Sources: Pacers, Smith agree on 2 years, $9.6M

Free-agent heart Jalen Smith has agreed to a two-year, $9.6 million deal to return to the Indiana Pacers, sources advised ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday.

A former top-10 choose within the 2020 NBA draft by the Suns, Smith’s profession in Phoenix ended after only one full season as he was traded to the Pacers in a commerce deadline deal for Torrey Craig.

The Suns determined to not choose up Smith’s staff possibility of $4.7 million for 2022-23 after the younger ahead’s rookie season, which made him a free agent this summer time. It was a stunning transfer; hardly ever will a staff surrender management of a prime choose that early in his profession.

Smith, 22, blossomed with extra taking part in time in Indiana, averaging 13.4 factors, 7.6 rebounds and 1 block whereas capturing 53% from the sphere and 37.3% from 3 in 22 video games.

The Pacers, who agreed to commerce guard Malcolm Brogdon to the Boston Celtics earlier Friday, have spent the previous a number of months realigning their roster round a younger core that now contains Smith, Tyrese Haliburton and 2022 first-round choose Bennedict Mathurin.