Pacers Reward T.J. McConnell

The Indiana Pacers have committed long-term to their Eastern Conference Finals runner-up roster. After a successful season that included the second-best offensive rating in the NBA, Indiana took care of the players responsible for the 2024 postseason run. T.J. McConnell is a pivotal bench player for Rick Carlisle.

The Pacers turned their offseason attention to the backup point guard.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski , "Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell has agreed on a four-year, $45 million extension, Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of Priority Sports tell ESPN. The deal's total worth of McConnell’s contract is $54M over five years."

Last season, McConnell was a steady veteran presence. At 32, the Pacers' backup point guard allowed Tyrese Haliburton to rest from leading the high-octane offense. McConnell averaged a career-high 10.2 points and 5.5 assists. In the playoffs, the nine-year NBA veteran increased his production.

Playing well in the regular season is one thing, but excelling in the postseason is cause for a raise. Against better defenses, in a high-pressure situation, McConnell averaged a career-high 11.8 points during Indiana's Eastern Conference playoff run.

Related: Will Tyrese Haliburton Lead Pacers to Repeat Success?

The Pacers look to finish the 2024-25 season with a seed higher than six and strive for another Eastern Conference Finals appearance, but not ending in a sweep.