Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: James, Lawson, Pistons

March 16th, 2016 at 11:17am CST by Eddie Scarito

The importance of LeBron James‘ sometimes cryptic tweets regarding his teammates has been a source of debate among the media and fans, but with James’ social media reach exceeding his on the court presence, they certainly warrant scrutiny, argues Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. To support his assertion, the scribe notes that James has a combined social media following that tops 47 million, while last year’s NBA Finals drew approximately 20 million viewers per contest on average. James’ most recent Twitter controversy, albeit a minor one, was in response to his posts regarding heading down to Miami during an off day to work out with former teammate Dwyane Wade. “Can’t replace being around great friends that reciprocate the same energy back to you in all facets of life,” James tweeted, in what appeared to be an obvious reference to Wade and a slam of his Cleveland squad.

Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving downplayed the notion that LeBron was calling out his teammates and noted that he doesn’t pay much attention to other players on social media, McMenamin adds. “I don’t really check Twitter for people’s comments or what they’re saying or anything like that,” Irving told McMenamin. “I didn’t think it was directed toward me at all. I know everybody made a big deal about it and then I tweet and then all of the sudden it’s a subtle beef between me and Bron. No, I don’t think Bron tweets for me and I don’t think I tweet for LeBron.”

Here’s more from out of the Central Division:

Ty Lawson has only seen five minutes of action since signing with the Pacers thanks to a foot injury he suffered during his first contest in an Indiana uniform. The point guard says he isn’t being rushed back by the team, but admitted he feels significant internal pressure to contribute to his new squad, Nate Taylor of The Indianapolis Star relays. “I’m not feeling pressured by the team, but I’m putting pressure on myself,” Lawson said. “I’m eager to get out there and just play. You get a chance to play and the first five minutes I get hurt. I’m pushing myself to get back. I might have pushed it too much yesterday [in practice]. Maybe I should have waited until today to push it in the game and be sore tomorrow.”
Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson, responding to a media inquiry, indicated that he wasn’t sure what the identity of his team was, which is troubling this far into the NBA campaign, David Mayo of MLive writes. Detroit has been a remarkably inconsistent squad this season, something not aided by the roster turnover and injuries the team has dealt with, Mayo notes. The scribe also notes that while the frontcourt pairing of Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris has been successful thus far, the two players’ skill sets are similar enough that it may cause problems down the line.

2015/16 Salary Cap Update: Indiana Pacers

March 16th, 2016 at 8:53am CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 is set at $70MM, which is good for an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. With the February 18th cutoff date for trades and the de facto deadline of March 1st for buyouts now past, we at Hoops Rumors are in the process of updating the salary cap commitments for each NBA franchise for the 2015/16 campaign. Here’s the cap breakdown for the Indiana Pacers, whose regular season roster can be viewed here:

2015/16 Salary Cap= $70,000,000
2015/16 Luxury Tax Line= $84,740,000
Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $72,358,004*
Remaining Cap Room= -$2,358,004
Amount Below Luxury Tax Line= $12,381,996

*Note: This amount includes the $600,000 owed to Toney Douglas, the $6,178 in salary paid to Terran Petteway, as well as the $5,000,000 due Chase Budinger, all of whom were waived by the team.

Cap Exceptions Available:

Room= $1,787,718

Cash Available to Send Out In Trades= $3,400,000

Cash Available to Receive Via Trade= $3,400,000

Note: Despite the trade deadline having passed, the NBA season technically doesn’t end until June 30th. Teams are able to again make trades upon the completion of the regular season or when/if they are eliminated from the playoffs, whichever comes later. So these cash limits still apply.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

And Ones: Budenholzer, Payton, D-League

March 15th, 2016 at 10:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Hawks have increased their use of analytics and technology in how they help players recover from injuries and maintain their bodies, David Aldridge of NBA.com notes. The use of new and nontraditional techniques is one change that Mike Budenholzer implemented when he took over as the team’s president of basketball operations, Aldridge adds. “We wanted to have all of the groups, everybody within the organization that had a great synergy and worked well together, and had a passion,” Budenholzer told the scribe. “Keke Lyles, [trainer] Art Horne and [strength and conditioning coach] Mike Roncarati and [Athletic Performance Coach] Chris Chase and [assistant trainer] Scottie Parker have a passion for athletic performance, keeping our guys, pushing the envelope for them being the best they can be. You could feel that when we interviewed them and talked with them.”

Lyles, who is Atlanta’s director of player performance, told Aldridge of the team’s approach, “I think the biggest thing is, [Budenholzer] has a certain vision about the court, and what the players are doing. And he wanted that to carry over into what guys did as prep. Obviously, our field is not his area of expertise, but he knew the value of it, and how important it is. And so I think he saw the opportunity to bring a group in that was kind of on the same page, and thought the same way, and had very specific goals that we wanted to accomplish in treatment.” Budenholzer credits Lyles with helping Kyle Korver and Tim Hardaway Jr. return to form after their respective surgeries, Aldridge also notes.

