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Indianapolis Star
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Tyrese Haliburton thought he was in the clear for Game 7. Then, snap. 'That happening definitely sucked'
Tyrese Haliburton knew going into Game 7 of the NBA Finals an Achilles tendon tear was the worst-case scenario on the list of things he was risking by playing through a calf strain. The Pacers' two-time All-NBA point guard knew what sensation to expect if that were to occur, so when he tried to drive but instead crumpled to the ground with 5:02 to go in the first quarter, he knew exactly what he was in for. "There was definitely a cause of concern that that could happen," Haliburton said Tuesday on ESPN's Pat McAfee Show in his first public interview since the injury and the Pacers' loss. "You always hear people who have this injury say it feels like somebody kicked you in the back of the leg. It's not the most painful thing, but it does feel like if you let some elementary-age kid just come up and line you up like a kickball and just kick you in the back of the leg. That's what it feels like. When I went down, I knew right away what had happened." And Haliburton said at the moment he wasn't thinking about all the work he'd put into helping the Pacers reach the NBA Finals and all the rehab that was coming as he will miss all the 2025-26 season. His emotions came from just knowing he wouldn't be able to close out Game 7 after hitting three 3-pointers to start the game. "I think I was just hurt that I wasn't going to be out there," Haliburton said. "I think it was all those emotions coming at once, but I wasn't thinking about next year or what's led up to this. All I was thinking about was being in the moment of Game 7 and that happening definitely sucked." The Achilles tendon tear was the culminating event in a series of lower right leg issues for Haliburton during the Finals. He was seen limping away from the podium after his news conference in Game 2. He said he was feeling some pain in the back of his leg and said he thought he was dehydrated because he generally doesn't drink enough water on gamedays. He underwent treatment leading up to the next three games but was fine until Game 5 when he fell again trying to drive past Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren. He ended up scoring just four points on 0-of-6 shooting in that game. "Right there I felt a pull in the back of my calf," Haliburton said. "Now that's all I'm thinking about all game, that's what I'm concerned about is my leg." The next day Haliburton had an MRI and he was told by doctors if it was the regular season he would have had to sit out a few weeks. But it was not the regular season and the Pacers were facing elimination heading into Game 6, so he wanted to play. "I'm sitting there and I'm like, 'Well as long as you guys don't tell me absolutely you can't play, we're gonna keep you in your house,' I'm gonna play," Haliburton said. "It's the NBA Finals. What are we talking about?" Haliburton said he had to pass a calf stress test before the Game 6 and passed. The Pacers won 108-91 and he only had to play 23 minutes in the blowout. He felt even better than he expected after Game 6 and heading into Game 7 didn't feel like he had any problems at all. "After Game 6, I'm like 'it's done, it's gone, adrenaline is going to get to me, I'm going to be good,'" Haliburton said. "I go to Game 7, I feel nothing. I feel great going into the game. I think that's why I had a great start to the game. My body felt great. Then obviously, that happens in the end." Haliburton said he tried walking off because when Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon in 2013, he not only walked off the floor, he also shot two free throws before the Lakers fouled to get him out of the game. He found out quickly, however, that it wasn't an option. "I was on the ground, I was like, 'Let me walk,'" Haliburton said. "'Kobe walked. I'm walking.' So when I got up and went to take a step, there was no chance. I was like, 'Don't touch me, I'm gonna walk.' When I went to move my leg, it's like dead weight at the end of your leg. So the fact that Kobe shot a free throw and walked off is unbelievable. It's unbelievable. Certain guys have walked off, but when I went to take a step, that's when the guys threw the towel over me because my face was just like (shocked). I couldn't believe what was actually happening in the moment." Haliburton is now four weeks past his surgery and still getting around on a motorized scooter so actual rehab on the leg is still a long way off. He has a huge support group including fellow NBA stars who either are going through the injury or have in the past. He said he's been in fairly constant contact with Kevin Durant — who tore his Achilles tendon in the 2019 NBA Finals. Durant came to Indiana to visit Haliburton at his house days