Pacers Salary Series: Glenn Robinson III and his injury

In this series, 8p9s writer Tony East breaks down the contract situation of each Pacers player. In this edition, we’ll look at fan favorite Glenn Robinson III.

Glenn Robinson III, as you know, is out for eight weeks with a severely sprained ankle. He suffered the injury in practice this week. I saved his salary series piece for last because he is one of the biggest bargains on the team, but this injury puts a damper on that.

Thankfully, when Robinson III actually plays, he is very productive and useful. He averaged 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per 36 minutes last season, which was a career high in rebounds. He also posted a career-high offensive rating by over 10 points, showing how much he improved his offensive impact last season.

That big impact came due to his versatility. He was able to start in 27 games, some in replacement for Paul George and others for Monta Ellis. In those games, he averaged 7.9 points and five rebounds in just under 30 minutes, showing how useful he can be as a plug-and-play guy.

Most importantly, he was a +62 in these games. Despite his very middling offensive impact, he showed how much he contributes to winning basketball on defense and in non-box score plays.

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He has shot over 37.5 percent from 3-point range the last two seasons, showing how effective he has become from deep, albeit on a small volume of attempts.

Having a positive impact on both ends of the floor is what makes Robinson III so valuable. On defense, he can make plays like this where he anticipates the pass and snags a steal to start a fast break.

As far as showcasing his offensive impact, he curls off the screen and catches Whiteside napping. He runs right by him to the rim and showcases that dunk contest winning athleticism.

Combine that defense with that athleticism and shooting, and you have yourself a very valuable player.

2017-18 season

Robinson III is one of the biggest bargains on the team. He is set to only make his minimum this coming season, only $1,524,305. For the value he brings to the team, that might be the biggest steal on the team outside of Myles Turner. He carries a cap hit at the same amount of his salary.

I created my own salary formula, and it computes than Glenn Robinson III is worth about $10 million going forward. That $8.5 million difference between his worth and his salary creates salary cap space, which allowed the Pacers to sign some players this offseason.

2018 summer and beyond

In the summer of 2018, things get interesting for Robinson III. He is an unrestricted free agent, meaning if he wants to leave Indiana, he can. Thankfully, the Pacers have full bird rights on Robinson, meaning they can pay him whatever he pleases.

Kevin Pritchard and co would be smart to lock GR3 up with a long-term deal. Just 24 years old and very talented, Robinson is a huge part of the Pacers future, and I am confident the front office sees him that wat as well.

His cap hold will be $1,544,951, which is how much he will count against the cap until he signs his next contract.

Prediction time

Robinson will play well when he returns from injury. An ankle injury may hurt his athleticism, but he is agile and smart enough to maintain his consistent improvement from the last few years.

Because of this, I believe he will sign a contract in the summer of 2018  in the four years, $35-40 million dollar range. That would be great value for his contributions.

Next: Pacers Salary Series: The flotsam and extraneous

Let’s all hope that Glenn Robinson has a speedy and painless recovery and that he is a valued member of the Indiana Pacers for years to come.