The Pacers drafted two UCLA Bruins — and added another to their summer league team — so why not add a third?
Point guard Darren Collison is set to return to the Pacers on a two-year, $20 million deal, a league source confirmed to VigilantSports.com. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the agreement, and added that the second year is partially guaranteed.
Jeff Teague, last year’s starting point guard, agreed to a three-year deal with Minnesota just minutes into free agency on July 1.
Collison first arrived to Indianapolis in 2010, part of a four-team deal that sent Troy Murphy to the New Jersey Nets. It was just his second and third seasons in the league, but Collison was the team’s primary ball-handler. He started in 135 of 139 games but with George Hill re-signing with the team for five years, they dealt Collison and Dahntay Jones to Dallas for reserve center Ian Mahinmi in 2012.
Collison will turn 30 in August.
The Pacers selected former Bruins forward T.J. Leaf at 18, and then center Ike Anigbogu 47th overall. The addition of Collison gives the Pacers 14 players under contract, with Georges Niang (July 15) and Kevin Seraphin’s (August 1) contracts not yet guaranteed.
Collison has spent the past three seasons with the Sacramento Kings. During the 2017-18 season, he averaged 13.2 points, 4.6 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game.
How the Pacers’ roster is shaping up:
Darren Collison
Joe Young
Edmond Sumner
Victor Oladipo
Lance Stephenson
Glenn Robinson III
Georges Niang
Thad Young
T.J. Leaf
Domantas Sabonis
Kevin Seraphin
Myles Turner
Al Jefferson
Ike Anigbogu
NBA teams can carry a maximum of 17 players during the season, including two two-way contracts for the first time. They can have 20 players in training camp.
[Photo: Frank McGrath/PS&E]