Latest news with #Pacers
Indianapolis Star
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Report: Pacers withdraw offer to Enrique Freeman, clearing way for Taelon Peter to grab last two-way spot
It appears Pacers' surprise second-round pick Taelon Peter has earned the team's final two-way contract for the 2025-26 season. Per Spotrac's Keith Smith, the Pacers have withdrawn their two-way contract offer to forward Enrique Freeman, clearing the way for Peter to stick. Quenton Jackson has already signed a two-way contract and on "Setting the Pace" podcast, Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan gave every indication point guard RayJ Dennis would have one as well. That left one between Freeman — last year's No. 50 overall pick — and Peter, this year's No. 54 pick. 'Really hard not to like Taelon Peter.' Draft's biggest surprise has purpose bigger than basketball Both players had strong performances in the NBA Summer League. Peter averaged 9.5 points per game on 57.1% shooting. Freeman posted double-doubles in each of his last four games and averaged 16.6 points per game on 72.5% shooting and 9.6 rebounds. However, Buchanan told Alex Golden earlier this week that Peter had the edge. "We'll probably be looking at Taelon," Buchanan said. "We haven't decided for sure on that yet. He probably makes sense from that standpoint. We like a lot of things he does as far as playing without the ball, his shooting, his movement. I thought he showed very encouraging signs defending the ball in Las Vegas." Freeman played center for the Pacers in Summer League and got work there in limited minutes for the Pacers last season and his skill set seems best suited for that position. However, at 6-7, 220 pounds he's not quite big enough to play it effectively in the NBA even if he can reliably play it in the G League. "He's on the cusp of being an NBA roster type player," Buchanan said. "His challenge is his position for the NBA. We play him at a lot of 5. He's probably undersized for that for the NBA. He's got a motor. He has a nose for the ball. He's tough. He's smart. It's a tough decision for us, but the backcourt spot is probably more where we need some depth." LISTEN TO THE FULL PODCAST BELOW:
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Pacers' Refusal To Pay NBA's Luxury Tax Could Be Their Achilles' Heel
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 20: Bennedict Mathurin #00 of the Indiana Pacers reacts with Myles ... More Turner #33 and Pascal Siakam #43 during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 20, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) The Indiana Pacers are fresh off one of the most memorable playoff runs in recent NBA history. They repeatedly defied the odds and came within one game of winning this past season's championship, but the good vibes around the team have already faded away. First, star point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, which figures to sideline him for the entire 2025-26 campaign. Things went from bad to worse when free agency began, as the Milwaukee Bucks stole starting center Myles Turner right from under the Pacers' noses by signing him to a four-year, $107 million deal. Ironically, an Achilles injury was also the impetus for Turner's departure from the Pacers. To carve out enough salary-cap space to sign Turner, the Bucks decided to waive-and-stretch nine-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, who tore his Achilles against the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. With star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo reportedly "open-minded about exploring" his future this offseason, the Bucks felt pressure to make another big splash to convince him to stay in Milwaukee. Meanwhile, Haliburton's injury seemingly changed how the Pacers were planning to approach the offseason. Ahead of Game 2 of the Finals, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Turner and the Pacers had "mutual interest in getting a deal done" in free agency. He added that the Pacers had "determined that they will be entering the luxury tax next season for the first time in 20 years," as they wanted "to keep this core intact and give this team a chance to make a real run not only this season, but for the next few seasons coming." One month later, Turner is now on a division rival, and the Pacers suddenly have a glaring question mark at center. Acquiring Jay Huff from the Memphis Grizzlies will give them more frontcourt depth, but they still don't have an above-average starting center on their roster. Luckily, the Pacers did reacquire their own 2026 first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans during the NBA Finals in exchange for the No. 23 overall pick in the 2025 draft. If they decide to intentionally take a gap year in the wake of Turner's departure and Haliburton's Achilles injury, they'll now be able to reap the draft rewards. However, things won't get any easier for them financially moving forward, and that's before considering how they'll find a long-term answer at center. If the Pacers refuse to cross the luxury-tax line upon Haliburton's return in 2026-27, they could effectively be trading an Achilles tendon for an Achilles' heel. New Tax Brackets Most NBA teams are cowering in fear of the league's new second apron, as teams that cross said line face punishing team-building restrictions. Among other things, they can't take back more salary in a trade than they send out, can't aggregate two smaller contracts in a trade to acquire a bigger salary and lose access to any mid-level exception in free agency. The NBA's latest collective bargaining agreement is effectively designed to force expensive rosters into