T.J. McConnell’s future outlook with the Indiana Pacers

T.J. McConnell has had a great first year with the Indiana Pacers. With one year left on his deal, what does the future hold for him?

T.J. McConnell with the Indiana Pacers just kind of made sense this summer when the signing was announced.

A hard-working, short guard out of Western Pennsylvania, McConnell had been underrated his whole career, and oftentimes counted out. He prided himself on his game and proved himself with fundamentals.

In some ways, he is the microcosm of the Pacers in relation to the NBA as a whole, counted out for one reason or another, but always persistent with the things that matter most when it comes to playing quality basketball.

McConnell signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the Pacers last summer. While it remains to be seen if this season is elapsed or not on that deal, he’ll enter next season with $3.5 million due from the Pacers.

That price point is extremely low, given that the salary cap annually exceeds $100 million. McConnell takes up a small portion of the team’s usable cash and provides a jolt to the second unit’s backcourt.

Ball handling opportunities next season might be fewer and far between for McConnell, though, which could squeeze him further out of the rotation and therefore into free agency without a re-up from the Pacers.

McConnell generally hovered between 15 and 20 minutes per game this season, but next year with Victor Oladipo back in full force, there will be one extra main ball-handler in the fold for the Pacers.

Aaron Holiday has taken a step forward this season in his 3-point accuracy and assists and figures to be a big part of the Pacers future if he takes a third-year leap as many young players do.

McConnell, years into his career, still has major shooting limitations and deficiencies on the defensive end of the floor. It’s not an effort problem, it’s a physique and frame issue, which is unfortunate for McConnell because that is borderline impossible to make up for.

McConnell’s fate may be tied to what Victor Oladipo decides to do in 2021 free agency. The Pacers are almost certainly going to desire Oladipo’s return, and considering they stood by him during his injury recovery, there’s certainly a good chance he will stay. Fans said that with Paul George, too, though, and that didn’t exactly end up with the Pacers star claiming the Hoosier state.

That said, Oladipo has called Indiana his home and given that he spent his college years here, there’s a possibility there’s enough of a sentimental attachment with the state that Oladipo re-signs with the team.

If he walks, however, the Pacers could look to add McConnell to stabilize the ball-handling and facilitation needs for the team in the second unit. But he’ll not be able to replace a starting point guard anytime soon.

McConnell is a solid, respectable NBA player who has come further than anyone expected him to. He’s always outdone expectations, and I genuinely wouldn’t be shocked to be proven wrong here. That said, McConnell could very well be in his last year as a Pacers player next season.