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Pacers sign C.J. Wilcox to two-way contract

Pacers sign C.J. Wilcox to two-way contract

The Indiana Pacers signed C.J. Wilcox to a two-way contract today.

Wilcox, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound guard, was originally selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 28th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He signed a two-way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2017-18 season, and averaged 10.4 points per game while shooting 45.1 percent from the field for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA G League. Wilcox last appeared in the NBA with the Orlando Magic during the 2016-17 season and has averaged 2.0 points per game over three NBA seasons with the Clippers and Magic.

Wilcox appeared in all five games for the Pacers’ Summer League team in Las Vegas in July. He averaged 9.2 points and 1.4 rebounds per game while shooting 56 percent from the field and 58.8 percent from three-point range.

Pacers sign Kyle O`Quinn

The Indiana Pacers have signed free agent forward/center Kyle O’Quinn.

The deal is reportedly just a one-year, $4.5 million contract.

The Pacers’ frontcourt rotation currently revolves around Myles Turner, Thaddeus Young and Domantas Sabonis. There is no dominant star among that group, though Turner and Sabonis have potential and are considered team building blocks. Quinn will likely be used as support for that mix of talent.

O’Quinn set new career highs during the 2017-18 season as he averaged 7.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 blocks per game for the New York Knicks. He spent the last three seasons with New York and averaged 6.1 points and 5.2 rebounds over 221 games. O’Quinn was originally selected with the 49th overall pick in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic, and has averaged 5.8 points and 4.9 rebounds over six NBA seasons with New York and Orlando.

“We talk about our culture here and Kyle fits it perfectly,” said Pacers’ President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. “Not only is he a good, solid player, he’s an outstanding person who will help us on the floor and in the locker room. When I met with him last week I was very impressed with his professionalism and thrilled with his desire to be a part of what we are building here.”

Pacers sign Tyreke Evans and Doug McDermott

The Indiana Pacers have signed free agent guard Tyreke Evans and free agent forward Doug McDermott to contracts.

A 6-6 guard, Evans was the fourth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, and was named NBA Rookie of the Year after the 2009-10 season. He spent last season with the Memphis Grizzlies and averaged 19.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 52 games. Through nine NBA seasons with Sacramento, New Orleans and Memphis, Evans has recorded career averages of 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.

McDermott, a 6-8 forward, was named Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year his senior season at Creighton University before he was selected 11th overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2014 NBA Draft. He spent the 2017-18 season with the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks, and averaged 7.8 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting a career-high 42.6 percent from three-point range over 81 games. Over his four NBA seasons, McDermott has averaged 7.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game and shot 40.3 percent from three-point range over 264 career games for the Bulls, Thunder, Knicks and Mavericks.

“The upside for us with Doug and Tyreke for our team at this time is obvious: they both can score,” said President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. “In Doug’s case, we were looking for elite shooting, but we were also impressed with how he moves without the ball and his spot-up shooting. With Tyreke, we thought we needed a secondary ball-handler to not only compliment Victor, but he can turn it downhill and make plays for others. We think both are very solid basketball players. They know the game, they know what they need to work on and based on our conversations with them, they will fit in well with what we established here last year: players who want to win, players who are good teammates, players who will do what it takes to get better, both individually and for the team.”

Lakers fall to Pacers, 110-100

The Lakers aren’t going to make the playoffs, but they’ve been a very solid team since the All-Star break, especially for a team built for the future. Here’s the Daily Breeze reporting on last night’s loss to the Pacers:

The injury bump has given way to the injury slump.

When first the Lakers had to respond to injuries to Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart, they did so admirably. They won games against the Miami Heat – the night Ingram went down – and San Antonio and Denver, all likely playoff teams. But gradually, the strain on the few healthy, remaining players has taken a toll too great to overcome, a fact forcefully punctuated by Monday’s 110-100 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Luke Walton has seen it before. Lived it.

