Indiana

Do Any Contract Extensions Make Sense For The Indiana Pacers Before The 2023-24 Season?

Published

1 year ago

September 29, 2023

Do Any Contract Extensions Make Sense For The Indiana Pacers Before The 2023-24 Season?

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 10: Daniel Theis #27 of the Indiana Pacers attempts a free throw in … [+] the third quarter against the Phoenix Suns at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on February 10, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

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Training camp begins for the Indiana Pacers early next week, but they still have some offseason business to take care of.

On top of their rookie-scale option decisions, which they have until the end of October to make, the Pacers also have multiple contract extensions to consider. Two of them involve players on rookie-scale contracts while three others are possible with veterans.

Last year, Bojan Bogdanovic, Andrew Wiggins, Larry Nance Jr, and Steven Adams all signed veteran extensions in the month of October. Several young players agreed to rookie-scale extensions as well. Even with the season approaching, front offices still look to straighten out their roster as training camps open up.

For the Pacers, Daniel Theis, T.J. McConnell, and Buddy Hield are all eligible for veteran extensions right now. Once opening night rolls around, Theis and McConnell will no longer be able to have their contracts lengthened (that is, unless Indiana declines Theis’ team option for the 2024-25 season).

Neither Theis or McConnell seem like extension candidates. Both players will turn 32-years old during the upcoming season, and they each are on the edge of Indiana’s projected rotation. Because they are outside of the Pacers timeline, and because they have replacements ascending within the team, an extension for either veteran seems unlikely.

Hield is also over 30, but he has a much more prominent role on the roster. While the current projection is that he will come off the bench for the blue and gold, he is still a valuable piece for the team. He averaged nearly 17 points per game and shot 42.5% from deep on 8.5 attempts per game this past season. He’s a helpful player.

Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan confirmed earlier this week that the team talked with Hield about an extension, but contract discussions are currently at a halt. “The business of basketball comes into play at times. We’ve had talks with him about an extension and those talks are at a halt I’d say right now,” Buchanan said. “That’s not to say that they’re done. We’d like to have Buddy with us. We have no intention of trying to move Buddy. But it’s also our job to listen if opportunities come that help us improve the team. That’s what we have to do as a front office.”

Hield’s base salary is just over $18.5 million this coming season, and he has some attainable bonuses in his contract. As he crosses into his 30s, he may be looking for one more big contract during his career. Typically, older players see their skill level decline, but the Oklahoma product doesn’t rely much on athleticism and is a focused shooter. His game should age well.

How well is the question. A contract extension is effectively an agreement on how much a player will be worth in the future. As the cap rises, a player is worth a bigger percentage of the salary cap in salary, but Hield’s talent level could stagnate or decline as he ages in coming seasons. Those factors are competing against one another.

The seven-year pro may be properly paid right now, and an extension at roughly his current salary for multiple years could make sense. That’s what the Pacers did with Malcolm Brogdon in 2021. But Hield may want more money given his shooting ability and the salary-cap climate. As Buchanan said, this extension discussion may not be done — it wasn’t with Myles Turner and Indiana last season — but someone will have to change their stance. Otherwise, Hield could get traded.

Two Pacers players on rookie-scale contracts, Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin, are also eligible for a contract extension. Both of them were selected in the 2020 NBA draft, so they are able to have their contract lengthened. Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton had his contract extended in this way back in July.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 09: Obi Toppin #1 of the New York Knicks drives around Aaron Nesmith #23 … [+] of the Indiana Pacers in the first half at Madison Square Garden on April 09, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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As a part of the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, both players can have their contract extended for as many as five additional seasons. It can be for up to as much as $260 million, like Haliburton’s deal, though neither player is worth close to that much money. The rising cap environment of the league makes finding the balance of contract length and annual value tricky for young players and teams.

“Both of those guys, Obi and Aaron, are extension eligible. We’ll have conversations with their agents on whether it makes sense or not,” Buchanan said. Each player has until October 23 to extend their contract.

A longer Toppin deal feels unlikely. He could be primed for improvement this year with more opportunity coming his way, but Indiana just hasn’t seen him in their system yet. It’s hard for the team to know how much he is worth without seeing him play.