Here’s more from around the league:

Elfrid Payton has yet to establish himself as the Magic‘s point guard of the future despite making small strides in improving his scoring average and shooting numbers, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel writes. “I don’t want to single a spot out. We’re 9-24 since the first of the year. So all of our our spots…we’re not playing well enough in general,” coach Scott Skiles responded when asked about the play of the team’s playmakers. When asked specifically about Payton, the coach said, “Again, I just don’t think it’s fair….I’m not trying to duck the question. If we were having a more consistent season, I’d feel a little bit more comfortable answering that. Again, our troubles are at many spots.“
The Pistons have an available roster spot after not electing to sign Justin Harper for the remainder of the season after his second 10-day deal came to an end, but Detroit has no immediate plans to bring in another player, Keith Langlois of NBA.com tweets.
The Pacers have recalled center Shayne Whittington from their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This was the big man’s fifth stint with the Mad Ants on the season.

Atlantic Notes: ‘Melo, Porzingis, McConnell, Raptors

March 14th, 2016 at 4:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks team president Phil Jackson gave Carmelo Anthony some answers he was looking for when they met recently, but the onus is on Jackson to deliver when it counts this summer, Anthony indicated to reporters, including Marc Berman of the New York Post and Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Jackson said recently that he wants to sign two players of consequence for the team this summer, Begley notes, but New York won’t necessarily have max-level cap flexibility, according to Berman. Still, the star forward wants to see results.

“It’s in their court. The ball is in their court,” Anthony said. “They have an opportunity, we have an opportunity to do something this offseason. We gotta do something. It’s there.”

See more on the Knicks amid a check on the Atlantic Division:

The willingness Kristaps Porzingis is showing to play closer to the rim under the tutelage of interim coach Kurt Rambis is a plus for the development of the player in line to succeed Anthony as Knicks franchise cornerstone, Begley opines in a separate piece. Rambis, who’s trying to secure the coaching job for the long term, has endured criticism for the way he’s changing Porzingis’ game, according to Begley. “He’s going to get physically stronger and he’s going to be able to brace himself when there is physical contact and nudges,” Rambis said. “And he’s also going to be able to finish with either hand inside. But it only comes from him attacking the basket and being aggressive.”
T.J. McConnell has settled into a backup role after injuries to other Sixers forced the undrafted rookie into a starting role, and while the buzz about him has quieted since his strong performances early this season, he remains a part of the rotation, observes Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly. McConnell’s contract is non-guaranteed beyond this season, so the pressure remains. “I think if I keep the mindset of day by day, fighting for my job every day,” McConnell said, “hopefully it turns out to be a long career for me.”
The Raptors made a whirlwind of D-League moves, recalling Bruno Caboclo from the D-League on Sunday before sending him back this morning, along with Lucas Nogueira and Delon Wright, and finally recalling all three this afternoon, according to the organization (All Twitter links). The trio took part in a midday victory today against the Pacers affiliate.

And-Ones: Ulis, Dawson, Lawson, Budinger

March 13th, 2016 at 2:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

University of Kentucky coach John Calipari this week erased nearly any doubt that sophomore point guard Tyler Ulis will enter this year’s draft, telling reporters he’ll be drafted this year, as Kyle Tucker of The Courier-Journal relays. The 20-year-old, who today won the SEC Tournament MVP award, hasn’t made a formal announcement, but Chad Ford of ESPN.com lists him among those “officially” in the draft, for what it’s worth. Ford ranks Ulis as the 25th-best draft prospect this year, while Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress has him 37th on his top prospects list. See more from around the NBA:

Clippers rookie Branden Dawson is in custody on $50K bail after police arrested him this morning on felony domestic violence charges, reports TMZ Sports. Dan Woike of the Orange County Register confirmed the arrest (Twitter links). The team recalled Dawson, last year’s 56th pick, from the D-League on Saturday.
The contract Ty Lawson signed with the Pacers was a prorated minimum-salary deal that covers just the rest of this season, meaning he’s still on track to hit free agency this summer, notes Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. He’ll see $265,068 from Indiana, meaning he came out slightly ahead after giving up $225K in his buyout with the Rockets.
Pincus also lists the Pacers with a $5MM cap hit for the waived contract of Chase Budinger, indicating that he didn’t give up any of his salary to secure his release. Previous reports referred to the parting of ways as a buyout.

Texas Notes: Cuban, Martin, Goudelock, Holt

March 13th, 2016 at 2:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Mavericks haven’t been a real contender for a few seasons, but owner Mark Cuban isn’t ready to shift gears and begin the rebuilding process, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com. Dallas lost Saturday to the Pacers to drop to .500 and just two games up in the loss column on ninth-place Utah.

