Pacers’ price range — even though they hold his Bird rights, they were prohibited from offering him a starting salary higher than $4.67MM, the amount of his declined option. However, that limit didn’t stop the two sides from getting a deal done.

While it’s possible potential suitors were hesitant to invest too aggressively in Smith based on the numbers he was putting up for a team out of playoff contention down the stretch, he’s still just 22 years old and has the potential to continue improving.

Smith’s role and place on the 2022/23 depth chart will be determined in part by whether veteran bigs like Myles Turner and Daniel Theis remain on Indiana’s roster or end up elsewhere by the fall.

Pacers Notes: Offseason, Haliburton, Turner, J. Smith

April 14th, 2022 at 8:15pm CST by Rory Maher

After a disappointing 25-win season for the Pacers, Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star contends that the team should continue to reshape its roster this offseason, with a focus on building around a core duo of Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner. Doyel thinks that 2021 first-round picks Isaiah Jackson and Chris Duarte should be in the conversation for the starting lineup next season, but shouldn’t be considered locks by any means.

Doyel would also like to see Indiana part with Malcolm Brogdon and Buddy Hield, and not bring back free agent T.J. Warren, who only played four games over the past two seasons (zero in 2021/22) while recovering from consecutive stress fractures in his left foot.

The draft will be key, Doyel notes. The Pacers have a 42.1% chance of landing a top-four pick, and will own the Cavs’ first-round pick if Cleveland beats Atlanta and advances as the No. 8 seed (the Cavs keep the pick otherwise). Indiana also owns a couple of second-round picks from Houston (No. 31) and Phoenix (No. 58).

Here’s more on the Pacers:

Haliburton said he had a humbling experience as a teenager when he faced off against another future NBA player, according to James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star. “I think my biggest one would be Tre Jones from the Spurs,” Haliburton said. “I don’t know if he knows this, but we played each other when I was like 16. He killed me. Oh my God, he killed me. I left that day like, ‘Oh my God, I’m not cut for this. I’m just probably not that good.’ So being able to play against him in the NBA, it’s crazy how it comes full circle.”
The offseason will be a big one for Jalen Smith, who will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time, writes Joel Lorenzi of The Indianapolis Star. “This is a huge offseason, and a scary offseason,” Smith said. “Obviously, as a young player, you don’t want to make the wrong decision. … This offseason is gonna come down to a lot of thinking. A lot of late night conversations with my agency, my family, just trying to figure out the right path for me.” The Pacers will be prohibited from offering Smith a starting salary higher than $4.67MM, the amount of his 2022/23 option that was turned down last fall.
Boyd and Nat Newell explore the team’s offseason on the “Pacing the Pacers podcast,” per Clark Wade of The Indianapolis Star.

Central Notes: Turner, Pacers, Stephenson, Holiday, Beilein

April 4th, 2022 at 9:30am CST by Luke Adams

Considered a prime trade candidate earlier in the season, Pacers center Myles Turner ultimately stayed put after he injured his foot and Indiana opted to move Domantas Sabonis instead. Appearing on the HoopsHype podcast with Michael Scotto, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files said he believes Indiana should either trade or extend Turner this offseason rather than having him enter 2022/23 on an expiring contract with a retooling team.

Agness believes the Pacers are more likely to bring back Turner than to move him, but notes that the Mavericks would be one team of interest to Turner if he’s shopped, since he was born and raised in the Dallas area. Scotto spoke to four NBA executives who believe the Pacers could get at least a protected first-round pick for Turner if he’s traded this offseason.

Within the same podcast, Agness acknowledged that the Pacers could gauge the trade market for Malcolm Brogdon and Buddy Hield, but he doesn’t view either player as a lock to be dealt. Agness also expressed skepticism that Indiana will be able to re-sign big man Jalen Smith, since he expects other teams to exceed a $4.67MM starting salary, which is the most the Pacers can offer.

Here’s more from around the Central:

Veteran wing Lance Stephenson is interested in re-signing with the Pacers this offseason, regardless of whether the team attempts to reload for another playoff push or leans further into rebuilding mode, according to Scotto. Stephenson would like to spend the rest of his career in Indiana, Scotto adds.
Having logged 2,075 minutes this season, Jrue Holiday has earned a $306K bonus in his contract with the Bucks, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Holiday is also on track to receive a bonus based on his games played and rebounds per game, Marks adds (via Twitter).
John Beilein‘s brief head coaching stint in Cleveland was a disaster, but he has embraced a new role out of the spotlight with the Pistons, as Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press details. Detroit’s senior advisor of player development, Beilein is a “meticulous note-taker,” Sankofa writes. “There’s some guys that, with one approach, shoot 45%,” Beilein said. “With another approach, shoot 20%. I keep this. Or left-hand dribble versus right-hand dribble, they shoot drastically different percentages. I’m keeping that stuff that they probably don’t have in the NBA databook, whether a guy shoots a hang dribble or a quick dribble. That’s not in the computer, but I can compute it.”

Central Notes: Warren, Smith, Wade, Bulls

March 19th, 2022 at 1:33pm CST by JD Shaw

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle expressed disappointment that T.J. Warren (foot) won’t be playing this season, James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star writes. Warren has been rehabbing from a stress fracture and recently started playing five-on-five in practice.

