Guard Isaiah Wong, who spent the 2023-24 season with the Indiana Pacers, suited up for the Phoenix Suns during summer league.
Wong, 23, was the 55th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by Indiana. He spent the most recent campaign on a two-way contract with the Indianapolis-based club, and he played in two games for the Pacers — one of them was the In-Season Tournament Finals. He registered two points as his only NBA stats during those outings.
Most of Wong’s time was spent in the G League with the Indiana Mad Ants, where he averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He appeared in 45 games for the G League squad, who also played their games in Gainbridge Fieldhouse last season.
Isaiah Wong with the game ball after scoring his first NBA points tonight: pic.twitter.com/Lxg5mGKzSM
— Tony East (@TonyREast) April 2, 2024
Wong appeared in the G League Next Up game, which was effectively the G League All-Star game. He spent much of his season with the Mad Ants working to develop his point guard skills, though the floor general part of his game never popped. He was much better as a scorer in the G League.
“It’s a process. Just coming in as a point guard, making plays, and just deciding what to do every time,” Wong said of his growth during the 2023-24 campaign.
After the season ended, the Pacers issued qualifying offers to Quenton Jackson and Oscar Tshiebwe, their other two-way contract players. Wong, however, didn’t get one, which was an early sign that he may be out of Indiana’s plans.
He then spent summer league with Phoenix, where he appeared in five games. He averaged 12 points and 1.2 assists per game for the summer Suns, which included a seven-point, one-assist outing vs the Pacers.
While Wong could technically be back with the Pacers next season, all signs indicate that the partnership is over. His first season didn’t feature the development that Indiana hoped for, and the team has filled up its 15 man roster and nearly filled its two-way contract slots (with Tshiebwe and recently-drafted Enrique Freeman in the mix for the final opening). Wong’s next home, as summer league suggests, will likely be elsewhere.
Perhaps it’s in Phoenix — who has a two-way slot open. Maybe it comes elsewhere. But between Indiana’s guard depth and their decisions over the summer, it appears that Isaiah Wong won’t be back.
Source link : https://www.si.com/nba/pacers/news/former-indiana-pacers-guard-isaiah-wong-spends-summer-league-with-phoenix-suns
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Publish date : 2024-07-29 22:28:33
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