Indiana Pacers’ Victor Oladipo might be on the move. According to SNY’s Ian Begley, several NBA teams are targeting Oladipo after contract extension talks between Pacers and the 28-year-old All-Star guard broke down.
Oladipo is set to become a free agent in 2021, and Pacers attempted to tie him up to a long-term contract before the start of the season. Reportedly, one of the offers included four-year, $80 million, but the players’ representatives declined and negotiations stalled.
Pacers rejected several trade offers in the past for Oladipo, but don’t want to risk losing him for free. Begley reports that a number of teams, including New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, are closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to make an aggressive bid if the player doesn’t commit to Indiana in the near future.
While Indiana Pacers are keen to keep Victor Oladipo as part of their core, they are reportedly hesitant to commit a lot of money to him. Oladipo suffered a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee in early 2019 and was out of action for more than a year. He returned in January and played 13 games, but struggled to return to form averaging only 13.8 points per game.
Pacers might change their mind if NBA season resumes, and Oladipo manages to replicate his All-Star form from his first two seasons with the organization. If not, there will be plenty of teams willing to take him off Indiana’s hands and pay a hefty price for that.
