Why Jalen Smith isn’t likely to be on the Indiana Pacers next year
By Rhett Bauer
Jalen Smith could be worth almost double what the Indiana Pacers can offer
Let’s look at some recent contracts that might set the bar for Smith’s negotiations.
Last year, the San Antonio Spurs signed 24-year-old PF/C Zach Collins to a contract that totaled 3 years and $22.1million. Because Collins played only 11 games in 2019-20 and missed the entire 2020-21 season with an ankle injury, the second and third years weren’t fully guaranteed, but the first year was guaranteed at $7million.
The 11 games leading up to his injury and subsequent free agency were the best of Collins’ career, and he averaged 7.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 0.6 threes and 0.5 blocks with shooting splits of 47/37/75 in 26.4 minutes. That’s less points, rebounds, blocks and three pointers on worse shooting from the field than what Smith did despite playing slightly more minutes. Not to mention Collins did that for half as many games before getting injured and not playing for almost two years leading up to signing that contract.
Dario Saric is another example of a similar player with worse production but a much bigger sample of playing than either Collins or Smith, and the 26-year-old got a three-year deal worth $27million in 2020. One or two examples don’t make a case, and past deals don’t always drive future ones, so let’s look at a different example of what sort of production Smith was putting out.
After the All-Star break there were only 18 players in the NBA that were averaging 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 35% from three on three attempts in over 22.0 minutes per game. Some of the PF/C’s on that list were Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kristaps Porzingis, Christian Wood, Lauri Markkanen, Bobby Portis and Kevin Love. (Shoutout Oshae Brissett for also making the list!)
Expand that criteria over an entire season brings John Collins into the mix. That set of stats may sound like nitpicking, and maybe it is, but it shows just how valuable Smith’s skillset is in the NBA. Every single one of the players listed besides Brissett makes more than $10 million a year, and Smith is the youngest of the group.