Whenever a team battles injuries and absences it creates opportunity for someone further down the roster, and in Indiana the Pacers’ backcourt absences last season opened the door for TJ McConnell to take on a larger role and he took full advantage of that chance.
The former Sixers guard became one of the NBA’s best defensive pests, ripping away 1.9 steals per game (including a game with 9 in the first half) and had his best offensive season of his career with 8.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game on 55.9/31.3/68.8 shooting. That field goal percentage was the best of his career, as his finishing took a marked leap and that was critical to his ability to be impactful on both ends of the floor, thus allowing the Pacers to increase his minutes. This offseason featured a robust point guard market, but for teams needing a quality defensive reserve guard who could capably run the offense, McConnell figured to be a top target for those not looking to break the bank.
However, in the end the Pacers were able to retain McConnell on a healthy 4-year, $35 million deal to ensure they didn’t have to go searching for a new backup point guard in a crowded market.
The #Pacers have come to terms with TJ McConnell, league sources tell @IndyStarSports
— J. Michael (@ThisIsJMichael) August 2, 2021
TJ McConnell has agreed to a four-year, $35M deal to return to Indiana, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 2, 2021
TJ McConnell has agreed to a four-year, $35.2M deal to stay with the Pacers, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 2, 2021
Retaining McConnell became even more imperative during the Draft when they traded Aaron Holiday, and to get a deal done quickly allows them to turn to other options. With Rick Carlisle now at the helm, Indiana will be hoping that a fresh and experienced perspective on the bench, plus better health, can return them to the playoff hunt in the East without any dramatic signings needed — although trade rumors will continue to swirl about their frontcourt.
