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Pacers Waive Rodney Stuckey

March 29th, 2017 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

11:31am: The Pacers have officially waived Stuckey, the team announced today in a press release.

9:38am: The Pacers are waiving injured guard Rodney Stuckey, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). The news comes on the heels of Stuckey suffering a left patellar tendon strain, which is expected to sideline him for four to six weeks.

Stuckey’s contract situation was a motivating factor for the Pacers here, since he had an unusual option for the 2017/18 season. In most cases, player options represent guaranteed money (unless the player opts out), but Stuckey’s $7MM player option for next year was more of a mutual option. As Charania notes, by waiving the veteran guard prior to April 10, Indiana won’t be on the hook for any of his salary for 2017/18.

While Stuckey should be ready to return to action by the end of April or start of May, he’s unlikely to land with another team this season, so he could get a head start on free agency for next year, assuming he clears waivers. If he’s formally waived today, the former first-round pick would clear waivers on Friday.

Stuckey, who will turn 31 next month, is coming off perhaps his worst NBA season. In 39 games, he averaged 7.2 PPG and shot just 37.3% from the field — both marks are career-lows. Even if he had stayed healthy, Stuckey may have been a candidate to be cut before season’s end, in order to get the Pacers off the hook for next year’s salary.

With Stuckey headed to the waiver wire, the Pacers will open up a spot on their roster at a time when they could use some added depth. Regular rotation players Al Jefferson and Glenn Robinson III are also on the shelf with injuries as Indiana makes a late-season push to clinch a playoff spot. The team will have the opportunity to add someone new to its roster on either a 10-day contract or a rest-of-season deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Paul George: Pacers Have ‘No Sense Of Urgency’

March 29th, 2017 at 8:44am CST by Luke Adams

Having lost a winnable home game to the lottery-bound Timberwolves on Tuesday night, the Pacers have slipped to seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, and are just two games ahead of the No. 9 Bulls as they look to secure a playoff spot. The team’s latest performance was a frustrating one for star forward Paul George, who expressed his displeasure in comments after the game, as Nate Taylor of The Indianapolis Star details.

“There’s no urgency, no sense of urgency, no winning pride,” George said (Twitter link). “This locker room is just not pissed off enough.”

“We should have a professional approach, man, and defend our home court, especially to a team that’s not even in the playoffs,” George added. “That’s what it comes down to. As a team, we’ve got to have a grit and we’ve got to own up, man up.”

George, who also suggested he didn’t get the ball enough late in the loss to the Wolves, is hardly the only player to publicly express frustration with his team’s performance this year. However, given the 26-year-old’s contract situation, any comments to that effect will be given extra scrutiny.

After this season, George has just one year left on his contract with the Pacers, and reports have suggested that the Lakers have piqued his interest as a possible free agent destination. Pacers president Larry Bird has indicated – both publicly and privately – that he’ll do all he can to keep George in Indiana, but if the 2016/17 campaign ends poorly for the team, trade speculation figures to run rampant this summer.

The Pacers have a challenging stretch of games on tap as they look to lock down a postseason berth. They’ll be back in action tonight in Memphis, then will play the Raptors, Cavaliers, and Raptors again. Assuming they’re still hanging onto a playoff spot after that stretch, the Pacers will be in a decent position to finish strong, with games against the Bucks, Magic, Sixers, and Hawks to close the regular season.

Al Jefferson To Miss Two Weeks

March 28th, 2017 at 8:45pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Al Jefferson will be sidelined for at least two weeks as he recovers from a sprained left ankle, according to the Pacers‘ website. Jefferson suffered the injury against the Sixers on Sunday.
Glenn Robinson III will remain out for at least another week with a left calf strain, the Pacers add in the same press release. He’ll be re-evaluated at the end of next week.

Rodney Stuckey To Miss 4-6 Weeks

March 28th, 2017 at 5:46pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Rodney Stuckey is expected to miss 4-6 weeks because of a left patellar tendon strain, according to the Pacers‘ website. The shooting guard suffered the strain against the Sixers on Sunday.

The timeline means Stuckey will certainly miss the remainder of the regular season and he’ll likely miss the first round of the playoffs. Indiana enters the day owning the seventh seed in the conference, though Atlanta and Milwaukee, the two teams ahead of them in the standings (via tiebreakers) also share a 37-36 record. All three teams are only two games of the Heat, who currently own the conference’s eighth spot. The Bulls, Pistons and Hornets are sitting outside the playoffs as of now, but they are all within four games of Indiana. Depending on how the Pacers finish the season, Stuckey may not see the court again until the 2017/18 season.

The team is paying him $7MM this season and he has a player option worth $7MM for next year.

Before suffering the strain, Stuckey was battling a knee injury. He’s only been able to play 39 contests for the Pacers this season. He’s averaging 7.2 points per game while shooting 37.3% from the field and sporting a 9.5 player efficiency rating.