Toppin may want to wait anyway. Playing alongside Haliburton could make his life easier and improve his numbers, which would make him more valuable than he is right now. Agreeing to a deal soon, instead of waiting for restricted free agency after a season playing with one of the best passers in the league, would be a rushed decision.

“Obi is somebody we haven’t seen on our team yet. I think we would like to see how things play out there,” Buchanan said.

Nesmith is a trickier decision. The young forward was a capable defender on the wing for the blue and gold last season and knocked down 36.6% of his threes. He has the makings of being a three-and-D wing, which is a valuable player archetype.

Generally, young players get better. Teams have to figure out how to pay for a player’s projected improvement without overpaying. Players who are angling for rookie extensions, meanwhile, want to be paid a fair salary for the player they hope to be.

Nesmith’s role with Indiana could be smaller this coming season after the additions of Bruce Brown, Jarace Walker, and Toppin. But he is still a talented young piece with desirable skills. It’s fair to wonder if there is an extension at a slightly higher value than the one Nassir Little received last summer (four years, $28 million) that makes sense for Nesmith. An annual value between $10 and $12 million makes sense.

“Aaron has had one year with us and did a good job for us. It’s got to be the right situation for both sides. We’ll have those conversations,” Buchanan said before noting that there is no rush.

Despite having five players eligible for contract extensions in the lead up to the season, only Nesmith and Hield make sense as extension candidates for the Pacers right now. A Hield deal seems unlikely at this time, though, so Nesmith may be the sole player with a new contract come opening night. In just over three weeks, Hield will be the only one of these players eligible for an extension, so expect a decision — or non-decision — on these extensions soon.

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Five Key Matchups to Watch in Ohio State vs. Indiana

Published

7 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Five Key Matchups to Watch in Ohio State vs. Indiana

On paper, Ohio State has a clear talent advantage over Indiana. But that doesn’t mean the Hoosiers aren’t capable of beating the Buckeyes.

Indiana has performed well above its on-paper talent level all season, winning all of its first 10 games for the first 10-win season in school history. Yes, it’s true that Indiana hasn’t yet beaten a ranked opponent this season, but the Hoosiers have the third-highest average scoring margin in all of college football (25.2 points per game), rank second nationally in points scored per game (43.9) and third nationally in yards allowed per game (255.5).

That means Ohio State must be prepared for one of its biggest tests of the season in all phases of the game as it welcomes the fifth-ranked Hoosiers to Ohio Stadium for its third top-five matchup of the season on Saturday.

In particular, the following five positional matchups bear watching on Saturday. Which team wins the majority of these matchups will go a long way toward determining whether Indiana upsets the second-ranked Buckeyes or Ohio State hands the Hoosiers their first loss.

Ohio State Interior OL vs. Indiana DTs and LBs

Ohio State’s interior offensive line will be the position group under the microscope more than any other when Saturday’s game begins as the Buckeyes play their first game without star center Seth McLaughlin. Carson Hinzman will make his first start of the season at center with Austin Siereveld making his first start since non-conference play as he replaces Hinzman at left guard.

That makes all three positions along Ohio State’s interior offensive line a question mark entering this game as Tegra Tshabola has had plenty of ups and downs in his first season as the Buckeyes’ right guard. All of them have played enough that there’s reason for optimism they won’t be a complete liability, but the lack of the stabilizing veteran presence that McLaughlin provided is a cause for concern.

A bigger test for them specifically might come next week when they faced Michigan’s elite defensive tackle tandem of Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, but the Hoosiers’ interior defenders are plenty capable of challenging them, too. Kent State transfer defensive tackle CJ West has been one of the Big Ten’s best interior defensive linemen this season, recording 30 tackles with five tackles for loss and two sacks through 10 games, and he pairs with fellow starter James Carpenter and James Madison transfer Tyrique Tucker to give the Hoosiers a strong defensive tackle trio that’s combined for 61 quarterback pressures this season, per Pro Football Focus.

One of McLaughlin’s greatest strengths was his ability to get to the second level and make key blocks to spring Ohio State’s running backs up the middle, and Indiana has a quality linebacker group that will test the Buckeyes’ new-look middle of the offensive line in that regard, as well. Aiden Fisher is tied for second among all Big Ten defenders with 98 tackles this season while fellow starting linebacker Jailin Walker has also been productive, recording 59 tackles with four tackles for loss and six pass breakups.

