So much for Cory Joseph's homecoming with the Indiana Pacers. After re-acquiring the veteran point guard from the Golden State Warriors at Thursday's trade deadline in exchange for a second-round pick and cash considerations, Indiana has decided to waive Joseph, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Pacers and Warriors agreed on a deal that sent Joseph and a 2024 second-rounder back to Indianapolis shortly before Thursday's 3:00 p.m. (EST) trade deadline. Golden State also provided Indiana with $5.8 million in the deal, according to Pacers insider Tony East, as a sweetener to get off Joseph's contract and lower owner Joe Lacob's luxury tax bill. Indiana still has one second-round pick at its disposal in the upcoming draft, too.
Joseph previously played for the Pacers in 2017-18 and 2018-19, establishing himself as a reliable, defense-minded backup point guard. While his presence in the locker room would've no doubt been a boon for Indiana, there was just no realistic path to playing time for him behind franchise point guard Tyrese Haliburton, stalwart backup TJ McConnell and emerging sophomore combo guard Andrew Nembhard.
The Pacers are also hoping to sign veteran forward James Johnson before Thursday's matchup with the Warriors, according to East.
Joseph was a bit player for the Warriors this season, only finding his way into Steve Kerr's rotation due to injury and absences. He shot 35.9% overall and 31.0% from deep in 26 appearances, also falling off defensively compared to his peak—no surprise considering Joseph is 32 years old.
Joseph's immediate future remains uncertain. While a valued voice who's long had the respect of teammates and coaches, he's overstretched as a primary backup point guard at this juncture of his career, best suited for an end-of-bench role. Joseph could be picked up by a team with an open roster spot soon, or try to find his way back onto a roster in free agency this summer.
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