Former Indiana Pacers Cashing in on Free Agency

The rising salary cap has been a boon for the bank accounts of several former Indiana Pacers.

Solomon Hill signed a 4 year, $48 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Solomon Hill. $48 million. 6.1 points and 3.1 rebounds a game. Let that sink in.

This offseason is hard to wrap our brains around with the spike in the salary cap skewing our perceptions of what a normal contract is. Even if you understand the how and why of it, the numbers are baffling.

Solomon Hill’s 7-game stretch at the end of the regular season and in the first round of the playoffs earned him a considerable amount of money. Crazy to think had the Pacers not declined his team option, he would be playing for just over $2 million this season with the Indiana Pacers.

But Solomon Hill isn’t the only former Pacer cashing in.

More from 8 Points, 9 Seconds

• 2 Studs, 1 dud from gut-wrenching Indiana Pacers loss to Charlotte Hornets
• Handing out early-season grades for Pacers’ Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin
• 3 positives, 2 negatives in Pacers In-Season Tournament win vs. Cavaliers
• 2 positives, 3 negatives from first week of Indiana Pacers basketball
• Should Isaiah Jackson’s days with Indiana Pacers be numbered?

Ian Mahinmi cashed out and headed to the nation’s capital to play for the Washington Wizards. How much is he getting paid you ask? $64 million over 4 years. That’s what 9.3 points and 7.1 rebounds a game (not to mention steady rim defense) is worth in the NBA now. Mahinmi picked the perfect time to have the best season of his career.

Roy Hibbert, however, picked a terrible time to devolve into a player nothing like he was in Indiana a few season ago.

In today’s market, his $5 million contract for one season with the Charlotte Hornets is practically nothing. The Hornets needed to replace Al Jefferson, and Hibbert is at least another big on the roster for the Hornets.

Evan Turner did better for himself than Hibbert, signing a 4-year, $70 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. Pacers fans will never forgive him, but at least Myles Turner restored honor to the family name.

Remember D.J. Augustine? Well, he’s joining the Orlando Magic for 4 years on a $29 million deal.

David West was still debating his option (play or retire) until Tuesday, when he signed a 1-year deal with the Golden State Warriors.

However, there are still a few former Pacers left hanging.

Jordan Hill and Ty Lawson haven’t found any takers, nor have Luis Scola, Donald Sloan, and Chris Copeland. Damjan Rudez had his team option declined by the Minnesota Timberwolves, making him a free agent.

Lance Stephenson is still adrift, but the rumors going around are that the Pacers are considering bringing him back. Even if that doesn’t happen, Stephenson garnered interest from several other teams.

A few of these vagabonds will likely find new places to play, but it may also be the end of the line for others if no one wants to throw money at them.

If the competition from the current NBA isn’t enough for these contracts, at least two seemingly retired Pacers want to get back into the league for the lucrative deals being handed out.

Keep getting them checks, as Jalen Rose would say.

Next: 8p9s Roundtable: A Very Busy Offseason for the Indiana Pacers

This crazy offseason isn’t over yet, but we’ll have to wait and see where any of these former Indiana Pacers land.