Ohio State OTs vs. Indiana DE Mikail Kamara

Even without McLaughlin’s injury, Ohio State’s offensive line would have been one of the bigger question-mark positions entering this game because of the Hoosiers’ ability to bring pressure up front, especially off the edge.

Indiana leads the Big Ten with 31 sacks this season, and the biggest contributor to that total has been Mikail Kamara, who leads the conference with 9.5 quarterback takedowns. The 6-foot-1, 265-pound James Madison transfer leads the entire FBS with 53 quarterback pressures this season.

Donovan Jackson gave up two sacks to Penn State’s Abdul Carter in his first game at left tackle, and Kamara will be by far the best pass rusher he’s faced since. Right tackle Josh Fryar has been better in pass protection this year than he was last year, but pass blocking is still the weaker part of his game, so the Hoosiers will likely move Kamara around to test both tackles.

“He’s a very talented player,” Jackson said of Kamara. “He knows how to use his abilities well in terms of using hands, being able to turn the corner, which is the reason why his numbers are so good as it is now. So I know that as a unit, we all got our work cut out for us. This is a very talented team, very talented defensive front, and they’re all dialed into what they have to do. They rarely get out of gaps. So we just have to be dialed in on what we have to do to execute the game plan and do what we can to the best of our abilities.”

Ohio State CBs vs. Indiana WRs and Kurtis Rourke

On the other side of the ball, the key to the game for Ohio State could be whether Ohio State’s cornerbacks can keep Indiana’s wide receivers in check. Indiana’s passing offense has been one of the nation’s most effective this season, ranking third in the FBS with 9.9 yards per passing attempt, and the Hoosiers’ wideouts will be the best Ohio State has faced since Evan Stewart and Tez Johnson lit the Buckeyes up in a 341-yard passing day for Oregon.

None of Indiana’s individual receivers are quite as dynamic as Stewart, who had seven catches for 149 yards and a touchdown against Ohio State, but Elijah Sarratt has been one of the Big Ten’s most productive wideouts with 38 catches for 685 yards and six touchdowns. And the Buckeyes can’t key in on just slowing down Sarratt as the Hoosiers have five wide receivers who have all caught at least 24 passes for 289 yards this season.

Denzel Burke has a lot to prove this week after his nightmare of a game in Eugene while Davison Igbinosun has continued to struggle with penalties in his second year with the Buckeyes. They’re both projected to be higher NFL draft picks than any of Indiana’s wide receivers, so they should be capable of winning their matchups along with Jordan Hancock in the slot, but their inconsistency this season makes this matchup one to watch as Kurtis Rourke’s play all season has demonstrated he won’t be afraid to attack any weak spots he can find in the Buckeyes’ defense.

“He’s extremely efficient,” Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said of Rourke. “Calm in the pocket and very efficient. Makes all the throws, gets rid of the ball quickly. In that type of offense, he’s very smart and figures out where the holes of the defense are and takes advantage.”

Ohio State WRs vs. Indiana DBs

While Ohio State’s cornerbacks will be put to the test by Indiana’s receivers, the Buckeyes’ biggest advantage over the Hoosiers may be the matchup between their wideouts and Indiana’s secondary.

Indiana’s passing defense has been good this season, ranking 21st in the FBS with only 183.3 passing yards allowed per game, but the Hoosiers haven’t faced any group of weapons like Ohio State’s trio of Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate. Maryland, the best passing offense Indiana has faced so far this season, threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-28 loss to the Hoosiers.

James Madison transfer D’Angelo Ponds has been excellent as Indiana’s top cornerback this season, holding opponents to only 25 catches for 196 yards and one touchdown on 45 targets (per PFF) with two interceptions and six pass breakups, but he’ll give up significant size to OSU’s receivers at only 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds. That said, he does have the advantage of familiarity with Smith as he was Smith’s high school teammate at Chaminade-Madonna.

