The Indiana Pacers have reportedly withdrawn their two-way qualifying offer to Enrique Freeman, officially making him an unrestricted free agent (h/t Keith Smith of Spotrac).
With Quenton Jackson and RayJ Dennis taking up two of Indiana's three two-way roster spots, there seemed to have been a competition for the final spot between Freeman and Taelon Peter. Following the latest Freeman news, Peter has reportedly officially taken the final two-way spot (h/t Michael Scotto of HoopsHype).
While not much of a surprise, this is still an interesting development for the Cleveland native. He did not play much during his rookie season, but he showed a lot of potential during his limited run and quickly became a fan favorite due to his energetic playstyle.
The 25-year-old looked solid in G League last season and showed a lot of improvements during summer league this year. Freeman should be able to find a new home for himself soon enough because he does have a lot of intrigue. However, a long-term role with the Pacers was always unlikely, regardless of whether they viewed him as a power forward or a center in the league. Ultimately, there was too much competition.
There is a lot to like about Freeman, and it is unfortunate that the Pacers had to move on from him. However, this will now give him an opportunity to make a name for himself elsewhere and potentially carve out a legitimate role in the big leagues.
Moving on from Enrique Freeman was always the most likely option
Freeman has a lot of potential, but his stay in Indiana was short for a reason. Even though he was incredibly athletic and played a lot bigger than he was, there were real concerns about playing him as a full-time center. Additionally, he was never going to carve out a role at power forward behind players like Pascal Siakam, Obi Toppin, and Jarace Walker.
It also does not help that Freeman is already 25 years old. While he has shown improvements and has a lot of potential, his ceiling is not high enough to justify keeping him around, especially if it means he would be the one to take a spot on the team that is better suited for someone else (in this case, Peter).
The Pacers are in a very strange situation right now. They are fresh off their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years, yet they may be in line for a gap year following Tyrese Haliburton's injury and Myles Turner's departure in free agency. Even so, the Pacers have a very young and talented roster that should remain contenders for the foreseeable future. Because of this, it was always unlikely that the team would have been able to give Freeman a consistent role.
While he may not be in Indiana anymore, Freeman is still a player worth monitoring from here on out for fans. He showed a lot of promise and potential, and he has the makings of a solid NBA player. Where he will take his talents next will be something Pacers fans should keep an eye on.