ago. Haliburton has also been constantly speaking with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who tore his Achilles in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Knicks. Tatum's timeline is a little ahead of Haliburton's but they'll both miss all of next season. While he's still getting around on a scooter and keeping the leg mostly elevated, he's barely touched a basketball. He's been a constant presence at Fever games and was at the WNBA All-Star Game and it's associated events in Indianapolis all weekend and he's spent a lot of his time at home playing video games. One thing he can do, however, is work on his upper body, which his helpful because Haliburton has always been slight of build and has struggled to put on muscle. All this time without basketball and without much in the way of cardio work should allow him to do that. "I started lifting two weeks ago upper body," Haliburton said. "I'm in a hoodie, you can't tell, but I'm jacked under this hoodie. Bulking season." Haliburton saw two teammates work their way back from Achilles tendon tears throughout last season in Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman, but those two were backup centers and Haliburton is the face of the franchise. Their presence around the team was occasional until their rehab progressed to on-court work. Haliburton will want to make sure he's around the facility on and off the court as much as possible. "I haven't even thought about what the season will call for," Haliburton said. "I probably won't be traveling as much early in the year depending on what stage of rehab I'm in. But I still want to be around the guys as much as possible. I think I want to take this time to keep growing my mind for the game. Being around coach (Rick) Carlisle. Sit in on coaches meetings. (Kevin) Pritchard, talking to those guys and helping. I feel like I have a pretty decent basketball mind myself. So I'm just trying to help the guys as best as I can. I'm going to be on the bench as soon as I can walk." But his biggest focus, of course, is just getting back for the 2026-27 season and try to get the Pacers back to where they were. "I'm going to fight like hell to get back and hopefully get this opportunity to win a championship again," Haliburton said. "But that's not guaranteed. That feeling definitely sits with me sometimes and that sucks, but I can't really control the past. I can't control what's to happen in the future. All I can do is just attack this rehab as best as I can and figure it out that way."
Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
T.J. McConnell on Tyrese Haliburton not recognizing him, Indiana Pacers run to NBA Finals
Tyrese Haliburton didn't recognize T.J. McConnell when he joined the Indiana Pacers, but he had a good reason. McConnell wrote a story for The Players' Tribune recalling the Pacers' season, which ended with a Game 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. He cleared the air about a post-Game 7 moment as he headed back to the locker room ("Not my mom") and wrote about the team's approach to rallying from late deficits. He also had an anecdote about Haliburton's arrival in a trade with the Sacramento Kings in February 2022. COVID-19 protocols were still in place around the Pacers' practice facility. Get IndyStar's book celebrating the Pacers' playoff run "Alright … so I'm a 6'1" white guy in his mid-30s. In other words, I'm not exactly stopping traffic as this NBA player people recognize. And that's just me on a normal day. You can imagine, on a day when I'm wearing a hat? I'm almost definitely not getting recognized. And during COVID, when you added a mask to the mix — nah, forget it. I was pretty much fully anonymous. "And all that is to say: It's not Tyrese's fault. But on his first day in Indy after he got traded, as he was walking through the facility, he and I crossed paths. And I've got my hat on, my mask up … I'm chilling. I'm not even thinking about that, though. So of course I just go right up to him, real excited, and I'm like, 'Tyrese!!! What's up brother. How are you??? Bro, welcome to Indy. "Yeah, Tyrese did not know who I was. He was very friendly, but 1000% thought I was some guy who works on the business side. Then a few awkward seconds passed, until eventually I realized what was going on. I took my hat off, pulled my mask down, and we started laughing so hard." McConnell knows a lot of NBA fans think the Pacers are out of title contention for the 2025-26, considering Haliburton's injury and Myles Turner's departure to Milwaukee. McConnell believes everyone should have learned from the season that just ended. "Replacing Myles will be tough. Playing without Tyrese will be … whatever is tougher than tough. But you know that feeling we all started to have as the playoffs went on — how there's just something about this team? Man, I promise you: That feeling was real. "And we're going to work like hell to feel it again soon." Please read the full article here: It Was Awful, It Meant Everything by T.J. McConnell | The Players' Tribune
Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
A Furphy leap, 3rd PG and final roster spot: What we learned about Pacers in Summer League
The Indiana Pacers weren't an NBA Summer League headliner for obvious reasons. As tends to be the case, the Eastern Conference champions' success meant they weren't sending marquee names to Las Vegas. The Pacers had just two players on the summer roster who will start the season on standard, full-time contracts. Both of them — wing Johnny Furphy and guard Kam Jones — were second-round picks as the Pacers did not have a first-round pick in either of the past two drafts. They didn't have a single first-round pick on the Summer League roster and their leading 2024-25 scorer on the roster was two-way contract guard Quenton Jackson, who played just one summer game before he was effectively shut down with leg soreness. Accordingly, the Pacers played just one of their five games in Las Vegas' Thomas & Mack Center — which has a much larger seating capacity than Cox Pavilion, the alternative court — and that game didn't happen until Thursday when the much bigger crowds from the first weekend had dispersed. Ultimately, little about how the Pacers will function in 2025-26 with All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton injured and stalwart center Myles Turner moved on to Milwaukee was determined in the desert. But that's not to say nothing in Vegas mattered. There were at least a few notable developments that could affect the end of this year's roster and the Pacers' future. They also went 3-2, a good showing for a team that wasn't anywhere near the best in the event. Here are five things we learned about the Pacers in the Summer League: Insider: Ranking Pacers' most important players for 2025-26 Coach Rick Carlisle and the Pacers spent much of this season joking about Johnny Furphy's baby face that makes him look even younger than his 20 years, but they also made a point to note he was progressing quickly and he was tougher than he looks. Furphy didn't get to play much in the way of meaningful minutes outside of November and December when the Pacers were injury riddled and needed wing depth and the season's final two games once they'd clinched home-court advantage in the playoffs' first round. However, the Australian's athleticism and grit flashed and his physical development was clear as the season went on. By the time he went to Vegas, Furphy had put on 20 pounds of muscle according to president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard. The added confidence that came with a bulked up frame made him more aggressive going to the rim throughout the three games he played. That showed up most in his windmill dunk for the ages in which he posterized Bulls lottery pick Noa Essengue in possibly the most impressive slam of Summer League but he had other dunks and other finishes through contact. Furphy averaged 11.3 points per game and shot 52% from the floor, but that number was lower because he struggled from beyond the arc. He made 10-of-13 2-point shots (76.9%) with most of those coming at the rim. He averaged 4.0 rebounds per game and the Pacers would like to see that number higher, but a number of those were boards he had to fight for. Furphy's 3-point shooting still leaves something to be desired as that was considered a strength when he was drafted and hasn't necessarily been one yet. He made just 3-of-12 3s in Las Vegas (25%) after he made just 15-of-50 (30%) in the regular season. Still, Furphy made a case he could be trusted to take on second-unit minutes at one of the forward positions in 2025-26. If everyone outside of Haliburton is healthy when the season starts, he probably won't be in the opening night rotation with Ben Sheppard, Jarace Walker and Obi Toppin likely to be in positions 2-4 on the second unit. However, if there's an injury at any of the wing positions, Furphy could hear his number called and the Pacers will be looking to get him minutes when they can. The Pacers traded back into the draft and took Kam Jones of Marquette in the second round with the No. 38 overall pick in part because Jones played point guard for the Golden Eagles as a senior and the Pacers need depth there after Haliburton's injury. That being said, if the Pacers' had to play an NBA game tomorrow, their third option at point guard behind Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell would be a player on a two-way contract. RayJ Dennis — who appeared in 11 games with the Pacers last year compared to 36 G League games — started at point guard in four of the Pacers' five Summer League games and the comfort he earned in the Pacers system was evident. With him at the helm, the Pacers' Summer squad functioned very