Keeping up with the Joneses: Indiana Pacers sign DeQuan Jones and Trey McKinney-Jones
By Ben Gibson
The Indiana Pacers signed a pair of players, DeQuan Jones and Trey McKinney-Jones, to bolster their numbers for training camp.
You need bodies for training camp and the Indiana Pacers addressed that need this week by signing DeQuan Jones and Trey McKinney-Jones.
Neither are newcomers to the Pacers organization as DeQuan joined Indiana for the Orlando Summer League in 2014. DeQuan also played internationally along with stops with the Orlando Magic in the NBA and the Reno Big Horns in the G-League. In his limited times in the NBA, the 6′ 8″ forward averaged 3.7 points and 1.8 rebounds
McKinney-Jones is a name that is more familiar to Indiana fans who keep an eye on the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. McKinney-Jones averaged 15.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in Fort Wayne over the past three seasons while also playing internationally.
This makes 19 players signed on the Pacers roster, but only 13 are signed on guaranteed deals according to Justin A. Cohn of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Expect McKinney-Jones, Ben Moore, Alex Poythress, and Edmond Sumner to stick with the Mad Ants after training camp.
In other Pacers News…
Who does Myles Turner say are the toughest players to guard?
Myles Turner is one of the best shot blockers in the NBA and quietly one of its better defenders. But even for Turner, there are a few guys he’d rather not have to deal with.
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Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype asked Turner and other players which players in the NBA are the toughest to guard.
"“Who are the toughest guys to guard? DeMarcus Cousins because he’s a very versatile big who does a little bit of everything. He’s so big and strong. One-on-one, it’s hard to guard him; it takes a village to guard that guy. You can’t just do it with one person. Anthony Davis is the same way in that he’s very versatile and affects the game in so many different ways. You need to have your eyes on him at all times because he’s so long and makes so many plays around the basket. Man, it’s crazy they’re on the same team now.“Nikola Vucevic in Orlando is another big who’s really tough to guard. He doesn’t move as fast as other guys, but he’s a very skilled player. I remember the first couple times I played against him, I had some trouble with him. Those are just some of the toughest guys off the top of my head.”"
Cousins leading that list isn’t a surprise when you remember how he hammered the Pacers last season and in particular Turner.
Indiana Pacers trainer is on the run for the Greenwood Public Library
Josh Corbeil, the head athletic trainer and senior director of medical operations for the Indiana Pacers, is competing in a Rugged Maniac race to raise money for the Greenwood Public Library.
"At the same time, Corbeil has used his participation to raise money in support of the Greenwood Public Library in a project he’s calling Running for Reading. Donors have been following him along in his journey, and contributing to a crowdsourcing account that will go entirely towards programs at the library.“It made our day. This is the first time someone’s done an official fundraiser just for us without planning with us beforehand. So we’re so excited about it,” said Cheryl Dobbs, director of the Greenwood Public Library.The Rugged Maniac takes a traditional 5K trail run and spikes it with outlandish and intimidating obstacles to overcome. Participants have to run on a series of floating “lily pads” over a shallow pond, jump two sets of trampolines onto a cargo net climb and crawl through 30 feet of mud while trapped underneath a chain link fence."
Next: Pacers salary series: Ben Moore
Good luck to Mr. Corbeil. The good news is if he manages to injure himself on the course he’s certified to treat his own injuries.