Day 1 of the Indiana Pacers Free Agency
The Indiana Pacers entered free agency with four free agents, T.J. McConnell, Doug McDermott, JaKarr Sampson and Cassius Stanley. The Pacers were hoping to re-sign McConnell and McDermott to multi-year deals however, the Pacers only had cap space to bring one of them back. The Pacers tendered the qualifying offer to Cassius Stanley who the Pacers used their second round pick on last year, which makes Stanley a restricted free agent. JaKarr Sampson is an unrestricted free agent and it doesn’t seem likely the Pacers will re-sign him.
The Pacers got it going early in free agency re-signing McConnell to a four-year, $35 million contract 15 minutes into free agency. This was a great free agent signing for the Pacers after McConnell played the sixth-man role very well last season. McConnell will return to that role as the Pacers have not signed or traded for any other point guards. McConnell will get paid $8.75 million a year.
The Pacers made one other move in free agency which came as a surprise, which was the signing of Phoenix Suns forward Torrey Craig to a two-year, $10 million contract. Craig signed to the Pacers mid level exception spot and was brought in as McDermott’s replacement. Craig adds a defensive help and a veteran presence to the team and Craig will fit in right behind T.J. Warren.
With the Pacers signing McConnell and Craig there were not any roster spots available, including two-way spots, which meant that McDermott wasn’t going to be brought back, and he later signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs. McDermott will get to come off the bench behind Keldon Johnson and McDermott will provide some much needed 3-point shooting for the Spurs.
