Summer rewind: Indiana Pacers
A look at the key offseason moves and changes for every team in the league. Next up are the Indiana Pacers.
OFF-SEASON ADDITIONS
Trades
Jeff Teague
Thaddeus Young
Jeremy Evans
Free agents
Al Jefferson
Aaron Brooks
Draft
Georges Niang
THE REWIND
New coach but a familiar face
The normal progression after a coaching change would be a learning curve between a new coach and the roster.
But the Pacers will expect minimal adjustments with new coach Nate McMillan when training camp starts.
McMillan, the lead assistant the last three seasons under former head coach Frank Vogel, brings a comfort level and familiarity.
McMillan also retained the assistants under Vogel, which will benefit the Pacers during the transition.
Taking advantage of trade market
Instead of overpaying in free agency, the Pacers utilized the trade market.
Before July 1, Indiana swapped George Hill for Jeff Teague and acquired veteran Thaddeus Young for the No. 20 overall pick in the draft.
Young is locked into a cap-friendly contract that pays $14 million annually for the next three seasons, and Teague is entering the final season of his deal for $8.8 million.
Had Young and Teague been free agents, their salaries would be nearly double. The Pacers have both at a great cost while retaining flexibility.
The 31-year-old veterans
The signings of Al Jefferson and Aaron Brooks, both 31, capped a strong offseason.
Jefferson’s value will be measured both on and off the court. With rookie standout Myles Turner still developing, Jefferson’s influence and tutelage will be instrumental.
Jefferson, hampered by midseason knee surgery last year, proved during the playoffs that he’s still an effective low-post presence.
Brooks is a backup point guard who can give Indiana some stability.
CAP BREAKDOWN
Player 2016
1. Paul George $18,314,532
2. Thaddeus Young $14,153,652
3. Monta Ellis $10,763,500
4. Al Jefferson $10,230,179
5. Jeff Teague $8,800,000
6. Rodney Stuckey $7,000,000
7. C.J. Miles $4,583,450
8. Lavoy Allen $4,000,000
9. Aaron Brooks $2,700,000
10. Myles Turner $2,463,840
11. Jeremy Evans $1,227,286
12. Joseph Young $1,052,342
13. Rakeem Christmas $1,052,342
14. Glenn Robinson $1,050,500
15. Georges Niang $650,000
Salary table 2016
Guaranteed salaries $88,041,623
Dead money $0
Non-guaranteed $0
Tax variance $0
Free-agent cap holds $0
Incomplete roster charge $0
Salaries: cap $88,041,623
Salaries: tax $88,041,623
Salary cap $94,143,000
Luxury tax $113,287,000
Cap space $6,101,377
Tax room $25,245,377
The Teague and Young trades saw Indiana sacrifice cap space for established veterans.
Once both trades were finalized in early July, Indiana entered free agency with $20 million in room.
Jefferson, Brooks and Niang, a second-round pick, were signed with cap space.
RESTRICTIONS
Free agents signed in the offseason cannot be traded until either Dec. 15, Jan. 15 or for three months if they signed after Sept. 15.
Jefferson and Brooks cannot be traded until Dec. 15.
EXTENSION CANDIDATES
Rookie
None
Veteran
Teague, entering the final season of a four-year, $32 million contract originally signed with Atlanta, can have his contract renegotiated or extended.
Because the Pacers are $6.1 million under the cap, Teague could have his current $8.8 million salary renegotiated for an amount higher than the 7.5 percent raise in an extension.
Because Teague is still within six months from being acquired in a trade, Indiana can only add an additional two seasons to his contract.
DEPTH CHART
Starter Bench Bench
PG Jeff Teague Aaron Brooks Joseph Young
SG Monta Ellis Rodney Stuckey
SF Paul George C.J. Miles Glenn Robinson/Georges Niang
PF Thaddeus Young Lavoy Allen Jeremy Evans/Rakeem Christmas
C Myles Turner Al Jefferson
The Pacers have 15 players on guaranteed contracts.
Indiana still has the flexibility of cap space and the $2.89 million room mid-level if needed.
SNEAK PEEK TO NEXT SUMMER
Barring an in-season trade, the Pacers’ core will return next season.
Teague, one the top point guards in the free agent class of 2017, will be high priority for Indiana.
If Indiana does not renegotiate with Teague, the Pacers could have close to $14 million in cap room while leaving Teague’s $12 million cap hold on the books.
KEEP AN EYE ON
JOE YOUNG
Can the strong summer-league play of Joe Young carry over when the games matter in the fall?
Young, a second-year player from Oregon, struggled in his rookie year and didn’t provide a reliable backup to George Hill, who was traded to Utah in the Teague deal.
With Brooks now the backup to Teague, Young could find his minutes limited.
If Young can prove that summer league was not a fluke, expect him to challenge Brooks for the backup PG position.
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