Pacers trade rumors & speculation thread

[Scoot McGroot]

They could offer Jackson a QO or they could offer him a 3 yr deal at or about the same money 3yrs $3 million per with raises and not guaranteed for yr 3.

the qualifying offer is on the table. it was reported to be around 6mm.

I think they actually do both. We issue a qualifying offer,... 6.42M,.. by extending the QO, he becomes a RFA. If we don't extend a QO (at the price established by his rookie contract figures), then he becomes a UFA.

Until he signs an offer,... we can negotiate with him to agree a different contract, or he can receive an offer from another team. He could sign a different offer from us, usually longer term. He could sign an offer sheet from another team & we would have the right to match. Or, he could sign the QO, in which case, it's a 1 year contract & he becomes an UFA next summer.

Scoot,... that basically right?

Correct! Also, if he signs the QO, he has a right to refuse any trade, and if traded, would lose Bird Rights with his new team, making it harder to re-sign, and ineligible to extend.

Sorry for the ignoring questions for the last week, yall. Wasn’t on purpose…Had the joy of spending the week in Paris with family and great friends!

[JMaster5K]

the qualifying offer is on the table. it was reported to be around 6mm.

I think they actually do both. We issue a qualifying offer,... 6.42M,.. by extending the QO, he becomes a RFA. If we don't extend a QO (at the price established by his rookie contract figures), then he becomes a UFA.

Until he signs an offer,... we can negotiate with him to agree a different contract, or he can receive an offer from another team. He could sign a different offer from us, usually longer term. He could sign an offer sheet from another team & we would have the right to match. Or, he could sign the QO, in which case, it's a 1 year contract & he becomes an UFA next summer.

Scoot,... that basically right?

that's basically right except we've already extended the QO and KP says we're negotiating which I assume means iJax hopes to get more than the QO. were we offering less, he'd just accept the QO. we could withdraw the QO and make him an UFA but it doesn't sound like we want to do that.

Not necessarily,... the QO is limited to a 1 year contract. So, he could get 6.42M for 1 year,... or, he could lock in say 8M for 3 years? 11M for 4 years?.... He could take that 1 year,.. you are right,.. but generally with guys that aren't in a position to demand a massive increase from the rookie scale,... it's about the tradeoff of money now,... vs. longer term security, more total money,.. but less money per year./

If I had to take a wild guess,... with no supporting information,... I would guess maybe the contract gets settled at something like 12-15M/4? with 5% raises?... He would get a LOT more money than the QO, if there's guaranteed money beyond the first year (which is likely the sticking point,... where does the guaranteed money end & at how much?), he would have a lot more security & more time to make a full come-back?...

[JMaster5K]

duplicate deleted.

[JMaster5K]

the qualifying offer is on the table. it was reported to be around 6mm.

I think they actually do both. We issue a qualifying offer,... 6.42M,.. by extending the QO, he becomes a RFA. If we don't extend a QO (at the price established by his rookie contract figures), then he becomes a UFA.

Until he signs an offer,... we can negotiate with him to agree a different contract, or he can receive an offer from another team. He could sign a different offer from us, usually longer term. He could sign an offer sheet from another team & we would have the right to match. Or, he could sign the QO, in which case, it's a 1 year contract & he becomes an UFA next summer.

Scoot,... that basically right?

Correct! Also, if he signs the QO, he has a right to refuse any trade, and if traded, would lose Bird Rights with his new team, making it harder to re-sign, and ineligible to extend.

Sorry for the ignoring questions for the last week, yall. Wasn’t on purpose…Had the joy of spending the week in Paris with family and great friends!

No worries Scoot! we survived,.. barely,...

Hope you had a great time?.... do anything that was really fun?

at least you know,... that you were missed,...



You didn't mean Paris, IL did you?.... cause that would be really disappointing,...

Oh Yeah! welcome back!

[Scoot McGroot]

I think they actually do both. We issue a qualifying offer,... 6.42M,.. by extending the QO, he becomes a RFA. If we don't extend a QO (at the price established by his rookie contract figures), then he becomes a UFA.

Until he signs an offer,... we can negotiate with him to agree a different contract, or he can receive an offer from another team. He could sign a different offer from us, usually longer term. He could sign an offer sheet from another team & we would have the right to match. Or, he could sign the QO, in which case, it's a 1 year contract & he becomes an UFA next summer.

Scoot,... that basically right?

Correct! Also, if he signs the QO, he has a right to refuse any trade, and if traded, would lose Bird Rights with his new team, making it harder to re-sign, and ineligible to extend.

Sorry for the ignoring questions for the last week, yall. Wasn’t on purpose…Had the joy of spending the week in Paris with family and great friends!

No worries Scoot! we survived,.. barely,...

Hope you had a great time?.... do anything that was really fun?

at least you know,... that you were missed,...