similarly to the regular season and playoff edition. He obviously wasn't dealing with nearly the same level of offensive talent or working against nearly the same level of defensive prowess, but he kicked the ball ahead to keep the Pacers attacking in transition and kept it moving from side to side when they were in the half court. The 6-2, 180-pound right-hander has a tight handle and is seemingly no less comfortable going to his left or passing with his left hand than he is with his right and that's helpful in keeping the ball popping. In four games, Dennis posted 29 assists against 15 turnovers. His 7.3 assists per game put him in a tie for first place in the Summer League with Oklahoma City's Nikola Topic as of Friday night. He also averaged 15.8 points per game on 42% shooting, knocking down 40% of his 3-point attempts (10-of-25) showing some serious range on some of those 3s. Defensively, Dennis can still get picked on from time to time, though he does have good hands for steals and registered seven in his four games. Nembhard and McConnell don't have to worry about their jobs, but the Pacers will have more reason to make sure he's dressed for games as an emergency option. The Pacers will certainly hope to develop Jones so they can have a standard contract player ahead of a player on a two-way deal, but if either Nembhard or McConnell miss time while Jones is getting his feet under him, Dennis might be the one running the second unit. The fact the Pacers announced Quenton Jackson's two-way contract at the same time they announced Kam Jones' standard contract seemed to be a sign the Pacers know how important Jackson can be with Haliburton out. The 6-5 guard will turn 27 before the season starts and hasn't been on a standard contract in three seasons since leaving Texas A&M, but he showed last year even on a two-way deal he can make a difference. He started seven games in November when Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and Sheppard were all injured and he posted a 24-point scoring outing against the Rockets and scored 12 against the Pelicans in a four-point win. He also scored 21 in the season's final game, helping to lead a remarkable comeback win over the Cavs in two overtimes to get the Pacers to 50 wins on the season. Jackson played just one game in Las Vegas, but he made it count with 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting to go with three assists and two steals, again leading an comeback win over the Cavs after they were down 16 in the first game of the event. The Pacers still managed to win three games, but they never seemed as dangerous as they did when they had Jackson causing havoc on both ends. Again, he'll still be on a two-way deal and he'll likely make a bigger impact in the G League for the Noblesville Boom than he will for the Pacers, but it's possible to imagine a scenario where he can find himself on a standard contract by year's end. Dennis is better built to handle point guard duties, but Jackson's length and ability to defend still make him the two-way player most likely to be trusted by Carlisle. In Las Vegas, Jones proved to be everything he was advertised to be. The left-hander from Marquette is a natural scorer with a dizzying array of spin moves and pivots and other methods to get into the paint and score. He can finish at the rim with either hand and he has good touch on floaters and pull-ups. He's streaky as a 3-point shooter, but he does have range well above the 3-point arc. He can occasionally get too focused on finding his own shot, but he did grow a lot as a distributor as a senior at Marquette when he took the point guard job with Tyler Kolek moving onto the NBA. That skill set showed up in Vegas as Jones averaged 13.5 points and 5.2 assists per game in four games. That included a 21-point, 11-assist performance in a win over the Knicks when Dennis was not playing and the Pacers were focused on getting Jones work at the point. He was 21-of-43 from the floor (48.8%) and 6-of-18 from 3-point range (33.3%) meaning he was 15-of-25 (60%) inside the arc. All of that suggests his crafty game translates to at least the Summer League level and has potential to translate to the NBA. Still, there were moments when he forced action and made ill-advised shots or home-run passes into traffic. Defensively he had some positive moments and was willing to guard 94 feet, but there were times he was swallowed up on screens or put on skates by opposing ball-handlers. He had seven steals in four games which shows some opportunism, but the ball was on the floor a lot in the Pacers' Summer League games, so that's only so impressive. Jones has some time to work on everything he learned in Summer League and he does have a standard contract which gives him an obvious advantage. That being said, there probably is some time in Noblesville in his future and he does have work to do to to make