T.J. McConnell Lands Contract Extension With Indiana
Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell agreed to a four-year, $45 million contract extension with the club on Friday. Although the 32-year-old isn't a starter, he is one of the most essential players on the Pacers' roster. He finished the 2023-24 campaign by averaging a career-high 10.2 points with 5.5 assists and 1.0 steals and was even more productive throughout the postseason. With that said, Tyrese Haliburton's health is seemingly always an issue, so fantasy managers should strongly consider adding McConnell for insurance purposes heading into opening night.
According to NBA insider Evan Sidery, the Indiana Pacers want guard T.J. McConnell to remain with the team for the remainder of his career. The 32-year-old averaged a career-high 10.2 points with 5.5 assists and 1.0 steals during the 2023-24 campaign. He was also instrumental in helping the Pacers advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. McConnell, who has one year left on his current deal, is eligible for an extension this offseason. With that said, he isn't expected to be a routine fantasy producer in 2024-25, but he could get plenty of chances to be productive, considering Tyrese Haliburton's inability to remain healthy.
Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell enjoyed another productive bench outing on Monday against the Celtics, scoring 15 points and tallying five rebounds, four assists, and one steal as Indiana's season ended with a 105-102 loss. He finished with 7-for-16 shooting, missing his lone attempt from three-point range. McConnell impressed throughout the playoffs with his high-energy performances off the bench. He averaged 11.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists across 20.5 minutes. Plenty of teams will likely be looking at him as a potential offseason acquisition, with McConnell on a very affordable $9.3 million deal for next season. Recent reports suggest that he has been a long-term target of the Phoenix Suns, who are desperate for a point guard.
T.J. McConnell Continues To Make A Mark Off The Bench
Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell continued his strong stretch of performances with a good 25-minute outing in Tuesday's Game 1 loss to Boston. He scored 13 points on 6-for-11 shooting off the bench and dished out four assists while recording three rebounds and one steal. McConnell has become a very useful spark plug off the pine for the Pacers, posting a pair of double-doubles and scoring in double figures in six of the last eight games. Boston has one of the most unproductive benches in the league, meaning Indiana's second unit has a big role to play in the series if the team wants to match the Celtics.
T.J. McConnell Records Second Postseason Double-Double
Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell played a big part in Sunday's 121-89 win over the Knicks with 15 points and 10 assists off the bench. Additionally, he registered four rebounds and two steals across 21 minutes of action, shooting 6-for-12 from the field and making both of his attempts from three-point range. McConnell had a strong finish with a 20-point effort in the first round, and his importance has continued to grow in the series against the Knicks. The 32-year-old has posted two double-doubles through four games, averaging 12.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.
T.J. McConnell In Double-Double Form Against Knicks On Wednesday
Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell led the team with 12 assists and provided 10 points in Wednesday's Game 2 loss to the Knicks. The veteran guard logged a very productive 22 minutes off the bench, adding four rebounds to his tally and shooting 5-for-9 from the field. The Pacers were plus-10 with McConnell on the floor. That's now three straight games with double-digit scoring for McConnell, who has also averaged 8.0 dimes during the stretch. Indiana tends to play better with him on the court, and Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle clearly needs to find more minutes for McConnell to turn things around in the series.
T.J. McConnell In Danger Of Missing Third Straight Game
Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell (illness) could be out for a third straight game on Thursday versus the Knicks, as he's listed as questionable for the contest. The savvy playmaker missed Sunday's clash against the Grizzlies for personal reasons and was kept out from Tuesday's matchup against Boston due to an illness. He apparently hasn't yet fully recovered from the bug. Andrew Nembhard has benefited from McConnell's absence all season long, and he can expect to feature heavily again on Thursday.
Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell (ankle) was limited in practice as training camp started on Tuesday. According to head coach Rick Carlisle, the talented ball mover injured his ankle during a workout last week. The injury doesn't sound too serious and doesn't appear to threaten his availability for opening day. McConnell is set to start his fifth year in Indianapolis despite being linked with a trade to Phoenix in the summer. Playing behind Tyrese Haliburton, he has a tough time making a big mark, but McConnell has always been a serviceable backup. The 31-year-old has registered 8.0 points with 5.5 assists and 1.2 steals with the Pacers.
T.J. McConnell Reportedly Not Keen On Move To Phoenix
Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell has been linked with a move to the Phoenix Suns, but he apparently isn't very keen on the idea himself. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, McConnell is "hopeful" of staying with the Pacers. The 31-year-old has spent four seasons with the Pacers, averaging a solid 8.0 points and 5.5 assists for the team as a bench contributor. With Bradley Beal penciled in as the starting point guard for the Suns next season, McConnell would remain a bench piece in Phoenix and it looks like he would rather fill the role in more familiar surroundings.
Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell could be on the move this offseason with the Phoenix Suns showing interest in him. The Suns are in need of a backup point guard after trading Cameron Payne to the San Antonio Spurs earlier this month. The difficult part is that the Suns don't have many tradable assets at the moment. McConnell is one of the better backup guards in the league and should pull a decent return. The Pacers don't have a need to move McConnell unless the deal actually benefits them. That being said, this could be a potential deal that falls apart as McConnell has mentioned he'd like to remain in Indiana.