Pacers Notes: Playoff Race, Ellis, George

March 25th, 2017 at 6:50pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Pacers currently own the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference, but they’ve won just five of their 12 games during the month of March. Indiana has put together games where it looks like it has a legitimate chance to win a playoff series, but it also has moments where it appears that the back of the lottery is all the franchise can hope for. Sitting just one game behind them is the Heat. Miami has been one of the best teams since the All-Star break, posting the second best point differential over that stretch. If the Pacers don’t start playing better and more consistently, they’ll likely be starting at an eighth seed matchup against the Cavs or worse–a date with the ping pongs balls on May 16th.

As we wait to see if the team can maintain its playoff position, check out some notes from Indiana:

Monta Ellis has shot over 40% from behind the arc and 47.2% overall since the All-Star break and his play is impressing coach Nate McMillan, Mark Montieth of NBA.com writes. “He’s been aggressive,” McMillan said of Ellis’ improved play. “We have really featured him with that second unit…and he’s been really aggressive.” Ellis is expected to enter the starting lineup while Glenn Robinson III recovers from a calf injury.
Paul George admits that the Pacers are in a slump and the All-Star is willing to do whatever it takes to get the team back on track, Montieth adds in the same piece. “At this point it’s win,” George said after a recent loss to the Nuggets. “Whatever I’ve got to do to win. If I have to put up 30 shots to win, I’ll put up 30 shots to win.”
Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star wonders if George needs to shoot less and be more unselfish. The All-Star has begun to take control of the Pacers‘ offense late in games, but coach McMillan doesn’t see it as an issue. “I think it’s always that case with the leading scorer on the team,” McMillan said. “Sometimes people look at the guy and say, ‘He’s selfish or that he needs to move the ball; or how many shot attempts [did he get?]’ I think you play the game the right way. … Last night, we were down 23 in the fourth and OK, somebody has to make something happen. I thought Paul got aggressive. I didn’t see any issues.”

Central Notes: Bucks, Pacers, Lopez, James

March 25th, 2017 at 12:48pm CST by Milo Taibi

The Bucks are going to be without John Henson for the next few games, as Chris Haynes of ESPN reported Henson would be sidelined for a week with a left thumb sprain (article link). According to Haynes, Henson sustained the injury at some point during Milwaukee’s match-up against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.

While Milwaukee will be short-handed for at least the next two games, Michael Beasley appears close to returning. Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Beasley could come back by next week, if not by the end of the season (Twitter link). Beasley has been out since February 27 with a hyperextended left knee.

Other goings-on around the Central…

Robin Lopez knew he was going to receive a suspension when he threw a punch at Serge Ibaka, Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago writes. Fortunately for the Bulls, Lopez received a light one-game suspension following a “pretty straight-forward” deliberation process from the league. “I mean, that’s what the league gave. I’m going to stick with it,” Lopez said, adding, “I didn’t change my story.” In his return from the suspension, Lopez went 0-for-6 from the field over 18 minutes.
The Pacers snapped their bizarre streak of 15 games alternating wins and defeats last night, taking a 125-117 loss to the Nuggets. Several players and coach Nate McMillan voiced frustration following the game, sensing a lack of urgency. “We’ve got to play like our life is on the line like it is,” Jeff Teague told Nate Taylor of Indy Star. “We’ve got to be aggressive and leave it all out there. Every game from now on is a must win for us. We’ve got to play like it. This was a bad loss at home and we didn’t come out to play. We just didn’t have the effort.” Despite falling to .500, the Pacers maintained their spot as the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed.
LeBron James suffered a corneal abrasion of his right eye during Friday’s match-up with Charlotte, Dave McMenamin of ESPN reports (article link). James, who is questionable to play tonight against the Wizards, told reporters his vision was blurry following the injury. “Just took a hard foul — a hard fall, I’m sorry. And I just got up and made my free throws, I think I made them,” said James. “I was just trying to put pressure on the rim, so, if coach decides to give me a game off, it’s not because I’m resting. It’s because I’m banged up.”

Glenn Robinson III Out At Least Two Weeks

March 24th, 2017 at 5:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers will be without a rotation player for most of the rest of the season as they push for a playoff spot. According to Nate Taylor of The Indianapolis Star (via Twitter), head coach Nate McMillan announced today that Glenn Robinson III will be out at least two weeks with a left calf injury. Robinson will be re-evaluated after those two weeks.

A third year wing out of Michigan, Robinson has enjoyed his best NBA season to date in 2016/17. Appearing in 69 games (27 starts), Robinson has established new career highs across the board, with 6.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and a shooting line of .466/.392/.711 in 20.7 minutes per contest.

If Robinson is able to return in two weeks, it would put him in line to play in the Pacers’ final three regular season games. However, if he’s sidelined for longer than those two weeks, it’s possible he may not play again this season. A playoff return could be in the cards, but Indiana will have to earn a postseason berth first — the Bucks have pulled even with the Pacers for the No. 6 seed at 36-35, and the Heat (35-37), Bulls (34-38), and Pistons (34-38) are all within striking distance too.

