The Indiana Pacers’ offseason is now on full swing. Following the conclusion of the 2021 NBA Draft, all eyes are now on the upcoming free agency, which is set to begin tomorrow, setting the stage for another eventful summer in the association.
Starting on the 2nd of August, teams can begin negotiating with free agents and make verbal or in-principle agreements, though official signings cannot be facilitated until four days after on August 6.
Free agency now set in motion for the Indiana Pacers and the league
After an eventful draft night which saw the Pacers acquire guard Chris Duarte and big man Isaiah Jackson, the latter through a trade, the front office will now set its sights towards free agency. While Indiana currently doesn’t have much financial leeway in the present, the team being in the rumor mill for quite some time now gives hints about how the franchise will attempt to maneuver in this crucial summer.
That being said, Indiana Pacers fans will be looking forward to how the team attempts to improve the roster, especially coming off last season’s blunder which saw the Blue and Gold tumble towards the lottery for the first time in six seasons. Without further ado, here is our primer for the 2021 NBA Free Agency.
How does the Indiana Pacers’ cap situation look like entering free agency
If you’re expecting the Indiana Pacers to make a big splash in the 2021 NBA free agency, you’ll be best served sitting this one out. Aside from the franchise’s inherent lack of marquee signings as a precedent, the team is far from financially equipped to attract free agents.
Indiana is currently above the league salary cap for the 2021-22 season. That does not even include the cap holds that the team has for its impending free agents, so renouncing these will also not clear space for the team.
Even rerouting Aaron Holiday, who has an outgoing cap space of 3.98 million due to the trade which sent him to Washington for the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson, won’t clear up significant space. Fortunately, the dead space occupied by Monta Ellis is finally entering its final year. Overall, the Pacers are still projected to eclipse the salary cap for the upcoming season, set at 112.4 million.
Will the Indiana Pacers’ own free agents remain on board or sign elsewhere?
Doug McDermott
Easily the Indiana Pacers’ best free agent, the 6’7 sniper out of Creighton will easily attract a lot of suitors in free agency, especially coming off a season which saw him tally career-highs across the board.
While it’s in the team’s best interest to re-sign Doug McDermott, and they can easily do so as they have his Bird rights, the market for his in-demand skillset will undoubtedly enhance the odds of another team prying him away from the Circle City.
Still, the Pacers can simply re-up with him even if the team exceeds the salary cap, although their recent drafting of Chris Duarte and the emergence of Oshae Brissett gives them ample cushion to let him go, especially with his likely expensive price tag.
TJ McConnell
After another career-year of his own, TJ McConnell‘s previously stale market should be much better this offseason, especially with him being one of the league’s best playmakers off the bench and among the most disruptive backcourt defenders in the association in the prior campaign.
However, interest between both parties on new terms seems mutually strong, which shouldn’t be a surprise. McConnell simply flourished as the team’s de facto sixth man last season and the Indiana Pacers don’t really have another backup floor general at this juncture after dealing Aaron Holiday away.
JaKarr Sampson
The journeyman forward’s two-year tenure in Indiana could be coming to an end. Despite being a serviceable backup who can give the team a lift on defense and rebounding in spurts, there isn’t a clear pathway for him to return to the team for the third consecutive season.
However, it won’t be surprising if the Pacers bring him back as a quality depth piece, especially with this free agency class’ lack of realistic big man targets for the team and Rick Carlisle’s preference for different big men with various skillsets.
Non-guaranteed deals
Kelan Martin: Despite his late season surge which saw him play relatively well as a sparkplug off the bench, the Pacers will face a tough decision regarding his future. The front office has until August 7 to decide if they will waive him or guarantee his deal for next season, which is worth the veteran’s minimum.
Oshae Brissett: This is an easy call. Brissett is undoubtedly worth than his meager contract, cementing himself as one of the best bargains in the league. The young three-and-D adept should be a key rotation piece next season for Indiana.
Cassius Stanley: The upcoming sophomore simply lacked the court time to make an impact for the team last season. With an upcoming Summer League stint to help prove his worth, he could be a safe beneficiary of another modest deal this offseason.
Edmond Sumner: Kevin Pritchard has already announced that they will be picking up their team option for Sumner; an easy decision considering his improvement in the last campaign.
Which storylines should Indiana Pacers fans monitor in free agency?
As usual, the seemingly eternal question regarding the future of their big man tandem in Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner lingers. However, gauging the rumor mill gives the impression that the latter is more available in a deal.
We’ve seen this storyline before, but this time, things may get a bit more concrete than ever. With interest for Turner peaking on the transaction scale, dangling him for a small-ball catalyst will not be surprising, but is the team finally willing to pull the trigger on a massive shapeshifter?
What the Indiana Pacers plan on doing in the sign-and-trade market is also worth watching. With the team’s abundance of fringe All-Star players on very good deals, the team could be a key player on the market for trades. Lonzo Ball is one realistic example that the front office can target in a sign-and-trade scenario.
There have also been rumblings on the availability of scorer TJ Warren, especially with his own free agency coming soon. However, given the Pacers’ high regard for the forward, it’s unlikely that they will trade him this summer, unless a no-brainer offer comes their way, which is similarly improbable for him after being out for almost all of last season.
Meanwhile, guard/wing Jeremy Lamb, who’s on an expiring deal, would be an easy asset to move for Indiana to shed some salary. Interest for him should be quite modest, though, especially with his injury history. However, his scoring ability off the bench could upend that.
Lastly, the Indiana Pacers should be a team to watch in the market for veterans, especially with Rick Carlisle now manning the sidelines and the team’s actual need for a stronger locker room presence. Nevertheless, the team will be more active on the trade market, especially with their cap limitations.