You didn't mean Paris, IL did you?.... cause that would be really disappointing,...

Oh Yeah! welcome back!

Seeing my 7 year old marvel at the views from the top of the Eiffel Tower was pretty wonderful! The Louvre was pretty cool. Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral was heavenly….

[Scoot McGroot]

I think they actually do both. We issue a qualifying offer,... 6.42M,.. by extending the QO, he becomes a RFA. If we don't extend a QO (at the price established by his rookie contract figures), then he becomes a UFA.

Until he signs an offer,... we can negotiate with him to agree a different contract, or he can receive an offer from another team. He could sign a different offer from us, usually longer term. He could sign an offer sheet from another team & we would have the right to match. Or, he could sign the QO, in which case, it's a 1 year contract & he becomes an UFA next summer.

Scoot,... that basically right?

that's basically right except we've already extended the QO and KP says we're negotiating which I assume means iJax hopes to get more than the QO. were we offering less, he'd just accept the QO. we could withdraw the QO and make him an UFA but it doesn't sound like we want to do that.

Not necessarily,... the QO is limited to a 1 year contract. So, he could get 6.42M for 1 year,... or, he could lock in say 8M for 3 years? 11M for 4 years?.... He could take that 1 year,.. you are right,.. but generally with guys that aren't in a position to demand a massive increase from the rookie scale,... it's about the tradeoff of money now,... vs. longer term security, more total money,.. but less money per year./

If I had to take a wild guess,... with no supporting information,... I would guess maybe the contract gets settled at something like 12-15M/4? with 5% raises?... He would get a LOT more money than the QO, if there's guaranteed money beyond the first year (which is likely the sticking point,... where does the guaranteed money end & at how much?), he would have a lot more security & more time to make a full come-back?...

I would imagine Jones and his agent would take the chance that he could make a vet minimum for either of the next two years that he wouldn’t take a 3/8, or 4/11, when he could have a 1/6 and then have 2-3 years to try and make another 2-5m total.

I would imagine that he would take the QO, or he’d require something of at least 2/12, 3/15, or 4/20. Probably shorter, in hopes of re entering free agency for a much larger deal.

[Wizop]

Is a "Huff Stuff" a dunk or a block?

Watch on YouTube

[boomershadow]

Is a "Huff Stuff" a dunk or a block?

Watch on YouTube

Huff stuff is a dunk. Huff snuff is a block, though I dont think it could ever replace a good old SMOTHERED CHICKEN.

[granger05]

Huff stuff is a dunk. Huff snuff is a block, though I dont think it could ever replace a good old SMOTHERED CHICKEN.

Huff scruff is his current facial hair.
Huff puff is when he gets out and runs on the break.
Huff muff is when he botches a play.
Huff gruff is when he refuses to dap up an opposing player.
Huff buff is when he works with Luka's trainer in the offseason.
Huff guff is when he sasses the coaches.
Huff bluff is when he slips a screen.
Huff tough is when he sets a particularly impactful screen.
Huff rough could be something good, but it's a homophone for when he brings his emotional support dog to the arena.
Huff fluff is when he's responsible for bringing team snacks and it's fluffer nutter sandwiches...again.
Huff cuff will probably be his nickname when he wins DPOY. It's like Gary Payton, but instead of being on you like a glove, he's putting you or your whole offense in the huff cuffs.

[Wizop]

Huff stuff is a dunk. Huff snuff is a block, though I dont think it could ever replace a good old SMOTHERED CHICKEN.

haven't been to Maxine's Chicken and Waffles since they moved to the City Market. in fact, I haven't been to the City Market in years. but they used to serve smothered chicken.

[8305]

Turner leaving solved this year's tax problem but next year Nesmith deserves a bump and Mathurin will be a free agent if not extended. that will put us only 16mm below the tax line with two spots including Benn's to fill.

https://www.capsheets.com/indiana-pacers-cap-sheet/

Yeah, I continue to question how Benn fits on this team long term?
When you have the opportunity to extend Nesmith do you want Benn absorbing all the teams cap?

It's not just Benn. It's every team's problem trying to stay under the second apron with two max contracts.

There are teams with worse problems than us. The new CBA will force all GM’s to make tough decisions.
The good news is we have two legit max money players. The bad news is the rest of the roster has a tighter budget.

[basketballwacko2]

Huff stuff is a dunk. Huff snuff is a block, though I dont think it could ever replace a good old SMOTHERED CHICKEN.

haven't been to Maxine's Chicken and Waffles since they moved to the City Market. in fact, I haven't been to the City Market in years. but they used to serve smothered chicken.

Right across the street from the Wheeler Mission on Indianapolis Skid Row.

[basketballwacko2]

Are the Pacers done making moves? Is this the team they're going into the season with?