D’Angelo Ponds (5) will likely spend most of Saturday’s game covering his former high school teammate, Jeremiah Smith. (Photo: Jacob Musselman – Imagn Images)

Indiana’s run defense has been dominant this season, holding opponents to only 72.2 rushing yards per game, so Ohio State is going to need to be able to make plays in the downfield passing game to open up running lanes. There’s reason to believe the Buckeyes should be well-equipped to do so with their receiving talent, though the ability of Ohio State’s aforementioned offensive line to hold up in pass protection as well as Will Howard’s consistency throwing deep will be factors in whether the Buckeyes can exploit their talent advantage on the perimeter.

Indiana OTs vs. Ohio State DEs

If Ohio State could pick one player from Indiana’s roster to add to its roster right now, it would probably pick Indiana left tackle Carter Smith – who the Buckeyes very likely could have gotten as a recruit if they had offered him out of nearby Olentangy Liberty High School. Instead, the three-star prospect has developed into one of the Big Ten’s best offensive tackles in Bloomington, teaming with Wisconsin transfer right tackle Trey Wedig to give the Hoosiers an excellent tandem on the edge.

For Ohio State to slow down Indiana’s passing attack, it won’t just be about the aforementioned cornerback winning their one-on-one matchups; the Buckeyes also need their pass rush to be much better than it was against Oregon, where Ohio State recorded zero sacks. Ohio State’s pass rush has been better since then, but it’s typically been big games where the Buckeyes have struggled to generate pressure in recent years, and Smith and Wedig will be the best offensive tackle tandem they’ve faced since the trip to Eugene.

Jack Sawyer enters this game on a wave of momentum, having recorded 12 tackles with nine quarterback pressures, a forced fumble and a fumble return for a touchdown in Ohio State’s last two games, while JT Tuimoloau has six tackles for loss in the Buckeyes’ last five games. It would go a long way for Ohio State’s efforts to slow down the Hoosiers’ offense if they can continue to wreak havoc off the edge; if they have a quiet game like they did against the Ducks, Ohio State will be at risk of suffering another loss.

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Indiana

Obituary for Donald Dempsey Ratliff Jr. at Yeager Funeral Home

Published

15 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Obituary for Donald Dempsey Ratliff Jr. at Yeager Funeral Home

Donald Dempsey Ratliff Jr., age 54, of Ligonier, Indiana passed away at 1214 am on November 21, 2024 at Parkview Medical Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was born on April 28, 1970, the son of Donald Dempsey and Gloria Nelson Ratliff in Goshen, Indiana. Don will be greatly missed

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Recap: Stanford WBB falls to Indiana on the road

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Recap: Stanford WBB falls to Indiana on the road

On Sunday, Stanford women’s basketball fell to Indiana on the road by a final score of 79-66. Indiana senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil led the way for the Hoosiers with 21 points while junior guard Shay Ciezki (19 points) and guard Yarden Garzon (18 points) also scored in double figures. Stanford sophomore forward Nunu Agara was the top performer for the Cardinal with 15 points. Indiana improves to 2-2 overall while Stanford falls to 4-1.

BOX SCORE: Stanford at Indiana-Sunday, November 17th

Indiana would lead 24-22 at the end of the 1st quarter. Moore-McNeil was leading the way for the Hoosiers with 10 points. Agara was keeping the Cardinal in it with eight points and two assists.

At halftime, Indiana would lead 42-31. The Hoosiers outscored the Cardinal 18-9 in the 2nd quarter. Moore-McNeil was up to 12 points for the Hoosiers while Garzon had 10 points and five rebounds. Agara was doing her part for the Cardinal with 11 points. She needed more help.

At the end of the 3rd quarter, Indiana led 61-44. Moore-McNeil was up to 19 points for the Hoosiers. Agara had 15 points for the Cardinal, but nobody else was in double figures. It had been a rough outing for the rest of the Cardinal.

In the end, Indiana would win by a final score of 79-66. Stanford tried to close the gap a bit in the 4th quarter, but they were down by too much in the 3rd to mount any sort of real comeback.

For Stanford, this is a bit of disappointing outcome, but what softens it a bit for them is this happened on the road against an Indiana team that started off the season ranked. I think the most disappointing aspect of this for Stanford is the way they lost. They never were in this game as they shot 2-11 from 3-point range while getting outrebounded 35-32.

Up next for Stanford is a home game against Morgan State on Friday at 7:00 PM PT on ACCNX. Stanford will be heavily favored in that one and look to get back in the win column with ease.

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