“Looking back to when I played,” Walton said, “If Kobe (Bryant) or someone like that, Lamar (Odom), was out, we’d all pick it up. But after three or four games, all those things that really good players make look easy, start to get a lot more difficult.”

Against the Pacers, the mundane was maddening. Passes sailed out of bounds and uncontested jumpers missed. The three starters in the Lakers’ frontcourt combined for 71 points, but their guards struggled.

Pacers sign Trevor Booker

Pacers sign Trevor Booker

The Indiana Pacers signed veteran free agent Trevor Booker today.

Booker, a 6-8, 228-pound forward, is in his eighth season in the NBA. Drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2010 (first round, 23rd overall) out of Clemson University, Booker was traded to the Washington Wizards on draft night and spent four seasons with the Wizards before signing with the Utah Jazz in July 2014. Most recently, Booker signed with the Brooklyn Nets in July 2016 before being traded to Philadelphia on Dec. 7, 2017. He was waived by the 76ers on March 1.

“As we head into this final stretch of the season Trevor will add to the depth of our roster,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. “Not only is he a solid player and a solid team player, his character fits with our team and what we are trying to accomplish.”

Booker has career averages of 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. For the 2017-18 season, he is averaging 6.6 points and 4.7 rebounds over 51 games.

Booker will wear jersey #20 and is expected to be in uniform with the Pacers when they face the Milwaukee Bucks at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday.

Pacers sign Trey McKinney Jones to 10-day contract

The Indiana Pacers today signed Trey McKinney Jones to a 10-day contract.

The 6-5, 220-pound guard was in the Pacers’ training camp before joining the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers’ G League affiliate. He played in 26 games for the Mad Ants, averaging 11.4 points per game.

The Pacers are 33-25 so far this season, which is the 5th best record in the Eastern conference. They’re being led in scoring this season by All-Star shooting guard Victor Oladipo at 24.4 ppg. Six Pacers players, including Oladipo, are averaging double-digit scoring.

According to Bobby Marks of ESPN, “McKinney-Jones was a training camp casualty in 2013 with Milwaukee and this past October with the Pacers. The 27 year-old will earn $46K.”

Darren Collison to undergo surgery

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Indiana Pacers guard Darren Collison on Tuesday will undergo left knee arthroscopic surgery.

His return date is fairly soon: the team says he should be back in two to three weeks.

The Pacers are 30-24 this season, which is the 6th best record in the Eastern conference. The Bucks are 5th and the Heat are 7th. Only a half-game separates the three teams.

Indiana is led in scoring this season by Victor Oladipo at 24.0 ppg. Then they have five players averaging between 12.0 and 13.7 points per game.

Collison for the season has played 52 games, starting all 52 at point guard, averaging 12.8 points and 5.3 assists per outing, on excellent shooting.

Myles Turner out with elbow injuries

Myles Turner out with elbow injuries

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner has been diagnosed with a ligament sprain and muscle strain in his right elbow. The injury occurred in the January 8 game against the Bucks.

Turner is currently outfitted with a brace for the elbow. The Pacers say he will miss the four remaining games of the current west coast trip and depending on how quickly the injury heals, he will be listed as week to week.

No surgery is required.

The Pacers are 23-20 so far this season, which puts them as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern conference. The team is led in scoring by shooting guard Victor Oladipo at 24.2 ppg. Turner is second, at 13.9 ppg, along with 6.5 rpg. Other Pacers averaging double-digit scoring are Bojan Bogdanovic, Darren Collison, Domantas Sabonis and Thaddeus Young.

Pacers sign Ben Moore to two-way contract

The Indiana Pacers signed 6-8 forward Ben Moore to a two-way contract today. He’ll mostly play with their G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

Moore, who participated in Pacers’ training camp, has spent this season playing for the Mad Ants. The former SMU player has played in 24 games for the Mad Ants, averaging 11 points per game on 52 percent shooting and averaging 6.6 rebounds.