himself a more trustworthy defender than Jackson and floor leader than Dennis. With Jackson and Dennis' positions assured, there's one two-way contract left and an incumbent and a challenger for it. Forward Enrique Freeman and Taelon Peter are both late second-round picks from mid-major schools with fascinating stories of perseverance and each made a good case to be part of the 18-man roster. Freeman was the Pacers' most consistent player in the Summer League, playing all five games and posting double-doubles in each of the last four. He was effective both rolling and popping off of ball screens and he rebounded on both ends of the floor. He continues to have his limits on defense as he's undersized for a center and not quite sharp enough on the perimeter to keep ball-handlers in front of him, but he dependably scores at the rim and rebounds. The 6-7, 220-pounder finished Summer League play with 16.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game and shot 72.5% from the floor. Meanwhile, the 6-4 Peter showed how he led Division I in true shooting percentage this season at Liberty. He was dynamite in transition and around the rim and showed reliable shooting range. He averaged 9.5 points per game on 57.1% shooting, He was just 4-of-15 from 3-point range but showed a smooth stroke that projects to be much better over time. Both seem deserving of two-way deals, but Peter seems to have an edge because he's this year's second-round pick and because the undersized Freeman functions as a center but with power forward size. Freeman would probably be the more effective of the two for the Boom, but Peter might have a better chance to add something for the Pacers. Of the players not in the mix for Pacers roster spots — be they standard or two-way — forwards Phillip Wheeler and Robert Baker appeared to help themselves the most. Wheeler started all five games and averaged 13.2 points per game, which put him fifth on the squad behind Jackson, Freeman, Dennis and Jones. The long-armed 6-8 forward — who went straight to the G League after high school — effectively used Summer League to show how hard and how relentlessly he could drive to the rim. He put defenses in constant conflict and when he didn't finish, he drew fouls. He made 52% of his field goals (18-of-34) but also got to the line for 31 free throws and made 28 of them. He also showed some defensive value with six blocks and 16 rebounds in five games. Baker, also a G League journeyman who played four years at Harvard, scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the Pacers' fifth game, a win over the Pelicans. The 6-10 big man averaged 11.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in four games. He showed he could finish at the rim with both hands, but also made 6-of-17 3s including 4-of-10 in the fifth game. He also blocked three shots and recorded five steals and showed defensive versatility in the pick-and-roll game, staying in front of ball-handlers when he had to switch. For both Wheeler and Baker, the goal would seem to simply be finding another G League job or perhaps a lucrative overseas opportunity. Both at least proved they could help the Noblesville Boom. Isaac Yacob, the Pacers' assistant coach for player development, took his first turn as the Pacers' Summer League head coach and accelerated his rise on the Pacers' staff. Yacob was a video coordinator with the Kings for three years including Haliburton's two seasons and developed a close relationship with the All-Star point guard there. He joined the Pacers in 2022 as a video coordinator for Haliburton's first full season, and he's still Haliburton's closest confidante on the staff. But he's aided in the development of the rest of the roster as well, which helped him earn this opportunity. He made the most of his Summer League chance by making sure the summer Pacers' style nearly matched the big club's style even with so few varsity players on the roster. Heading into Saturday's action, the Pacers led the NBA Summer League in scoring with 102.0 points per game in games that last 40 minutes instead of the standard 48 in regular season games. They also ranked second in field goal percentage (.488), eighth in 3-pointers (11.0 per game) and third in assists (22.8 per game). They weren't great defensively, allowing 105.0 points per game, but they did average 9.8 steals per game — 11th in the Summer League — showing opportunism that helped them run in transition. The ball movement, player movement, offensive pace and defensive pressure that has made the Pacers such a difficult team to play and prepare for over the past three seasons was all clearly present in a team that had its first practice together on the Fourth of July. Creating that level of buy-in and cohesion on that short of a timeline isn't easy and it speaks well for Yacob and the rest of the Summer League staff that they were able to pull it off.
