Woj: Craig to Phoenix for Jalen Smith/2nd

[Scoot McGroot]

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[Scoot McGroot]

Clears $400k in tax room this year for the Pacers.

Since Phoenix declined his 3rd year option, Jalen Smith is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and Indy would be limited to being able to offer him no more than what his 3rd year salary would have been, while no other teams are equally restricted.

[Scoot McGroot]

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[Scoot McGroot]

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[Tom White]

Clears $400k in tax room this year for the Pacers.

Since Phoenix declined his 3rd year option, Jalen Smith is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and Indy would be limited to being able to offer him no more than what his 3rd year salary would have been, while no other teams are equally restricted.

Well, without having a team option on him for next year, that puts the Pacers in an odd position. If he plays well, we can easily be out-bid by other teams for his services. The only hope in that case is if the Pacers have a right to negotiate with him right now before he becomes a UFA. I have no idea if that is legally possible or not.

Of course, it could turn out the main thing in this trade is simply saving money next season. Also gives Craig a chance to play for a title competing team. So, good for him then.

[Scoot McGroot]

Clears $400k in tax room this year for the Pacers.

Since Phoenix declined his 3rd year option, Jalen Smith is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and Indy would be limited to being able to offer him no more than what his 3rd year salary would have been, while no other teams are equally restricted.

Well, without having a team option on him for next year, that puts the Pacers in an odd position. If he plays well, we can easily be out-bid by other teams for his services.

Yup. Phoenix put us into this position by taking the odd position they did to decline his option.

The only hope in that case is if the Pacers have a right to negotiate with him right now before he becomes a UFA. I have no idea if that is legally possible or not.

It is not. He'll hit free agency as an unrestricted free agent.

Of course, it could turn out the main thing in this trade is simply saving money next season. Also gives Craig a chance to play for a title competing team. So, good for him then.

Yup on both. Now, the saving grace for the Pacers is that the maximum we could pay Jalen is $4.7m, which is a lot. So, it's possible he might agree to a 2 year deal equal to what his rookie contract would've been? If we really want to try and sign or extend him, that is.

But overall, yeah. It's a tight rope to walk. If he plays well, he can make more anywhere else. We previously ran into this issue with Solo Hill years ago. It was even tougher then, as he finished his year well, but since he was a 21st pick (I think), his 4th year salary would have been much lower than Jalen Smith's would be as a 12th pick.

[Wizop]

in football a draft test of mine is whether the guy killed IU. Jalen fits that test in basketball. I liked him a lot coming out of college.

[Scoot McGroot]

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[Pacersike]

Why would a team decline the options on such a player, when his value clearly will be higher when they trade him to a team, that could exercise his options?

I was thinking about making a thread to still hold Pritchard accountable for a series of headscratching actions (and creating this mess), but this really dazzles me.

[Pacersike]

I read some Myles Turner comparisons for Jalen, but I see more Larry Sanders in him with less length and same basic limited BBIQ.

[Topofthekey]

Regardless of what happens with Jalen Smith, I like this trade

Craig is a nice role player, but I always just saw him as someone who's taking playing time away from Jackson and Brissett

I'm very ok with us getting rid of his contract while getting a 2RP doing so

Probably helps the tank, too

And Craig gets to play for a ring with the Suns

Win-win-win-win

[Scoot McGroot]

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[Scoot McGroot]

Why would a team decline the options on such a player, when his value clearly will be higher when they trade him to a team, that could exercise his options?

Teams have to decide the options for the following season as the previous year starts. So, for example, Indy will have to decide on the options for 2023-24 for Haliburton, Jackson, and Duarte by 10/31/2022. In this case, Phoenix decided they didn't want to guarantee any future years for Jalen Smith. For fiscal reasons? I don't know.

