The Indiana Pacers decided to accept the fourth-year team option for T.J. Leaf, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The former 18th overall pick from the 2017 NBA Draft is set to earn just over $4.3 million during the 2020-21 season:

The main rationale behind the Pacers' decision makes sense considering how key members of the organization recently displayed significant confidence in Leaf. Malcolm Brogdon recently stated he believes Leaf has taken a “big step” during the offseason:

“I think T.J. is taking a big step this summer. T.J. Leaf. He’s been dominating in pickup, playing really well,” Brogdon said, via Pacers.com.

There needs to be legitimate growth from Leaf in key areas before he can become a productive rotation player. For starters, he shot a poor 25.8 percent from beyond the arc last season despite shooting 42.9 percent as a rookie. To make matters worse, he has been a defensive liability and has shot 61.7 percent on free throws for his career.

If the upcoming season proves to be a success for Leaf as many seem to believe that it will, then the Pacers will have made a smart move. They would ultimately have their backup power forward spot solidified heading into next summer, which would enable them to focus on other parts of their team.

There is a legitimate risk associated with the decision, though. If Leaf continues to be a net negative, then the $4.3 million he is owed next season would hurt their flexibility with roster construction. The Pacers now have over $104 million in guaranteed salary on their books for 2020-21 with Leaf and Aaron Holiday in the fold.

Keep in mind, the Pacers' salary cap figure for 2020-21 doesn't even take into consideration a possible contract extension for Domantas Sabonis. He is expected to earn near the $18 million per year range that Myles Turner received for his contract extension:

https://twitter.com/GrantAfseth/status/1182076790950416385?s=20

In addition, the NBA salary cap figure could experience a 10-15% reduction in a worst-case scenario involving the China controversy, and that could result in a decline ranging between $11.6 million and $17.4 million from the current $116 million projection. The scenario of committing to a non-rotation player could prove to be troublesome for the Pacers if he doesn't perform.

It will simply be up to Leaf to prove that the Pacers made the right decision considering the potential financial implications. He should have no shortage of opportunities to do it.