Indiana Pacers: Early 2022 NBA Free Agency Primer
How much can the Indiana Pacers spend in free agency?
Cap Maximum for 2022-23: $122,000,000
Current Cap Space (IND): $25,600,000
Unlike last season, when the Indiana Pacers were over the cap and had no means to sign a free agent outright, the team now touts the third-most projected cap space this summer.
With $25.6 million of cap space, the Pacers have the third-most spending power this offseason and are one of the only five teams with cap space at all, meaning that they should have a smaller competition pool when it comes to pursuing free agents atop their priority list.
The Pacers can free up even more space through trades
Aside from their robust cap space, Indiana have other liquifiable assets that they can maximize to further enhance their financial flexibility using the trade market:
- Malcolm Brogdon is the most likely player to be traded this offseason. Making more than $20 million annually, the Pacers can trade him to a hard-capped team for an equal salary (but less duration). The best-case scenario for the team is to trade him to a cap-rich team that can absorb his salary outright without Indiana receiving substantial money in return, freeing cap space, especially with the free agent market lacking multiple quality point guards.
- Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are reportedly available for trades as well. Turner can fetch the Pacers some good returns even if he’s on a rental, though they are almost guaranteed to absorb salary in return in view of his flight risk status. Hield, however, may be someone that Indy could dangle to a cap-rich club with an urgent need for his services.
TJ McConnell is easier to move, but it’s unlikely that the Pacers manage to find a trading partner that will willingly absorb his contract without sending ample salary to Indiana, especially given his injury last season.