difficult decisions in pursuit of more parity. However, it gave teams below either apron additional flexibility relative to what they had in the past. For instance, they can take back increasingly more salary than they send out in a trade—roughly $8.5 million more in most cases this season—as long as they don't cross the first apron. Beginning in the 2025-26 season, the NBA's luxury-tax rates also became significantly less punitive for teams in either of the first two tax brackets. Teams that are no more than roughly $5.7 million above the tax line will pay only $1 per dollar that they owe in tax, whereas it was previously $1.50 per dollar. Teams in the next tax bracket—roughly between $5.7 million and $11.4 million—will owe only $1.25 per dollar instead of $1.75 per dollar. It escalates quickly from there. Teams in the next tax bracket will owe $3.50 per dollar rather than the $2.50 they owed previously, and teams that are more than $17 million above the tax line will owe at least $4.75 per dollar rather than $3.25. Teams in the repeater tax—i.e., those that have paid the tax in at least three of the past four years—face even harsher rates, although the Pacers likely won't need to worry about that until 2029-30 at the earliest. Teams that cross the tax line do forfeit the distribution that they receive from taxpaying teams, which might have factored into the Pacers' thinking. Rather than pay the tax for a team that isn't likely to contend for a championship this year, they can treat this season as a retool year and collect an eight-figure payday from taxpaying teams in the meantime. However, they might find themselves right back in this same dilemma next offseason. The Pacers' Outlook With 15 players on standard contracts, the Pacers are now roughly $6.1 million below the $187.9 million luxury-tax line. They have yet to touch their $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception or their $5.1 bi-annual exception, but they figure to prioritize staying below the tax line for the 21st consecutive year. The Pacers also need to keep an eye on their long-term outlook. Bennedict Mathurin's extension negotiations this summer could prove particularly illuminating in that regard. Mathurin became eligible for an extension at the start of the new league year. If he and the Pacers can't come to terms on an agreement by the start of the regular season, he'll become a restricted free agent next July. Throughout his three years in Indiana, Mathurin has averaged a solid 15.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 three-pointers per game while shooting 44.6% overall and 34.2% from deep. He started 49 games for the Pacers in the regular season this year and played nearly 30 minutes per game, although he came off the bench for all 22 of their playoff games this year and averaged only 17.5 minutes per game. The Pacers already have Haliburton and Pascal Siakam signed to long-term max contracts that run for at least the next three seasons. They also have Andrew Nembhard and Obi Toppin under contract for the next three seasons, while Aaron Nesmith and T.J. McConnell are signed through at least the next two. If they pick up their team options on Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard, they'll already have roughly $182 million in salary on their books for the 2026-27 campaign, not including their 2026 first-round pick. The NBA recently projected that the 2026-27 salary cap will land at roughly $165 million. If so, that would put the luxury-tax line at around $200 million, while the first apron would be in the neighborhood of $209 million and the second apron would be approximately $222 million. With 12 players under contract, not including Mathurin or a potential starting center, the Pacers would have less than $20 million to spend before crossing the tax line. The non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is projected to be $15.0 million in 2026-27, would wipe all of that wiggle room on its own. However, spending the non-taxpayer MLE hard-caps teams at the first apron, so the Pacers could spend no more than roughly $27 million on players beyond who's currently signed through 2026-27. The Pacers will have full Bird rights on Mathurin, which allows them to re-sign him to any contract up to a max deal even though they're already over the cap. Re-signing your own free agent via Bird rights does not trigger a hard cap at either apron, so the Pacers would likely go that route with him rather than trying to goad him into taking the non-taxpayer MLE. But if they aren't willing to cross over into luxury-tax territory upon Haliburton's return in 2026-27, they'll be forced into making difficult financial choices within the past 12 months. Might they trade Mathurin rather than pony up for his next contract? If they do re-sign him, will Toppin ($15 million in 2026-27) or Nesmith ($11 million) become expendable? Would they look to move off Walker ($8.5 million) if he doesn't make a larger impact in his third season? Or would they be open to an even harder reset around Haliburton by moving Siakam, who turns 32 in April? There's no rule stopping the Pacers from crossing into luxury-tax territory. They could even cross the first apron as long as they didn't hard-cap themselves . That would give them a puncher's chance of retaining the depth that helped them throughout their memorable playoff run. But if they continue to balk at paying the tax, they might find it difficult to keep up with other title hopefuls even once Haliburton returns from his Achilles injury. Unless otherwise noted, all stats via PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM. All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Follow Bryan on Bluesky.