“We’ll always be opportunistic,” Cuban said. “It takes a little bit of luck. I don’t care who it is. Then you look at the teams that said, ‘OK, let’s just blow it up.’ Who’s it worked for lately?”

The Mavericks are nonetheless stuck on the mediocrity treadmill, having no clear path to becoming legitimate contenders, MacMahon contends in the same piece. MacMahon examines the team’s decisions since winning the title in 2011 and doubts that Dallas can attract marquee free agents during the upcoming summer due to the plethora of teams set for ample cap flexibility. See more on the Mavs amid news from the Lone Star state.

Kevin Martin was linked to the Mavs, Rockets, Cavaliers, Hawks, Heat and Thunder as he worked a buyout with the Timberwolves a couple of weeks ago, but he said the Spurs were his choice all along, according to The Oklahoman’s Anthony Slater (Twitter link). “There was only one team I’d do a buyout for and it was here [San Antonio],” Martin said.
Andrew Goudelock believes he significantly expanded his game in the nearly three years that passed between the end of his time with the Lakers in 2013 and his signing with the Rockets this week, observes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “My basketball IQ has grown,” Goudelock said. “I’ve seen a lot of different things. I’m able to read offenses and defenses better. I’m able to handle the ball a lot better. I’m able to play both guard positions. I’m able to see things on the floor I wasn’t able to see before. I was just a scorer. That’s all I brought to the game. Now, I’m passing the ball and defensively I’ve gotten a lot better. I’ve come a long way defensively. That was one of the knocks on me. I’m a pretty decent defender now.”
Critics could argue that Peter Holt, who transferred control of the Spurs to his wife this past week, simply rode the wave of success that coach/president Gregg Popovich built, but Holt’s faith in Popovich amid difficulty early in his coaching tenure shows that the outgoing owner deserves credit, opines Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Ajinca, Dawson, Lawson

March 9th, 2016 at 10:24pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Pelicans center Alexis Ajinca, who is dealing with a fractured sternum he suffered on March 2nd, hopes to return to action this season, but he is still experiencing significant discomfort, Jim Eichenhofer of NBA.com writes. “It’s still painful,” Ajinca said. “I’m still trying to catch my breath sometimes. But it’s getting better. I started shooting. I’m hoping to come back soon, but I’m still dealing with the pain, so we’ll see how far I have till I come back.”

Ajinca wants to help out his injury-depleted team by returning to the court, but he also needs to weigh his desire to play versus long-term health concerns, Eichenhofer relays. “I’m trying to come back, because sitting on the side is not really my thing. I don’t like doing that,” Ajinca said. “I’m trying to come back before the end of the season. But on the other hand, I’m also trying to be healthy and not jeopardizing my health if I’m coming back too early. I hope I can come back soon and have a pad on [the injury to protect it]. Hopefully it won’t be too painful if I get hit again.” The big man is in the first year of the four-year, $20.2MM deal he inked last July.

Here’s more from around the league:

Clippers rookie Branden Dawson has spent the bulk of his rookie season in the D-League, only making three NBA appearances on the campaign, but the small forward believes this will help his development in the long run, Rowan Kavner of NBA.com writes. “Just a better opportunity and just playing more,” Dawson said about his D-League time. “The first time I went down, when I went to Bakersfield, it was different. I didn’t know what to expect going down for the first time. Now, I’m a lot more confident and I’m playing more. The main thing is to get better. The reason why guys go down is to get better. The first two times, I learned a lot from the coaches I played with, the different programs. The main thing is to just come down and get better.”
A number of teams had interest in point guard Ty Lawson after he reached a buyout agreement with the Rockets, including the Bucks and the Jazz, Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports tweets. Lawson subsequently signed with the Pacers because he wanted to catch on with a new team quickly and he believed Indiana was a perfect fit for his skills, Agness adds.
Shelvin Mack has impressed the Jazz with his solid play since arriving in a trade deadline deal from Atlanta, and he’s provided the stability the team sought after losing starter Dante Exum for the year with a torn ACL in his left knee, Jody Genessy of The Deseret News writes. “I think he’s making a good transition,” coach Quin Snyder said. “A lot of that is a compliment to Bud [Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer] and his staff and their team … and to him, of course.”

