Pacers Notebook: Three-man draft class signed, roster tweaks, and more updates
Pacers Notebook: Three-man draft class signed, roster tweaks, and more updates
Front office making roster tweaks, Haliburton shares childhood photos, team executive recognized, Bally Sports Indiana update, Big Ten basketball returning to The Fieldhouse, and more.
August is always the quietest month for NBA teams. It’s never completely quiet, though, because there’s always something to do.
Recently, it’s been finalizing the preseason schedule (set by individual teams) and then looking over the assigned regular-season schedule. How about nine national TV appearances? Impressive. Before then, teams submit dates in which their arena is already booked. Hence why the Pacers are gone for much of March with the Big Ten taking over for several weeks.
By August, draft picks have almost always signed. The Pacers gave second-round pick Johnny Furphy a standard deal on July 6, just before summer league. And then at the end of the month, they signed Quenton Jackson and Tristen Newton to two-way contracts, as expected.
For the second straight year, teams may sign up to three players to two-way deals and the Pacers used their final one to complete the signing of their draft class. The Pacers liked what they saw from Enrique Freeman before the draft and at summer league. He popped right away and showed how he was a multi-dimensional player — and still had a ways to go. There was a chance Freeman was signed to a standard contract, but ultimately his pro career will begin on a two-way deal.
That squeezed Oscar Tshiebwe and left him without a contract. He’s a fantastic rebounder (and interview). We saw that at the University of Kentucky and then with the Mad Ants last season. But we also saw him get schemed out of the lineup in their only playoff game. So now Tshiebwe gets a fresh start in Utah on a two-way contract.
Teams may bring an additional three players to training camp, and one of those will be Cole Swider. He’s a 6-foot-8 forward and played 18 games for the Miami Heat last season. He’ll compete for a roster spot. And remember Kendall Brown. His contract is non-guaranteed so we all want/need to see more from him.
Now G League players are shoring up their contract situations. Just last week, Warsaw native Kyle Mangas and forward Cameron McGriff signed Exhibit 10 contracts to be with the Indiana Mad Ants next season.
And the same was true with Dakota Mathias, the former Purdue standout who was with them at summer league, on Monday. Congrats to them.
What I appreciated most about the announcements from the team was the language. We all hope for clarity and the Pacers provided that when they specified that those two signed Exhibit 10 contracts rather than “x player signed with the Pacers” only for said player to be waived a few days later. I don’t think it was clear for fans or fair to players.
This is a good development for all.
Haliburton’s Still Not Over Being Teammates With LeBron
Tyrese Haliburton is back from Paris and he didn’t stay away from basketball very long. He was courtside for their last few games, including an Aug. 16 win over the Phoenix Mercury. After games, he’s embracing with Caitlin Clark; Indiana basketball fans are spoiled with two of the game’s best-passing guards on their rosters.
Haliburton is still not over his Olympic experience. Can you blame him?
He grew up idolizing LeBron James so just imagine what it would be like not just playing with your idol, but winning a gold medal…
Haliburton did that.