Indianapolis Star
4 days ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
3 takeaways: Robert Baker makes case for Boom; RayJ Dennis, Enrique Freeman finish strong summer
Forward Robert Baker scored 26 points and posted 10 rebounds to lead the Pacers to a 113-104 win against their Pelicans in their fifth and final game in the NBA Summer League this season. The Pacers finished Summer League play 3-2. The Pelicans finished 0-5. Forward Phillip Wheeler added 19 points for the Pacers. Point guard RayJ Dennis posted 15 points and 11 assists. Forward Enrique Freeman had 14 points and 10 rebounds and guard Keisei Tominaga had 12 points. Insider: Ranking Pacers' most important players for 2025-26 Here are three key takeaways. Robert Baker has been bouncing back and forth between the G League and international basketball since graduating from Harvard as a 4.5 points-per-game career scorer in 2020. There's obviously not space for him with the Pacers as all 15 standard contracts appear to be spoken for and there are four players battling for the three two-way contracts. However, the multi-talented 6-10 forward made a case he deserves to be on a professional roster somewhere for the 2025-26 season, and the Noblesville Boom would seemingly be lucky to have him. Baker took advantage of the opportunities in Game 5 of the Summer League and scored his 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 4-of-10 behind the arc. He's been a willing shooter throughout the event, hitting 2-of-7 3s in his first three games, but this time he found a rhythm and stuck with it. His other seven field goals all game in the paint, and he showed he could finish at the rim with either hand and showed good touch in the mid-paint area. He hit a wild turnaround jumper right before the buzzer in the third quarter and got a friendly roll to make it happen. Baker also made a difference on the glass with his 10 rebounds including nine on the defensive end. He added three assists, two steals and two blocks and showed good awareness as a pick-and-roll defender as well, showing a capacity to switch and keep ball-handlers in front of him. In 25 minutes and 38 seconds off the bench, Baker posted a +15 plus-minus rating. RayJ Dennis sat out Thursday's game against the Knicks, but the Pacers apparently decided they wanted to see him play in another game at the point and he got an even more extended look with guards Kam Jones, Taelon Peter and Quenton Jackson all sitting out as well as wing Johnny Furphy. Dennis continued to show command of the Pacers' offense, keeping the ball popping as he did in the Pacers first and third games in Summer League. Whipping passes with either hand, he dished out 11 assists against just three turnovers as the Pacers posted 29 total assists on 42 field goals against 11 turnovers. He scored his 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting including 3-of-7 from 3-point range with those 3s coming from serious distance with one of them coming from just inside the logo. The former Baylor point guard is apparently a safe bet to maintain the two-way contract he got last season and he's done enough in the Summer League to make the case he can be trusted to run the offense in at least limited minutes for the Pacers as they navigate the 2025-26 season without injured Tyrese Haliburton. Meanwhile Enrique Freeman continues to make the best case he can to hang on to his two-way spot as he finished Summer League with four straight double-doubles. He scored his 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting with all of his buckets coming in the restricted area. He grabbed 10 rebounds with three on offense and added an assist, a steal and two blocks. He finishes the Summer League with 16.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game and he shot 72.5% from the floor. Like Baker, Phillip Wheeler made a case for a job during his time with the Pacers and there might be a place for him on the Boom. The 6-8 wing with four years of G League work under his belt at age 23 scored 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting. He hit 1-of-2 3-pointers and also knocked down all six of his free throws. He draws a lot of those because of how hard he goes at the rim. Wheeler was relentless on the dribble drive throughout the Summer League. He started all five games and averaged 13.2 points per game, shooting 52.9% from the floor and knocking down 28-of-31 free throws. He also blocked six shots in five games with athleticism and wingspan helping him protect the rim. Again, there doesn't seem to be any space for him at the NBA level, but someone should be able find a spot for him and that someone could be the Boom. Thursday, July 10: Pacers 116, Cavs 115 (takeaways; box score) Saturday, July 12: Thunder 104, Pacers 85 (takeaways; box score) Monday, July 14: Bulls 114, Pacers 105 (takeaways; box score) Thursday, July 17: Pacers 91, Knicks 88 (takeaways; box score) Friday, July 18: Pacers 113, Pelicans 104
Indianapolis Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
3 takeaways: Kam Jones gets shot at PG, Enrique Freeman keeps impressing in two-way contract race