Central Notes: Lawson, LeBron, Irving, Moore

March 8th, 2016 at 3:20pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Rockets were willing to replace Ty Lawson with Michael Beasley, which underscores the risk the Pacers assume with their new point guard, according to Nate Taylor of the Indianapolis Star. Taylor nonetheless believes Lawson and Indiana need each other. Much depends on how Lawson performs down the stretch, Taylor believes, and his debut for the team Monday was inauspicious, since he left after five minutes with a sprained foot, as Taylor notes in a separate piece. Lawson is day-to-day, coach Frank Vogel said, according to Taylor. See more from the Central Division:

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving don’t have a personality conflict, but a disconnect exists between their games on the floor, said several scouts and coaches who spoke with Chris Mannix of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. It’s one of many challenges facing the Cavaliers who face a situation James couldn’t have envisioned when he returned, with a stacked roster that still hasn’t found a groove, Mannix writes.
The Bucks are giving Giannis Antetokounmpo minutes at point guard, but they probably don’t envision him as a full-time solution at that position, as the key for the team down the stretch is simply to see how Antetokoumpo and Jabari Parker can continue to mesh together, Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says in a video. Injured starting point man Michael Carter-Williams has a “murky” future with the team, leading Gardner to believe Milwaukee will look for a point guard this summer.
E’Twaun Moore delivers at both ends and at both guard positions, making him indispensable for the Bulls as he enters free agency this summer, opines K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.

Eastern Notes: Anthony, Lawson, Carter-Williams

March 7th, 2016 at 6:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Carmelo Anthony vows to recruit high-profile free agents to New York this summer and believes Kings point guard Rajon Rondo would make an ideal fit for the Knicks’ triangle offense, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. Anthony was kept out of meetings regarding free agents last summer but the All-Star small forward wants to play an integral role in getting better pieces around him, Berman continues. “I don’t have a choice but to go out there and do my job and try to get people to come here, so they can see it from my perspective rather than everybody else’s perspective,” Anthony told Berman and other members of the New York media. Rondo has expressed skepticism about his ability to run the triangle, according to Berman, but Anthony will try to convince him otherwise. “I think he’d be perfect in a system like this,” Anthony said. “A system like this fits a guy like that. To have the ball in their hands and be able to run the offense, I think it fits well. I don’t know who’s telling him he don’t fit.” Thunder small forward Kevin Durant, the biggest free agent on this year’s market, does not consider the Knicks as a destination, a source told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.

In other developments around the Eastern Conference:

Ty Lawson‘s relationships with Pacers star forward Paul George and point guard George Hill, along with the team’s uptempo style, convinced him to sign with Indiana following his buyout agreement with the Rockets, according to Nate Taylor of the Indianapolis Star. Pacers coach Frank Vogel views the remainder of the regular season as an audition for the veteran point guard, both for this season and his impending free agency, Taylor adds in a tweet. Vogel spoke with Lawson’s former Nuggets coach and ex-Pacers assistant Brian Shaw before the signing and that helped sway Vogel that Lawson deserved a clean slate, Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star reports (Twitter links here).
Bucks point guard Michael Carter-Williams tried to play through his hip injury but it reached the point where it needed to be addressed, Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press tweets. A source told Krawczynski that Carter-Williams felt discomfort since late December and doctors finally determined that season-ending surgery was required, he added in a separate tweet.
The Celtics recalled rookie shooting guard R.J. Hunter from the D-League’s Maine Red Claws, the team tweets. The late first-round pick has appeared in 28 games with Boston this season.

Pacers Sign Ty Lawson

March 7th, 2016 at 8:19am CST by Eddie Scarito

Thomas B. Shea / USA TODAY Sports Images

MONDAY, 8:19am: The signing is official, the Pacers announced.

“We’re glad to have Ty come play with the Pacers for this final run of the season,” Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird said in the team’s statement. “We think he brings added speed to our backcourt, he can get up and down the floor and he helps strengthen our second unit.”

Lawson, not far removed from having finished third in the league in assists last season, spoke merely of fitting in.

“This is a good opportunity for me to come here, try to help the Pacers win and get into the playoffs,” Lawson said in the statement. “I’m just ready to play and do whatever is needed.”

THURSDAY, 8:51pm: The Pacers have reached an agreement with free agent point guard Ty Lawson, Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports reports. The exact details of the arrangement are not yet known, but it is likely a minimum salary pact that covers the remainder of the season, though that is merely my speculation. The team has about $1.9MM left on its room exception, so it could use that instead of a prorated minimum that would pay Lawson about $300K.

Indiana currently has the league maximum of 15 players on its roster, but the Pacers reportedly have had a buyout arrangement in place with small forward Chase Budinger for a week. The team has held off on finalizing the buyout due to the rash of injuries it has been hit with. Budinger is expected to be waived on Saturday, which is also when Lawson is expected to officially sign, Charania notes.

Lawson was never a good fit with the Rockets this year, prompting him and the team to reach a buyout arrangement prior to the March 1st deadline for players to hit waivers and retain postseason eligibility for other teams. In 53 appearances for Houston this season, Lawson averaged 5.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 22.2 minutes per night. His shooting line is .387/.330/.700.