Indiana Pacers Blog – Page 41 – NBA Blog

Knicks, Bulls, Pacers may want Donte Greene

Donte Greene says he is on the Knicks’ radar.

The former Sacramento Kings forward and current free agent said in a recent radio interview that the Knicks are among three teams who have expressed interest in signing him.

Greene told TheCDNetworks.com, a Sacramento internet radio show, that he is in talks with Chicago, New York and Indiana. He called the trio his “top three” possible free-agent destinations.

“Anybody could pop up at any time,” Greene told the radio show on Friday. “But those are the three that we’re focusing on and trying to work out and get a deal done.”

— Reported by Ian Begley of ESPN New York

Danny Granger says Heat deserved to win championship

Like everybody else in the Pacers organization, Granger is eager for the season to start after they were eliminated by Miami in six games in the second round of the playoffs last season.

“Still not over it,” Granger said laughing about losing to the Heat. “I’m over it. It happens. They were the better team. I think they deserved to win the championship. That’s the way it goes. We have to get better.”

The Eastern Conference will be better next season.

Brooklyn, Boston, New York and the Pacers are expected to be in the mix for seeds 2-4 in the East.

— Reported by Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star (Blog)

Neil Reed, player Bob Knight choked in 1997, dead of cardiac arrest

Neil Reed, the former Indiana University basketball player who went public with a claim that Bob Knight choked him in practice, died Thursday of cardiac arrest at age 36.

His death was confirmed by the sports editor of the Santa Maria (Calif.) Times. Reed spent the last three seasons as the freshman basketball coach at Pioneer Valley High School in Santa Maria.

Late Thursday afternoon a vigil was being held at the school for Reed.

Reed played high school basketball at East Jefferson High School in Metairie, La. According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Reed died Thursday in Nipomo, Calif., after suffering a massive heart attack on Wednesday. That information was confirmed by former East Jefferson Coach Jim Robarts. Nipomo is located about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles in San Luis Obispo County.

— Reported by Terry Hutchens of the Indianapolis Star

Pacers re-sign Roy Hibbert, George Hill

The Indiana Pacers announced Friday they have re-signed free agents Roy Hibbert and George Hill. We’ll post contract details here later today.

“Re-signing Roy and George shows a commitment from Herb Simon to our franchise, our team and our fans that we fully intend to keep this team moving forward in the NBA,” said Donnie Walsh, Pacers President of Basketball Operations. “Both of these players were very important to our success last season and to have them locked up for the coming seasons is a great foundation to build off of.”

Hibbert, a 2012 NBA All-Star, is coming off his best season with the Pacers, averaging 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. He finished the season ranked fifth in the NBA in blocks per game. Originally drafted by the Toronto Raptors in the 2008 NBA Draft (17th overall pick), he was traded to the Pacers on July 9, 2008 and has spent all four of his seasons in the NBA with the Pacers. He has career averages of 11.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

“I’m happy to be back and I have unfinished business here,” said Hibbert. “I can’t wait for the season to begin.”

“As Donnie and I went through this process, it really wasn’t a matter of ‘if’ we would keep Roy and George. We had to keep them,” said Pacers General Manager Kevin Pritchard. “When you look at how this team, with the emphasis on team, is constructed, so many parts fit very well. These are two parts who are still young, who are going to get better and who are going to make our team better. Roy and George are also excellent representatives of the franchise and excellent representatives of the community. They are quality players and quality people.”

Hill, a native of Indianapolis, played both high school and college basketball locally at Broad Ripple High School and IUPUI. He was drafted by San Antonio as the 24th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and spent the first three seasons with the Spurs before returning home to play for the Pacers as part of a draft night trade on June 24, 2011. The 6-2, 180-pound guard has career averages of 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

“I’m happy to be staying home with family, friends and my AAU program,” said Hill. “The main thing was to keep this team together and keep moving forward. It was always a dream to be with the Pacers and now that it’s reality for a longer period of time, it’s great.”

Pacers sign guard D.J. Augustin

The Indiana Pacers announced Friday they have signed free agent guard D.J. Augustin to a contract. Per club policy terms of the contract were not released.

