Al Jefferson's long NBA career will continue next season, but it won't be with the Indiana Pacers. According to Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania, the Pacers have released the 33-year-old big man. The Pacers are looking to clear out cap space with this move.
Jefferson only spent two seasons in Indiana, playing sparingly. He was stuck behind two players that have recently blossomed into excellent players—Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis.
Jefferson's a proven veteran, and although his impact diminished in recent years, he can still bring some veteran leadership and stability to a team.
The problem in Indiana became contract related. He wasn't worth the $10 million he was slated to make in 2018-19, and only $4 million of that contract was guaranteed.
The obvious move for Indiana was either to trade him or cut bait with him and move on. They likely couldn't find a willing trading partner, so they decided to release Jefferson and save $6 million in cap space.
Jefferson has bounced around the league for a majority of his career, never staying in one place longer than two or three years.
Jefferson is part of a dying breed in the NBA. He is an old-school big man that lives in the low post. He's never been one to step outside the three-point arc. His age, combined with an inability to stretch the defense with his shot, has led to his diminished play.
Regardless, Jefferson should be able to latch on somewhere as a proven veteran that can round out an NBA roster.
Follow Us
Subscribe