The 28-year-old hasn’t played at all in 2021/22 and only appeared in four games last season, but he did average 19.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in 67 games in ’19/20. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

“He had one of the most challenging years of rehab and trying to bring himself back that I’ve ever seen a player have,” Carlisle said. “He stayed positive. He stayed in the fight the entire time, and he is close. We obviously wish him the very, very best, and we’ll see where it goes from here in terms of when he’ll be back.”

There’s more from the Central Division tonight:

Pacers center Jalen Smith suffered a head contusion in the team’s win over the Rockets on Friday, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets. Smith, who exited the game with roughly four minutes left in the third quarter, finished with an impressive 17 points and 10 rebounds in just 13 minutes off the bench.
Cavaliers forward Dean Wade will undergo further testing on his sore right knee, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. Wade will miss his fourth straight game on Saturday and underwent tests that came back inconclusive. According to Fedor, there’s growing concern about a possible meniscus injury.
The Bulls have now lost eight of their last 10 games, dropping a 129-102 decision to the Suns on Friday, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic writes. Chicago (41-29) ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference with 12 games left in the season. “It’s just snowballing downhill,” star guard DeMar DeRozan said. The Bulls were first in the conference standings just three weeks ago.

Eastern Notes: Harden, Sixers, J. Smith, Oladipo, Bucks

March 3rd, 2022 at 8:32am CST by Luke Adams

James Harden‘s effort level came under scrutiny during his final games in Brooklyn, but he appears more motivated to keep his foot on the gas pedal for his new team. As Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes, Harden raved about the environment in Wells Fargo Center on Thursday after making his home debut with the Sixers, calling it “exciting” to play in front of the Philadelphia fans.

“The love, the fans, it feels like home. Just the love, the support, man, from looking around, hearing, ‘We love you, James,'” Harden said. “That right there makes me go out and play harder, and I just wanted to do whatever it takes to get the win.”

While the Sixers have looked great since Harden made his debut last Friday, two of their three wins have come against a reeling Knicks team. With matchups against Cleveland, Miami, Chicago, and Brooklyn up next on the schedule, the 76ers will face a tougher test as they look to continue developing chemistry and push for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

“Every game for us is gonna be tough,” Harden said, per Bontemps. “We’re new, we’re fairly new, we’re still learning each other. Every game is going to be a learning experience for us, and we’ve got to just find ways to continue to chip away, continue to get better, win or lose. Obviously it’s better when you win to figure it out, but it’s going to be great tests for us and we’re really looking forward to it.”

Here’s more from around the East:

Pacers center Jalen Smith was fined $20K by the NBA for “directing profane language toward a game official,” the league announced on Wednesday. Smith was ejected from the game as a result of the incident, which took place during the third quarter of Indiana’s loss to Orlando on Monday.
Heat guard Victor Oladipo has returned to the team after taking part in three practices this week with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The Heat still haven’t provided an update on Oladipo’s potential season debut, but Chiang confirms that the club is hoping he’ll be able to play within the next couple weeks, as ESPN reported over the weekend.
After coming out of the trade deadline with three open roster spots, the Bucks filled two of them with former Nets, and both DeAndre’ Bembry and Jevon Carter have given Milwaukee a boost with their intensity and versatility on defense, says Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “It’s fun, man,” Carter said after Monday’s game. “I was telling the guys … I haven’t played this hard in I don’t know how long. … Just being out there playing with a team that’s locked in defensively is just, for me, it’s just fun to be a part of, honestly. That’s really all I can say, I’m just having fun.”

Central Notes: LaVine, Thompson, Haliburton, Allen, Williams, Smith

February 20th, 2022 at 8:04pm CST by JD Shaw

The Bulls officially signed veteran center Tristan Thompson on Saturday, adding a former NBA champion to their rotation. Thompson, who is expected to provide depth behind star center Nikola Vucevic, drew praise from new teammate Zach LaVine this weekend.

“He’s going to bring another championship-level guy where he’s been in these games before,” LaVine said, as relayed by Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune. “He can help us in these situations.”

Chicago is tied with Miami for the best record in the East at 38-21. The team won its final five games entering the All-Star break and has added Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and others over the last calendar year.

“With AK [Arturas Karnisovas] and Marc [Eversley], obviously, they’re going for it,” LaVine said of the Bulls’ front office. “They trust in me, they trust in DeMar, they trust in this group, and it just means a lot going into the last year of my contract that they’re putting a team around us that can compete.’’

There’s more from the Central Division tonight:

Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton finally enjoyed his Rising Stars moment on Friday, Scott Agness of FieldHouse Files examines. The 21-year-old was acquired by Indiana before this season’s trade deadline. In four games, he’s averaged 20.8 points and 11.0 assists per contest.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has enjoyed every moment of All-Star Weekend, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic writes. Allen is a major reason why Cleveland owns the fourth-best record in the East at 35-23. This is his first All-Star appearance. “It’s still a lot to take in,” Allen said. “I don’t think I’ve fully grasped the moment that I’m in. I’m part of the top 24 players in the NBA at this All-Star Weekend, so I’m just excited, I’m ready to take it all in and just absorb every moment. It’s been a one-of-a-kind weekend that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
Suns head coach Monty Williams is happy to see Jalen Smith get a new opportunity with the Pacers, as relayed by James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Smith was traded from Phoenix to Indiana earlier this month. “I’m happy for him,” Williams said as part of a larger quote. “He’s a guy that worked his tail off every single day with us. He just couldn’t crack the rotation.” Smith has appeared in four games with the Pacers, averaging 12.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in 21 minutes per contest.