Regardless of what happens with Jalen Smith, I like this trade

Craig is a nice role player, but I always just saw him as someone who's taking playing time away from Jackson and Brissett

I'm very ok with us getting rid of his contract while getting a 2RP doing so

Probably helps the tank, too

And Craig gets to play for a ring with the Suns

Win-win-win-win

I agree with you here. Opens up playing time for more young guys. We don't know what will happen with Jalen Smith. But, we cleared some luxury tax space, got a 2nd, and got off the future salary of Torrey Craig, too. We'll see a lot more Brissett/Jackson, unless Tristan Thompson gets all the run.

[Topofthekey]

Well I guess this concludes The Great Pacers Rebuild, Episode I: A New Trade Deadline Hope

What a ride

Can't wait for the sequel. The Great Pacers Rebuild, Episode II: The Draft Strikes Back

[Pacersike]

Teams have to decide the options for the following season as the previous year starts. So, for example, Indy will have to decide on the options for 2023-24 for Haliburton, Jackson, and Duarte by 10/31/2022. In this case, Phoenix decided they didn't want to guarantee any future years for Jalen Smith. For fiscal reasons? I don't know.

I did hope you would answer the bolded . If even you don't know, it certainly is giant headscratcher.

Either way, Pacers have a good opportunity now .

[Pacers Forever]

I’m not sure how good Jalen Smith is for extended minutes, but in the Suns games I’ve seen this year he’s played well. I’m hopeful that he fits well with our new team, plays just well enough to hide his breakout talent from the rest of the league, and he wants to resign with us, then breaks out since he’s another young player. Am I asking for too much

[Scoot McGroot]

Teams have to decide the options for the following season as the previous year starts. So, for example, Indy will have to decide on the options for 2023-24 for Haliburton, Jackson, and Duarte by 10/31/2022. In this case, Phoenix decided they didn't want to guarantee any future years for Jalen Smith. For fiscal reasons? I don't know.

I did hope you would answer the bolded . If even you don't know, it certainly is giant headscratcher.

Either way, Pacers have a good opportunity now .

I mean, it was probably fiscal reasons. Could be that they didn't like his attitude and were trying to kick his butt in gear? Nothing ever came out clearly reporting it, so

[Tom White]

Well I guess this concludes The Great Pacers Rebuild, Episode I: A New Trade Deadline Hope

What a ride

Can't wait for the sequel. The Great Pacers Rebuild, Episode II: The Draft Strikes Back

Since you are on a bit of a Star Wars binge, here is a little trivia. Did you know the original title for Return of the Jedi was Revenge of the Jedi?

That is the way the original trailer for the movie had the title, and they even had movie theater posters made up that way. Lucas decided it was a bad title because no true Jedi would allow revenge into their heart, so the change was made.

Now if I could just find my NBC "The More You Know" rainbow sign.........

[Pacersike]

Teams have to decide the options for the following season as the previous year starts. So, for example, Indy will have to decide on the options for 2023-24 for Haliburton, Jackson, and Duarte by 10/31/2022. In this case, Phoenix decided they didn't want to guarantee any future years for Jalen Smith. For fiscal reasons? I don't know.

I did hope you would answer the bolded . If even you don't know, it certainly is giant headscratcher.

Either way, Pacers have a good opportunity now .

I mean, it was probably fiscal reasons. Could be that they didn't like his attitude and were trying to kick his butt in gear? Nothing ever came out clearly reporting it, so

Perhaps someone who is curious enough could find out why next years salary has a fiscal impact this season .

If they did kick his butt, they did forget he was sitting on a hard wooden chair. Ouch .

[Scoot McGroot]

I did hope you would answer the bolded . If even you don't know, it certainly is giant headscratcher.

Either way, Pacers have a good opportunity now .

I mean, it was probably fiscal reasons. Could be that they didn't like his attitude and were trying to kick his butt in gear? Nothing ever came out clearly reporting it, so

Perhaps someone who is curious enough could find out why next years salary has a fiscal impact this season .

What? Why do you think it did? I certainly didn't say that. The decision deadline for next season is simply before this season. It's always floating a year ahead.

If they did kick his butt, they did forget he was sitting on a hard wooden chair. Ouch .

Huh?