Indiana Pacers: What’s at stake for Victor Oladipo amid NBA return?

As the NBA prepares to return, Victor Oladipo will have the opportunity to prove his worth with the Indiana Pacers as the future of his career is at stake.

Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo was just getting into his groove before the 2019-20 NBA season was indefinitely suspended by the league on March 11th. Oladipo had his best game of the season one day prior to the hiatus when he poured in 27 points on 56.3 percent shooting against the Boston Celtics.

Now that the season is set to return, many looming questions appear to surround the two-time All-Star as the Pacers prepare to play in the ‘bubble’ hosted by Walt Disney World in Orlando.

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Oladipo just recently returned to NBA action after missing a long period of time repairing a torn quad tendon in his right knee that he injured in January of last season. Since he’s still trying to fully recover, he hasn’t completely committed to resuming the season with his team yet.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Oladipo told ESPN, “I know there’s risk going into it with the unique situation that I’m in — being off so long and trying to ramp it up that fast. I’ve just got to be smart, that’s all.”

Is it worth the risk for Oladipo to resume playing upon return? Some players have opted not to play upon return due to injury concerns, including Phoenix Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr., who will sit out in favor of rehabbing his own knee injury.

Nevertheless, Oladipo also stated to ESPN that he’s been feeling much better and it seems like the expectation for him right now is to compete. Besides, it’s very important for Oladipo to play because of the future implications lingering around him.

Depending on his effectiveness and impact throughout the remainder of the season, the terms of Oladipo’s next contract and his future with the Pacers could be at stake.

Oladipo will enter the last year of his four-year, $85 million contract next season, meaning that he would become an unrestricted free agent in 2021 unless he and the Pacers can agree to a contract extension beforehand.

Around early May, the Pacers offered Victor Oladipo an insulting four-year, $80 million contract extension that he quickly turned down. Oladipo and his representatives obviously feel that he deserves more for his next contract, especially after earning two All-Star Game appearances, an All-NBA third-team selection, and a Most Improved Player award within the last three seasons.

A realistic preference for Oladipo’s next contract could be an offer that would pay him around $26 million per year. Although, is he currently worth that number?

Teams around the league, specifically the Pacers, may be skeptical of Oladipo’s value since he’s still coming off a serious injury, so his contributions and impact throughout the rest of the 2019-20 season will help give teams a better perspective of what he’s worth.

In addition, Oladipo’s value could help decide his future in Indiana. The Pacers fear running into financial complications in the near future since they already owe a significant amount of money to Malcolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis, and Myles Turner long-term.

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Depending on Oladipo’s determined value, the Pacers could be placed in an unfortunate situation. With many important franchise decisions expected to come, what are potential scenarios involving Oladipo’s future in Indiana?

If the Pacers can agree to terms with Victor Oladipo and give him the contract extension that he prefers, which would be much more than their initial offer of about $20 million per year, then it’s likely that the Pacers would eventually have to part ways with one of Brogdon, Sabonis, or Turner.

In that situation, trading 24-year-old Myles Turner would seem like the most logical option since his fit alongside Sabonis has been mostly awkward and somewhat uncomfortable. Either way, Indiana would be forced into a difficult decision.

If the Pacers and Oladipo can’t agree on a contract extension, then Oladipo could leave on his own terms in 2021 free agency or the Pacers could ship him out before the trade deadline next season. Many teams are reportedly monitoring Oladipo’s situation, while the New York Knicks and Miami Heat have been the latest to show interest.

However, Vic seems to be happy in the state of Indiana while he also played his college ball at Indiana University, so it can be assumed that he wants to stay with the Pacers long-term. He’s been an iconic figure in the community and an essential piece to the winning culture in Indianapolis.

As his future with the Pacers in the near future could be at stake, the value of Oladipo after his performances in Orlando will help Indiana decide which direction to go. The 28-year-old two-way phenom will encounter a considerable amount of pressure during the remainder of the season, but the season’s return will serve as an opportunity for him to prove that he’s still an All-Star talent.

With the future extent of his next contract and playing career in Indiana at stake, Victor Oladipo has the chance to re-establish himself as a franchise player at Disney and secure the attractive long-term contract that he feels he deserves.