Isaac Yacob Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Notes: Furphy, Dennis, Q. Jackson, Jones, More

July 21st, 2025 at 3:55pm CST by Rory Maher

Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard recently said Johnny Furphy has added 20 pounds of muscle to his frame and it showed in the confident way he attacked the rim at the Las Vegas Summer League, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required).

As Dopirak details, Furphy had one of the top highlights of Summer League, throwing down a vicious poster slam on Bulls lottery pick Noa Essengue (YouTube link), and shot 76.9% on twos (10-of-13), though he made just 25.0% of his three-point looks (3-of-12). Furphy posted solid-if-unspectacular numbers in three appearances in Vegas, averaging 11.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.3 APG and 1.0 SPG in 22.9 MPG, with turnovers being an issue (2.7 per contest).

Furphy, who was selected 35th overall in last year’s draft, had a modest role with Indiana as a rookie last season, making 50 regular season appearances while averaging 2.1 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per game. While he seems likely to be outside of the rotation to open 2025/26, the 20-year-old should get a crack at regular minutes if an injury occurs on the wing, Dopirak notes.

Here’s more on the Pacers from Dopirak:

As he enters his second NBA season, RayJ Dennis appears to be the frontrunner for third-string point guard duties despite being on a two-way contract, according to Dopirak. With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined for ’25/26, Andrew Nembhard is expected to start, with T.J. McConnell as the primary backup. The 24-year-old Dennis tied for a Summer League-high with 7.3 assists per game (against 3.8 turnovers) in four contests and showed his familiarity with the team’s uptempo offense, Dopirak writes. Dennis also averaged 15.8 PPG on .420/.400/.846 shooting splits (27.7 MPG) and, at least as of now, looks to be ahead of Quenton Jackson and rookie Kam Jones on the depth chart; Jackson is also on a two-way deal, while Jones received a standard contract after being selected No. 38 overall out of Marquette.
Speaking of Jackson, Dopirak says he was arguably the most impactful player on the Summer League roster in his one appearance, posting 24 points on just 10 field goal attempts and recording three assists and two steals in 26 minutes. Dennis is more of a facilitator, but head coach Rick Carlisle showed he had faith in Jackson last season amid injuries and the 26-year-old guard is a better and more versatile defender than Dennis, Dopirak observes.
As for Jones, he showed flashes of why the Pacers made him a second-round pick at Summer League, averaging 13.5 PPG, 5.2 APG, 3.8 RPG and 1.8 SPG on .488/.333/.750 shooting in four games in Vegas (26.3 MPG). However, the 23-year-old might need to spend some time in the G League with the Noblesville Boom to open the season, according to Dopirak, who points out that Jones had some rough patches on both ends of the court despite solid-looking counting stats.
The Pacers have a two-way qualifying offer out to Enrique Freeman, who shined in Vegas, averaging 16.6 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.8 BPG while shooting 72.5% from the floor in five games (27.8 MPG). But Dopirak views No. 54 overall pick Taelon Peter — one of several unsigned second-rounders — as a better bet to fill Indiana’s third and final two-way spot. The former Liberty guard thrived in transition in Summer League, Dopirak writes, and although his stats were far more modest than Freeman’s (9.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.8 APG in 23.6 MPG), the former Akron big man has distinct limitations, notably being forward-sized (6’7″ and 220 pounds) but functionally playing like a center.
Assistant coach Isaac Yacob deserves credit for having the Summer League team emulating the Pacers’ distinctive style in a short period of time, per Dopirak. In addition to being the head coach in Vegas, Yacob has helped several players on the roster improve and is close to Haliburton, so his standing in the organization is on the rise, says Dopirak.

Central Notes: Bucks’ Coaching Search, Pacers, Cheaney, Cavs

May 24th, 2023 at 9:08am CST by Luke Adams

While Nick Nurse, Kenny Atkinson, and Adrian Griffin are the only finalists that have been reported so far in the Bucks‘ head coaching search, Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel hears from a source that the team could still expand that list of finalists.

For now though, Milwaukee seems to be deciding between Nurse, Atkinson, and Griffin, prompting Eric Nehm of The Athletic to consider why each coaching candidate may – or may not – be a fit for the franchise.

A league source who spoke to Owczarski (subscription required) got the sense that Bucks general manager Jon Horst prefers a coach with “a bit of edge” in terms of style. That could be a point in favor of Nurse, who gained a reputation for experimenting with unorthodox defensive styles when he took over as the head coach in Toronto. As Nehm observes, Nurse also won a championship in his first year as a head coach, a feat the Bucks are hoping their next coach will be able to replicate.

The second round of interviews for the Bucks is expected to include dialogue with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Marc Stein writes at Substack. Horst told reporters earlier this month that he expected to get input from Antetokounmpo during the team’s coaching search.

Here’s more from around the Central:

Pacers assistant Calbert Cheaney is leaving Rick Carlisle‘s staff to return to his alma mater and become the director of player development at Indiana University under Mike Woodson. Carlisle and the Pacers put out a statement thanking Cheaney for his contributions and wishing him well in his new job. The team also announced that Isaac Yacob is being promoted from head video coordinator to a player development role.
The Pacers, armed with five picks in this year’s draft, will almost certainly trade one or more of them, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required). With the picks they keep, the Pacers won’t be overly focused on positional fit, but likely won’t select anyone who will be a defensive liability, Dopirak adds.
Kelsey Russo of The Athletic considers a few options for the Cavaliers‘ pick at No. 49, identifying Marquette forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Illinois wing Terrence Shannon, and Eastern Michigan wing Emoni Bates as possible targets. Prosper, who had a strong showing at least week’s combine, may not still be available by the time Cleveland picks — he ranks No. 32 on ESPN’s big board.

Central Notes: Giannis, Mamukelashvili, Bulls, Pacers

September 9th, 2022 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo exited Greece’s 90-69 win over Estonia on Thursday early due to what the Greek team is referring to as a “light” right ankle sprain, per John Rammas of Eurohoops. Although Antetokounmpo checked out in the third quarter and didn’t return, the injury isn’t viewed as serious.

According to an Associated Press report (via ESPN), Greece’s head coach, Dimitrios Itoudis, said after the game that the Bucks forward received ice and treatment. However, it doesn’t sound like Giannis’ availability for the upcoming single-elimination stage of EuroBasket is in jeopardy. “It’s all good,” Itoudis said.

Here’s more from around the Central Division:

Eric Nehm of The Athletic checks in on how the Bucks‘ international players have been performing at EuroBasket 2022. While Antetokounmpo has obviously excelled, Milwaukee is also presumably encouraged by the play of two-way forward Sandro Mamukelashvili, who averaged 15.2 PPG and 11.0 RPG in the group stage for Georgia.
Given that Lonzo Ball‘s lengthy injury absence last season hurt the Bulls on both ends of the court, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic wonders if the team is better built to withstand a Ball injury in 2022/23. A recent report indicated that Chicago’s starting point guard may not be ready for the start of the regular season due to a lingering knee issue.
The Pacers have hired Isaac Yacob as their head video coordinator, sources tell Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (subscription required). According to Agness, Yacob – who previously worked for the Kings – built a strong rapport with Tyrese Haliburton in Sacramento.
In case you missed it, we’re asking you to vote on the projected win totals of all five Central teams for the 2022/23 season.