Indianapolis Star
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Pacers granted disabled player exception for Tyrese Haliburton. Here's what that means
Chad Buchanan and the Indiana Pacers know the 2025-26 season will be a challenge with Tyrese Haliburton out with an Achilles tendon tear and center Myles Turner gone to the Bucks, but he's not interested in viewing it as a "gap year." "People will say this is a gap year for the Pacers," the Pacers general manager said this week on the podcast "Setting the Pace" with hosts Alex Golden and Michael Facci. "We don't view it that way. That's never been how we've operated. We go out there to try to compete to win every season. There are certain seasons when circumstances make it difficult. I'm not saying that's what this year is because I think we have a very good core group of guys returning who want to win and had a great experience last year." It's not easy to peg exactly where the Pacers' expectations ought to be, but Buchanan made clear the Pacers do intend to try to make the most of the roster they have and will look at opportunities to improve it after their first NBA Finals run in 25 years. The Pacers only kind of have a roster spot available — they currently have 15 players on standard contracts, but Buchanan noted on multiple occasions center Tony Bradley's contract is not guaranteed so they could waive him without any form of penalty. However, they have multiple exceptions with which they could add players and take on salary if they choose to do so and they have added another one. Missing out on re-signing Turner kept the Pacers below the luxury tax, which means they have access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception which would allow them to sign free agents for up to $14.1 million in first-year salary. The Pacers have not yet used any of that exception. They also applied for and got a disabled player exception for Haliburton, Buchanan said, which serves as another exception worth up to $14.1 million. The NBA doesn't have an injured reserve like the NFL or an injured list like Major League Baseball, so injured players still count against the 15-man roster. The only way a team can go above the 15-man limit is if they are granted a hardship waiver during the season and that requires at least four players to have significant injuries. The league has to approve it by finding it is unlikely the player will be able to return by June 15 of the season in question. The exception allows a team to take on one player through either trade or free agency for that season only and be paid either half of the disabled player's salary or the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, whichever is lower. Haliburton is due $45.55 million this season on a max contract, so the non-taxpayer mid-level is the lower figure. There aren't many players if any remaining on the market who are worth that kind of salary who would want to sign a one-year deal, but the Pacers could obviously use it to take on somebody making much less. Buchanan didn't guarantee the Pacers would even use the exception, but said it was helpful just to have it especially as they try to make sure they have some trustworthy depth at point guard beyond Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell with Haliburton out. "Whether we use it or not, it depends," Buchanan said. "Using the full exception would put us in the luxury tax, which we're not opposed to if it's the right player. But I think if there is another position that we maybe look at — and we're not pursuing it super hard right now — is another point guard." The Pacers took combo guard Kam Jones from Marquette in the second round of the draft with the No. 38 overall pick and they have at least two guards set to be on two-way contracts in Quenton Jackson and RayJ Dennis with Dennis being the most pure point guard of the group. Buchanan said while the Pacers will keep an eye out to improve that position, they're also OK with what they have there. "Part of the strength of our coaching staff is their ability to develop players," Buchanan said. "Those three guys (Dennis, Jackson and Jones) are all relatively young players that we have here for a reason. We believe in them. We like them. We like what they do, how they fit with us." LISTEN TO THE FULL PODCAST BELOW:
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Grading Thunder Players vs. Pacers: Shai Captures Finals MVP In Historical Game 7 Performance