With Robinson out of the mix, players like C.J. Miles and Thaddeus Young, among others, could get a few extra minutes.

Hometown Discount A Possibility For Jeff Teague?

March 23rd, 2017 at 12:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Much has been made of Paul George‘s approaching free agency, but the Pacers star won’t be eligible to hit the open market until 2018. Another key Indiana player – Jeff Teague – will see his contract expire this summer, and if Teague leaves the Pacers as a free agent, that probably increases the likelihood of a George departure as well, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.

One league source who spoke to Deveney predicted that Teague will seek a contract close to the max, pointing to Mike Conley‘s five-year, $150MM+ deal with the Grizzlies as one that Teague’s camp will probably bring up in contract negotiations. However, Deveney notes that Teague grew up in Indianapolis and would like to stay with the Pacers, which means a hometown discount isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

Details On Paul George Talks Between Sixers, Pacers

March 21st, 2017 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

In a piece for ESPN.com earlier today, Zach Lowe noted that the Pacers engaged in Paul George trade talks with the Celtics, Hawks, Nuggets, and Sixers at last month’s trade deadline. Boston’s interest in George was well documented, and we heard right after the deadline that Atlanta and Denver made substantial offers for the star forward. However, specific details regarding Philadelphia’s interest in George hadn’t surfaced until now.

Following up on Lowe’s report, Kyle Neubeck of Liberty Ballers did some digging on those pre-deadline trade talks, and learned from multiple sources that the Sixers made a “significant” offer of their own for George. According to Neubeck, the Sixers were willing to give up Robert Covington, at least two first-round picks, and the Pacers’ choice of Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor. The Sixers reportedly preferred to include other teams’ picks – such as the Lakers’ and Kings’ first-rounders – rather than their own.

Neubeck adds that there wasn’t a consensus among his sources about the Noel/Okafor aspect of the 76ers’ hypothetical package. One source said that the team specifically offered Noel, while others suggested that Philadelphia would have been willing to sub in Okafor if it made a real difference to the Pacers. Ultimately, Noel was sent to the Mavericks instead, while Okafor stayed put.

According to one member of the Sixers, the team wasn’t turned off by George’s reported interest in the Lakers. Neubeck writes that the Sixers believed that if they acquired George they could convince him to stay in Philadelphia long-term, forming a tantalizing core with players like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Dario Saric.

As Lowe wrote earlier today, the Pacers never appeared all that serious about moving George at this year’s trade deadline, but it’s possible that stance will change down the road. Even with Noel no longer in the mix, the Sixers still have plenty of assets to make another run at All-Star forward, if they so choose.

Pacers Rumors: George, Stuckey, Henson, Hayward

March 21st, 2017 at 9:19am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Pacers engaged in Paul George trade talks prior to last month’s deadline with at least the Celtics, Hawks, Sixers, and Nuggets, the team never seemed serious about moving him, league sources tell ESPN’s Zach Lowe. The club’s desire to keep George in Indiana is a key theme in Lowe’s deep dive on the Pacers, with team president Larry Bird expressing a willingness to spend all he can to build a competitive roster around his star forward.

“I have a budget,” Bird said. “Whatever that budget is, I’ll spend it. Sometimes, we can’t go after max guys, or players we really think could help us, because of our budget.

“Paul wants to compete for a title,” Bird added. “We want Paul here. He has expressed that he wants to be here. That could change overnight. You never know. But whatever I can spend, I’m going to spend.”

Here’s more from Lowe on the Pacers:

Prior to the trade deadline, the Pacers explored the possibility of trading veteran guard Rodney Stuckey for a backup rim protector. According to Lowe, John Henson of the Bucks was one player Indiana was eyeing in such a deal.
A February report indicated that the Pacers had made their 2017 first-round pick available in trade discussions as they looked to fortify their roster around George. That pick ultimately didn’t change hands, but it will be on the block again in June, Bird confirms.
Sources tell Lowe that George would “love” to play with Gordon Hayward, who will likely become an unrestricted free agent this summer. However, as Lowe notes, the odds of Hayward signing with the Pacers probably aren’t great.
Here’s what George told Lowe about this year’s Pacers team: “This season has been a reality check. You think you are gonna be in those playoff battles, playing alongside those guys forever. You have to try and recapture that moment. And that moment for us was having a strong chemistry and identity. We don’t have one now. I’ve never been on a team without an identity — without a toughness identity.”
According to Lowe, GM Kevin Pritchard – Bird’s “top deputy” – is currently on a contract that will expire at season’s end. The Pacers will have to lock up Pritchard to a new deal soon or risk losing him to another club.
Whatever route Indiana takes this summer, a full-scale rebuild likely isn’t on the table. Lowe points out that the Pacers haven’t won fewer than 32 games or drafted higher than 10th in nearly three decades, with Bird saying of tanking, “We can’t do that around here.”