The Pacers won’t have to make any decisions on Kelan Martin yet, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files, who reports that the team and player agreed to push back the salary guarantee date on Martin’s contract.
Martin’s $1.7MM minimum salary for 2021/22 had been scheduled to become guaranteed if he remained on the roster through August, but the two sides moved that deadline to October 19, the first day of the regular season, a league source tells Agness.
Martin, a 6’5″ small forward who signed with the Pacers during the 2020 offseason, appeared in 35 games during his first year with the club, averaging 4.5 PPG and 2.2 RPG on .449/.400/.900 shooting in 9.2 minutes per contest.
A player on a non-guaranteed deal will typically agree to push back a salary guarantee deadline if the most likely alternative is being waived. Martin will now get the opportunity to prove during training camp and the preseason that he deserves one of the spots on Indiana’s 15-man roster this season.
The Pacers are currently carrying 13 players on guaranteed deals, plus Martin and Oshae Brissett on non-guaranteed contracts, Keifer Sykes and Terry Taylor on Exhibit 10 deals, and DeJon Jarreau and Duane Washington on two-way pacts.
Cmon he’s a keeper. Well Indy picked up Brishet bc Toronto could not keep him, so I guess someone will pick up Martin that way too. Indy had no 3s for a while, just played guards there, Now they have filled up there after signing Torrey James and drafting Duarte. Duarte is listed as a 2, not sure that is likely.
Indy has 4 bigs for 2 positions. TJWarren is 5th tallest at 6-8, if he can return to form, which was a bit below allstar.
Pacers have a fun team IF THEY CAN STAT HEALTHY
Problem is, they never have and I can’t remember the last player to return ahead of schedule from injury. Granger, PG, Oladipo, TJW…and bring in Caris Lavert who is coming out of a serious health scare.
Brogdon, LaVert, Warren, Sabonis, Turner is a great starting 5
Duarte, Bitazde, McConnell and Lamb aren’t exactly an inspiring second unit.