It’s June, which means NBA free agency kicks off later this month. Under the rules of the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, team’s can legally begin to negotiate with their own free agents one day after the NBA Finals ends instead of on June 30, so some signings will begin to be reported within the next 30 days.
The Indiana Pacers are in a unique spot. They just reached the Eastern Conference Finals and hope to keep building on that success, but they are also a young team trying to become a sustainable contender. They will be trying to balance those realities in the offseason.
“As a front office, you’re always looking for ways to improve your team,” Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said in late May. “I also believe that we have a lot of internal growth still ahead for some of our players.”
Indiana is over the salary cap, so they will try to re-sign some of their own free agents. Pascal Siakam, Doug McDermott, Obi Toppin, and James Johnson will all be free agents for the blue and gold this summer. They also have the Mid-Level Exception, Bi-Annual Exception, and minimum contracts to add players if they so choose.
“You’ve always got to look and see what’s out there on the market. Is there a player, or players, out there that are available that makes sense for your team?” Buchanan said. “We’re also very excited about the young core we have.”
Many reports from credible NBA Insiders will be published in the weeks leading up to free agency. You can find links to them below in bold, including commentary about the Pacers situation and hopes.
There is ‘mutual interest’ between the Indiana Pacers and Pascal Siakam in NBA free agency
Shams Charania reported in The Athletic and on Run It Back that there is mutual interest between the Pacers and Siakam in free agency. Pacers head coach Rick Carlsile called recruiting Siakam the first step of Indiana’s offseason.
Charania added that the Pacers understand it could take a max-level contract to retain Siakam. Given the current salary cap projections, such a deal would be for five years and $245.34 million.
This post will be updated until the Pacers 2024-25 roster is filled.
Source link : https://www.si.com/nba/pacers/rumors/indiana-pacers-2024-nba-free-agency-rumor-tracker
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Publish date : 2024-06-01 22:23:40
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