1. Guarantee T.J. McConnell
After four years with the Philadelphia 76ers, T.J. McConnell signed a two-year deal with the Indiana Pacers prior to the 2019-20 season. With Brogdon also signing on over the summer, it looked like McConnell might not see much court time.
The gritty 6’1″ point guard managed to carve out some playing time and showed his value. He owned the backup point guard role, averaging 6.5 points, 5.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists. He was careful with the ball, turning it over only 1.4 times per game.
McConnell gets game time where others would not because he knows his abilities and always plays inside his limitations. McConnell is not a good 3-point shooter. He only took 0.2 attempts per game in a league which is prioritizing the perimeter offense.
McConnell is also a pass-first point guard, looking to get others involved. He took 5.8 shot attempts and dished out 5.0 assists per game. He uses his ability to draw defenders driving to the hoop to create open looks for his teammates.
Considering that McConnell had a field goal percentage last season of 51.6 percent means that the opposition must respect his drives. He took 32.6 percent of his shots from 0-3 feet, making 60.4 percent of them.
The other number which interests the Pacers is the $3.5 million of his 2020-21 contract. They will get a low-cost player who fits in with the rest of the squad. This has got to be a very easy decision for the front office.