“D.J. is an excellent pick-up for this team,” said Pacers General Manager Kevin Pritchard. “He’s an amazing kid that will fit well here with the Pacers’ family. His experience will be valuable as we move our franchise forward. Our priority is to keep our own players and then to fill in the holes that exist. D.J. helps us accomplish that.”

The 6-0, 180-pound Augustin joins the Pacers after spending the first four seasons of his NBA career with the Charlotte Bobcats. Drafted as the ninth overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Bobcats, he has career averages of 10.9 points and 4.4 assists per game. As a rookie, he was named to the 2008-09 All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 11.8 points, 3.5 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 72 games played.

“I’m very excited,” said Augustin. “It’s a great organization basketball-wise, they made the playoffs last year and to be part of a winning organization feels great.”

Gone from Bobcats, D.J. Augustin will join Pacers

The Indiana Pacers agreed to a one-year deal with unrestricted free-agent point guard D.J. Augustin on Thursday, filling the vacancy created when Darren Collison was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.

Augustin’s $4 million qualifying offer as a restricted free agent was withdrawn by the Charlotte Bobcats, who had been negotiating a sign-and-trade deal with Indiana. When the offer was rescinded, Augustin officially became an unrestricted free agent able to sign with any team.

— Reported by the Sports Xchange

Pacers will trade Darren Collison to Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks continued their recovery from disappointment in the Deron Williams sweepstakes, reaching terms on a trade with the Indiana Pacers to acquire point guard Darren Collison.

The Mavericks agreed to acquire Collison and swingman Dahntay Jones in a sign-and-trade deal that will send free-agent center Ian Mahinmi to the Pacers to serve as a backup for Roy Hibbert.

Jones’ agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed the trade Thursday. Both teams declined comment.

Collison is the second significant addition made Wednesday by the Mavericks, who also signed center Chris Kaman. Collison and Kaman will be playing on expiring contracts next season.

Collison has one year left on his contract at $2.3 million. ESPN.com reported earlier Wednesday the Mavs and Kaman agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth $8 million.

— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com

Pacers expected to keep Roy Hibbert

The starting five will return intact. Now the Indiana Pacers turn their attention to upgrading the bench.

The suspense surrounding Roy Hibbert’s future ended Monday when the Pacers decided they wouldn’t let the center get away to Portland, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

The Trail Blazers made a four-year, $58-million offer to Hibbert soon after the free agency period began July 1.

The Pacers aren’t technically matching Portland’s offer. Instead, they’re giving Hibbert the same four-year, $58-million deal to avoid going through the process of having him sign the Trail Blazers’ offer sheet, submitting it to the NBA and then having to match it.

— Reported by Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star

Pacers, George Hill agree to new deal

The Indiana Pacers and point guard George Hill have agreed to a new deal.

Hill’s co-agent, Michael Whitaker, wrote in a text message Tuesday that Hill, a 26-year-old restricted free agent, will sign once the NBA’s moratorium period ends on July 11. He did not disclose terms.

Hill joined the Pacers after a draft-day deal in 2011 that sent Indiana draft pick Kawhi Leonard to San Antonio, and he averaged 9.6 points and 2.9 assists per game last season.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Trail Blazers offer Roy Hibbert a max contract

The Portland Trail Blazers offered Indiana Pacers restricted free agent center Roy Hibbert a maximum contract after meeting with him in Washington, D.C., early Sunday, SI.com has learned.

A source with knowledge of the meeting said Indiana did not offer a max deal at the outset of the free-agent negotiating period and, unless that changes, Hibbert is leaning toward signing the Trail Blazers’ four-year, $58 million offer sheet. Hibbert cannot do so until July 11, when the free-agent moratorium ends, after which the Pacers would have three days to match the offer and retain the 25-year-old All-Star.

In addition, the source said one other team, which was not named, also offered Hibbert a max deal after the start of free agency on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. ET.

New Blazers general manager Neil Olshey and team president Larry Miller were among those who met at the office of Hibbert’s agent, David Falk, the source said.

— Reported by Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated

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