With the NBA Draft now behind them, the Pacers shift their own in-house questions before free agency begins next week. The Pacers have several players, including Thaddeus Young, Darren Collison, and Lance Stephenson, who have statuses that are up in the air.
Here's a look at the players who aren't under contract (or fully guaranteed):
Team options: the Pacers have three team options as well as partial guarantees for both Darren Collison and Bojan Bogdanovic. The player options are Al Jefferson ($10M), Lance Stephenson ($4.3M), and Joe Young ($1.6M), with partial guarantees to both Collison ($2M of $10M) and Bogdanovic (unknown, $10.5M total).
The Pacers almost certainly will pick up Lance Stephenson's final year for the bargain price of $4.3M. However, it would be a surprise if either Al Jefferson or Joe Young are back. Jefferson, while a respected veteran, fell out of the rotation and sports a healthy price tag. Meanwhile, time may have run out for Young, who hasn't made any progress in three years on a crowded point guard depth chart. There were reports yesterday that the Pacers will let Bogey's $10.5M become fully guaranteed, and Kevin Pritchard has alluded to bringing back Collison after a career year.
Player options: Thaddeus Young ($13.7M) and Cory Joseph ($7.9M) could either pick up the final year and stay with the Pacers, or opt-out and head into free agency.
Joseph has already stated that he will stay in Indiana for the final year, but Young's situation is more cloudy. He just turned 30 and wants a longer-term deal, so even if he wants to stay in Indiana, it appears unlikely that he will agree to play the final year on his current contract.
Free agents: Glenn Robinson III, Trevor Booker
You feel for Robinson III, who was supposed to have a "prove it" year last season, but preseason ankle surgery basically ruined that. The Pacers could still bring him back on a one-year flier, but it feels like they might be ready to move on. Booker provided value as a veteran big off the bench and is worth a look.
Worth mentioning that the Pacers still have Edmond Sumner (two-way), Alex Poythress, and Ike Anigbogu under contract for next season. Those three players, plus the nine with guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts brings the Pacers' roster total to 12.