Grading Thunder Players vs. Pacers: Shai Captures Finals MVP In Historical Game 7 Performance originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Oklahoma City Thunder capped a dream season with a 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, capturing the first championship in franchise history since relocating from Seattle in 2008. The victory was fittingly sealed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the 2024-25 regular season MVP, who delivered yet another superstar performance under pressure with 29 points, 12 assists, and five rebounds. Game 7, the 20th in NBA Finals history, was marred early by the loss of Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who exited in the first quarter with what was later described by his father as a suspected Achilles injury. Already battling a calf strain, Haliburton's absence robbed Indiana of its floor general and emotional leader. Despite that devastating blow, the Pacers showed the same grit that defined their playoff run, clawing their way to a 48-47 halftime lead behind the efforts of Bennedict Mathurin, who led the team with 24 points off the bench. But the Thunder, known all season for their ferocious pace, youth, and defense, flipped the game in the third quarter. Their intensity forced eight Pacers turnovers in the period, which they converted into 18 points during a game-changing 34-20 run. In total, Indiana coughed up the ball 23 times, leading to 32 Thunder points, ultimately the defining stat of the night. Oklahoma City's defense smothered the Pacers, holding them to just 41.4% from the field and limiting them to a postseason-low 91 points. The win marks the culmination of a historic campaign for Oklahoma City, who posted a franchise-best 68 regular season victories and the best scoring differential in NBA history at +12.9 points per game. Their 16-7 playoff run included two gritty Game 7 victories and a Finals performance that validated their rise as the league's next great team. Let's provide a rating for every Thunder player who made the court tonight, and the performances from some were simply outstanding. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: A+ Stats: 29 PTS, 5 REB (0 OREB, 5 DREB), 12 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO, 5 PF, 8-27 FG, 2-12 3PT, 11-12 FT, +11, 40 MIN Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a signature performance to clinch the Thunder's first NBA championship, overcoming an inefficient shooting night (8-of-27 FG, 2-of-12 3PT) with elite playmaking, composure, and relentless pressure. He controlled the game with 12 assists and drew contact at will, knocking down 11-of-12 free throws. SGA added five rebounds, two blocks, and a key steal while staying on the floor for 40 minutes. Despite the rough shooting, his +11 plus-minus and poise down the stretch highlight his MVP pedigree. Chet Holmgren: A+ Stats: 18 PTS, 8 REB (2 OREB, 6 DREB), 0 AST, 1 STL, 5 BLK, 0 TO, 3 PF, 6-8 FG, 1-2 3PT, 5-8 FT, +10, 31 MIN Chet Holmgren was a defensive fortress and a model of efficiency, scoring 18 points on just eight shots while swatting away five Pacers attempts. His 6-of-8 shooting included a clutch three and multiple soft finishes inside, and he went to the line for eight free throws. His eight rebounds and presence at the rim discouraged Indiana's interior attack, and his +10 in 31 minutes showed how impactful he was on both ends. The rookie's poise in Game 7 belied his age. Jalen Williams: A Stats: 20 PTS, 4 REB (0 OREB, 4 DREB), 4 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 4 PF, 7-20 FG, 2-7 3PT, 4-6 FT, +13, 38 MIN Jalen Williams added timely buckets and defensive intensity in a gritty Game 7 showing. Though his 7-of-20 shooting wasn't pretty, he racked up 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals while maintaining aggression throughout. His ability to attack off the bounce and make plays in the midrange helped stabilize the Thunder's offense when SGA struggled early. Williams' +13 plus-minus reflected his steady two-way contributions. Alex Caruso: A- Stats: 10 PTS, 3 REB (2 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 3 STL, 1 BLK, 0 TO, 3 PF, 4-10 FG, 2-5 3PT, 0-0 FT, +8, 32 MIN Alex Caruso's Game 7 performance was classic Caruso, tough, timely, and clutch. He drilled two threes and scored 10 points, but his value came on the defensive end, where he grabbed three steals, blocked a shot, and consistently hounded Indiana's guards. He didn't record an assist, but his off-ball cuts and spacing were valuable. His +8 in 32 minutes speaks to his winning impact without stuffing the box score. Isaiah Hartenstein: B+ Stats: 7 PTS, 9 REB (3 OREB, 6 DREB), 4 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 0 PF, 3-4 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-3 FT, +1, 18 MIN Hartenstein played just 18 minutes, but he made them count, pulling down nine rebounds (three offensive) and dishing out four assists while scoring seven points. He anchored the second unit with physicality, smart passing, and efficient finishing (3-of-4 FG). His presence allowed OKC