The Indiana Pacers had a relatively quiet offseason this summer. They signed former No. 2 pick James Wiseman, drafted Johnny Furphy in the second round of this year's draft, and brought in Cole Swider on a non-guaranteed contract. Currently, these are the only external acquisitions they made who could have a role with the team next season.
However, just because they did not add any big names to the team does not mean their offseason was a failure. In fact, it was the opposite. The Pacers made sure to spend big money on the players who helped them reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 10 years.
This summer, the Pacers re-signed Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin to long-term contracts. Additionally, they gave Andrew Nembhard a contract extension after his impressive playoff performance and Olympic run. The team also brought back James Johnson. While he is unlikely to get much playing time, he is a respected veteran in the locker room.
The Pacers are banking on natural progression to come back and perform even better next season than they did last season. While it remains unclear whether this is the right call or not, it is a good thing that the Pacers are committing to this direction and sticking with the core they ran with during the 2024 playoffs.
However, the team has just one more move they must make in order to cap off their great offseason--sign T.J. McConnell to a contract extension.
The Pacers must keep T.J. McConnell around for the long-term
McConnell has just one year remaining on his four-year contract. He is eligible for a contract extension this summer, but nothing has come to fruition just yet.
The 32-year-old has become one of the best backup point guards in the league since joining the Pacers in 2019. Furthermore, he is fresh off the best season of his career and played fantastic in the playoffs earlier this year.
With Nembhard's emergence, it remains unknown whether that will have an impact on McConnell's future with the Pacers. However, he is a much-needed veteran on a young team who plays his role as well as anybody else on the team.
If the Pacers want to sure up their bench and guarantee McConnell does not leave for nothing next summer, extending his contract is an important next step for the team.