Pacers, McConnell agree on 4-year, $45M deal

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell has agreed on a four-year, $45 million contract extension that takes him through the 2028-29 season, Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of Priority Sports told ESPN on Friday.

McConnell had been under contract for $9.3 million for the 2024-25 season and now is tied to the Pacers for five years and $54 million.

He played an instrumental role in Indiana’s run to the Eastern Conference finals this past season, averaging career highs in scoring in the regular season (10.2 points) and the playoffs (11.8).

McConnell’s extension punctuates a productive summer for the franchise in securing its key players on long-term contracts, including Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, Obi Toppin.

McConnell, 32, completed his fifth season with the Pacers after arriving as an undrafted player and playing his first four NBA seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 11.8 points, 5.1 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 20 minutes per game for Indiana in the postseason.

McConnell joined Hall of Famer Michael Cooper as the only players to average 10 points and five assists off the bench in a single postseason (minimum of 10 games), according to ESPN Stats & Information. He ranked second in total assists off the bench in the NBA last season, trailing only the Sacramento Kings’ Malik Monk.