to rest Holmgren without losing interior size or rebounding, and his zero fouls ensured the Pacers couldn't exploit him in pick-and-roll action. Luguentz Dort: B+ Stats: 9 PTS, 7 REB (3 OREB, 4 DREB), 0 AST, 3 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 3 PF, 3-10 FG, 2-9 3PT, 1-2 FT, +12, 35 MIN Dort brought his trademark defense and energy to the floor, grabbing seven boards (three offensive) and pestering Indiana's ball handlers into mistakes. He shot just 3-of-10 from the field and 2-of-9 from deep, but still finished +12 on the night due to his hustle plays, physical screens, and defensive tone-setting. He didn't have an assist, but his defensive focus outweighed his offensive limitations in this one. Cason Wallace: B+ Stats: 10 PTS, 2 REB (2 OREB, 0 DREB), 0 AST, 3 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 3 PF, 4-6 FG, 2-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, +7, 26 MIN Wallace played tough, mistake-free basketball off the bench, contributing 10 points on an efficient 4-of-6 shooting while knocking down two threes. His three steals came from smart anticipation and pressure defense, and his +7 in 26 minutes gave the Thunder a needed boost when SGA sat. He didn't rack up assists or boards, but his two-way activity helped OKC maintain control during critical stretches. Aaron Wiggins: C+ Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, +11, 12 MIN Wiggins had a quiet outing, logging 12 minutes and attempting just one shot. He pulled down a defensive rebound and committed one foul, but largely stayed out of the action. Still, he finished +11 thanks to his positioning and team defense during key minutes in the first half. His limited impact didn't hurt the Thunder, but he wasn't a major factor in the win either. Dillon Jones: N/A Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -4, 1 MIN Jones played just one minute in garbage time, registering no counting stats except for a single foul. His -4 plus-minus came during the final possessions of the game and didn't affect the outcome. It was more of a ceremonial appearance for the rookie than a true playoff contribution. Ousmane Dieng: N/A Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -4, 1 MIN Like Jones, Dieng entered in the closing seconds of the blowout and didn't register any stats. His -4 plus-minus was a result of mop-up duty and shouldn't be used to evaluate his overall playoff showing. Kenrich Williams: N/A Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB (1 OREB, 0 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, -1, 5 MIN Williams logged five minutes and pulled down an offensive board, missing his only shot attempt. Though he didn't have time to make a major imprint on the game, he brought veteran toughness and helped hold the lead steady during a short first-half stretch. Ajay Mitchell: N/A Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -4, 1 MIN Mitchell played one minute and had a single turnover, otherwise failing to register any other stats. The rookie got a taste of the Finals stage but didn't figure into the Thunder's rotation in any meaningful story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Fox News
a day ago
- Automotive
- Fox News
Pacers And Racers: Pascal Siakam Gets Key Role For NASCAR's Brickyard 400
Brickyard 400 fans will get their own glimpse into a Pacers and racers weekend Sunday. Brickyard 400 organizers said Tuesday that Indiana Pacers All-Star Pascal Siakam has been selected as the pace-car driver for this weekend's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The announcement comes almost exactly two months after the Pacers played the New York Knicks in an Eastern Conference final game on the same day as the Indianapolis 500. The events took place just a short drive apart. It was just the fourth time a Pacers and racers doubleheader had taken place in Indy. Now, though, Siakam will get a chance to experience the other part, this time leading the Cup cars to the green flag in a 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS. The race will take place on the historic 2.5-mile oval for the second straight year after it had been run on the track's road course. "Basketball and motorsports — Pacers and racers — go hand in hand in Indianapolis," IndyCar and speedway President Doug Boles said in a statement. "Following the Pacers' electrifying postseason run, it's only fitting to have Pascal join us to pace the field as NASCAR's biggest stars compete to win the In-Season Challenge and add their name to the history books with a win at the Brickyard." Siakam didn't start playing basketball until he was 17 years old. He grew up in Cameroon and the three-time All-Star also is a two-time All-NBA selection and won an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