Rookie guard Kam Jones posted 21 points and 11 assists and forward Enrique Freeman had 18 points and 10 rebounds to help the Pacers outlast the Knicks 91-88 Thursday in their fourth NBA Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The Pacers, who led by as many as 17 points, improved to 2-2 in NBA Summer League. The play their last game in the event at 9 p.m., Friday against the Pelicans. The Knicks fell to 1-3. Buddy Boeheim added 12 points for the Pacers. Forward MarJon Beauchamp led the Knicks and all scorers with 28 points. Guard Tyler Kolek added 14 points. Insider: Ranking Pacers' most important players for 2025-26 Here are three key takeaways. Kam Jones spent his first three years at Marquette playing shooting guard while Tyler Kolek played point, then moved over his senior year to take the point guard job when Kolek left for the NBA. It was somewhat fitting, then, that Jones played the first three games of his first NBA Summer League at shooting guard until the Pacers played Kolek's Knicks. Two-way contract point guard RayJ Dennis sat out the Pacers' fourth game of Summer League along with two-way guard Quenton Jackson and standard contract wing Johnny Furphy. Dennis had been handling point guard duties primarily for the first three games and his absence allowed Jones more time to run the offense. Just as he did at Marquette, Jones showed a capacity to create for himself and others with crafty drives to the lane, smooth spin moves, good touch on the floaters and the ability to score with either hand at the rim. He has some shooting range, though he's occasionally streaky, and that also played a part in his game Thursday. He finished with 21 points on 9-of-19 shooting including 2-of-7 from 3-point range. He dished out 11 assists to one turnover and also recorded a steal and three rebounds. That said, Jones had some defensive lapses and forced some action both as a shooter and a passer in the second half. There were some plays when he didn't even look to pass and forced shots and others when he threw home-run passes into traffic. He also got burned by Kolek a few times, allowing an easy layup on a backdoor cut at one point and then allowing him space for a game-tying jumper late in the game. Still, Jones came through down the stretch, particularly with a pocket-pass dish off an elbow pick-and-roll to Freeman for a layup that tied the score at 88 with 39 seconds to go. The Pacers got a stop on the next possession and then hit three free throws that ended up making the difference. Enrique Freeman was the only player who spent last season on a two-way contract for the Pacers last season who was still on the floor for the Summer League's fourth game, and that suggests his position is the most tenuous. Jackson's two-way deal for next season has already been announced and with All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton out for the season with an Achilles tendon tear, Dennis seems safe as he brings point guard depth. But Freeman seems to be locked in a battle with No. 54 overall pick Taelon Peter, the surprise choice out of Liberty who has acquitted himself well in his first Summer League. Positional concerns might help Peter more as the Pacers have four centers under contract plus four players who can handle power forward in Pascal Siakam, Obi Toppin, Johnny Furphy and Jarace Walker. The 6-7 Freeman clearly functions as a small-ball center and the Pacers have four bigger options at the 5 as they're trying to replace Myles Turner. That said, Freeman made some contributions to the Pacers in 2024-25 and more for the Mad Ants, and he made a good case to be kept around on Thursday. Freeman posted 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting and hit on one of his two 3-point attempts. He was 3-of-6 at the line, and though he missed two free throws with five seconds to go that could have put the game away a little earlier, the two he hit with 28 seconds to go ended up holding up as the difference. He was a force on the glass and the offensive rebound he grabbed to earn those two free throws turned out to be the game's most important play. He also had four assists and a key blocked shot. Freeman's fate might come down to whether the Pacers want more depth in the frontcourt or on the wing and he'd be a lot safer if he were 6-9 or 6-10. But he continues to do what he does well and the fact he was still showing real investment with the Pacers already eliminated from Summer League playoff contention helps his cause. The final games of the Summer League when the top players have been shut down allow for players to fight for organizational depth positions — in other words, G League spots — as well as opportunities in other organizations including those overseas. With Furphy, Jackson and Dennis out, the Pacers had a few players at that level step up with some strong moments that might help them earn spots on the Noblesville Boom or elsewhere. Buddy Boeheim — the former Syracuse star and son of Orange coaching legend Jim Boeheim — got the start at small forward and scored 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting including 3-of-5 from beyond the 3-point arc, which tracks for a player who hit 309 career college 3-pointers. Guard Hunter Maldonado, a former Wyoming star, played 24 minutes off the bench and made an impact with his defense. He scored seven points but also grabbed four rebounds and three steals and made Beauchamp's life a little harder in the second half. Former Creighton guard Steven Ashworth has had some struggles in this event, but he hit a pair of 3-pointers off the bench and dished out four assists. Former East Carolina star RJ Felton and former Tennessee star Josiah Jordan-James — who spent last season with the Mad Ants — each hit key 3-pointers. Thursday, July 10: Pacers 116, Cavs 115 (takeaways; box score) Saturday, July 12: Thunder 104, Pacers 85 (takeaways; box score) Monday, July 14: Bulls 114, Pacers 105 (takeaways; box score) Thursday, July 17: Pacers 91, Knicks 88 Friday, July 18: Pacers vs. Pelicans, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
