Indiana Pacers looking to sign shooting guard with O.J. Mayo and Courtney Lee â€" NBA News
The Indiana Pacers have a great deal of work on their hands in the upcoming days with only a few days left until July 11th when players can officially sign contracts. The main decision facing them at the moment is whether to match the maximum offer the Portland Trail Blazers have handed out to Pacers restricted free agent center Roy Hibbert.
The Pacers have till July 14th to match the offer otherwise Hibbert will move to the Blazers, leaving the Pacers hollow in the front court without one of their main stars. Hibbert was one of the main reasons the Pacers finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference last season and made it to the Eastern Conference Semi Finals.
But the Pacers are also looking for a quality shooting guard. They have Paul George to start at the shooting guard position, but they need a back up to come off the bench and score, while also giving George some rest. Mike Wells at the Indy Star has reported that the Pacers have two main front runners for the position, namely O.J. Mayo and Courtney Lee.
“Mayo is the top choice for the Pacers. He’s been their top choice for a few years now. The Pacers have “great, great interest†in Mayo, one person told me. Pacers have to decide how much they want to pay the former lottery pick and does Mayo mind continuing to come off the bench,†reported Wells.
Mayo is currently the reserve guard of the Memphis Grizzlies and averaged 12.6 points and 2.6 assists last season. Lee averaged 11.4 points and 1.5 assists for the Houston Rockets last season, though he is a better defender than Mayo. In addition to this, Lee would be cheaper to sign than Mayo.
It depends on how much both players are expecting as salary and what is the budget of the Pacers. With the signing of Nick Young to the Philadelphia 76ers, their former reserve guard Louis Williams is also on the market now. Williams decided to opt out of the final year of his contract with the Sixers and become a free agent. He had a spectacular season with the Sixers and will be a great addition to the Pacers lineup. However, he will be an expensive signing.
The Pacers have only a few days in which to decide who they want to recruit and then, come to an agreement with the player regarding a contract. Players can officially sign contracts on July11th, when the moratorium is lifted.
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