Image

Best Pacers free agent signings

Moderators: pacers33granger, Grang33r, pacerfan, Jake0890, boomershadow

Grang33r
Forum Mod - Pacers
Forum Mod - Pacers
Posts: 6,103
And1: 611
Joined: May 27, 2007
Location: Buffalo, NY

Best Pacers free agent signings 

Post#1 » by Grang33r » Tue Jul 12, 2022 4:42 am

While we wait for more details about if Deandre Ayton signs with the Pacers or not, I keep seeing on social media if Ayton signs he’ll be the biggest fish the franchise has ever signed in free agency. So I figured we can look past at other FA signings, Indy Star did a great article not that long ago about Pacers history signing free agents. Fun to go back down memory lane:

1. David West, 2011

The only free agent the Pacers have signed who could be considered an elite player. Indiana signed West for $20 million over two years coming off an anterior cruciate ligament tear and his numbers dropped a bit from his New Orleans days, but there was no doubting his impact. Former IndyStar Pacers beat writer Candace Buckner describes him:

"(He had) the reputation of being a fully grown man. He plays like a throwback post player — all butt and body, bruising opponents on the block — and when it's on, his jump shot from the elbow can be counted for two points as soon as it leaves his hand."

West chose the Pacers over a Boston Celtics team that had played in two NBA Finals over the previous four years to serve as a veteran influence on a talented young team.

"The second he got here, you got the feeling that this guy was going to be the one to really change this whole locker room, change this whole team," Paul George said in that 2014 article. "He just brought an edge and a toughness, real leadership the second he got here."

West's leadership was a major factor in Indiana returning to the NBA’s elite teams in 2013 and ’14. West was a power forward who could score — inside or as a mid-range shooter as noted above — when needed but was fine playing defense and rebounding if that’s what the team required. He was also an underrated playmaker (2.8 assists per game).

He opted out of a $12-million contract with the Pacers to sign with the Spurs in 2015 for $1 million, then went to Golden State and was a key reserve in their championship run.


Link- Check out this article from IndyStar:

Ranking every free agent the Pacers have signed

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2017/06/28/pacers-free-agency-ranking-every-player-they-have-signed/421879001/
The first rule of Basketball: Believe.
Follow on twitter @Grang33r

Return to Indiana Pacers