We know Haliburton is not gonna play in 2025-26, questions are how soon will Wiseman and Jackson be able to play? I'm assuming Kam Jones gets a 4 year deal like Furphy did, I like Quenton Jackson for the 15th spot.

Would the Pacers sign an injury replacement for Haliburton using the Disabled Player Exception?

[Wizop]

Are the Pacers done making moves? Is this the team they're going into the season with?

We know Haliburton is not gonna play in 2025-26, questions are how soon will Wiseman and Jackson be able to play? I'm assuming Kam Jones gets a 4 year deal like Furphy did, I like Quenton Jackson for the 15th spot.

Would the Pacers sign an injury replacement for Haliburton using the Disabled Player Exception?

Kam has signed. The details are somewhere in this forum.

We don't have an open roster spot for Q now. We don't know when Jackson and Wiseman will be 100% and I assume we won't waive Bradley until we know

It turns out the disabled player exception deals only with money. It does not allow a 16th player. You need many more injured players to add a roster spot.

[basketballwacko2]

Are the Pacers done making moves? Is this the team they're going into the season with?

We know Haliburton is not gonna play in 2025-26, questions are how soon will Wiseman and Jackson be able to play? I'm assuming Kam Jones gets a 4 year deal like Furphy did, I like Quenton Jackson for the 15th spot.

Would the Pacers sign an injury replacement for Haliburton using the Disabled Player Exception?

Kam has signed. The details are somewhere in this forum.

We don't have an open roster spot for Q now. We don't know when Jackson and Wiseman will be 100% and I assume we won't waive Bradley until we know

It turns out the disabled player exception deals only with money. It does not allow a 16th player. You need many more injured players to add a roster spot.

I didn't remember if the DPE gave the team another roster spot. They could still let Bradley go and save that money and use the spot on Q.

[JMaster5K]

Chad Buchanan on Setting the Pace podcast.

Watch on YouTube

He did confirm that we have been granted a DPE for Tyrese, said that they wanted the options, but no decisions about using it, not using it. Just there if we have an opportunity & need it.

[Wizop]

He did confirm that we have been granted a DPE for Tyrese, said that they wanted the options, but no decisions about using it, not using it. Just there if we have an opportunity & need it.

I think Alex was confused and thought the DPE created a roster spot which it does not. We've discussed the situation here. My read is that Bradley needs to go to allow one of the 18 to get a standard contract but they don't want to do that before we're sure iJax and Wiseman are ready to play, I do wonder if Q could bring anything on the trade market or if they're willing to give up on RayJ to open spots for Freeman and Peter.

[JMaster5K]

He did confirm that we have been granted a DPE for Tyrese, said that they wanted the options, but no decisions about using it, not using it. Just there if we have an opportunity & need it.

I think Alex was confused and thought the DPE created a roster spot which it does not. We've discussed the situation here. My read is that Bradley needs to go to allow one of the 18 to get a standard contract but they don't want to do that before we're sure iJax and Wiseman are ready to play, I do wonder if Q could bring anything on the trade market or if they're willing to give up on RayJ to open spots for Freeman and Peter.

Yeah,… the guys asked Chad straight about the ‘Dpe roster spot’. Chad said flat out ‘Tyrese still counts against our roster limit. The dpe does not give us a roster spot,’. The folks on this forum had already said it, but he confirmed it.

Chad didn’t give any real clarity on what they were thinking about the bottom of the roster, other than to say that with our backcourt issues & 4 centers under contract, they were leaning, right now, to that 3rd, 2-way being in the backcourt, implying Peter. But, he did say they aren’t likely to actually start making those decisions until camp.

He did mention that waving Bradley was an option, based on how they all played at camp. That would open the roster spot , as you mentioned above, to keep both.

The other part I found interesting, the discussion of Isaiah’s rehab. Apparently he had put on another 25 pounds of muscle? With the 20 he put on before 24-25, that would put him up around 245? Chad did say he had lost about 5 pounds now that he was running & playing on the court. Makes me believe his rehab is going very well, & he might finally have enough mass to bang a little bit & not get pushed around?

This conversation made me go back & look,… the one thing I-Jax, Huff, & Wiseman have over Myles is speed. Might not mean much, but even if our overall game slows a bit (which I don’t think has to be the case?), I think we’ll be pushing it on the front court?

[Wizop]

Tony East on his podcast says he believes the Pacers have pulled Freeman's qualifying offer making him an UFA. Tony says he is trying to get confirmation,

[JMaster5K]

Tony East on his podcast says he believes the Pacers have pulled Freeman's qualifying offer making him an UFA. Tony says he is trying to get confirmation,

Per Keith Smith at Spotrac, 2 days ago.

Enrique Freeman (PF)
Jul 22, 2025 - Indiana (IND) withdrew Qualifying Offer; becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent