Cory Joseph will remain with the Pacers for a second season. The Pacers’ point guard exercised his player option for the 2018-19 season, a league source confirmed to VigilantSports.com. It is worth $7.945 million.
If he had declined his option, Joseph would have been able to hit free agency. The trouble for free agents this summer, though, is that there won’t be a lot of money to go around. Of the 16 playoffs teams, the Pacers’ salaries ranked 16th.
Atop the list was the Cavaliers, followed by the Warriors. Those two have met in the NBA Finals in each of the last three seasons.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN first reported Joseph’s decision.
By opting in, Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard has another piece to the puzzle in place. Because of the team’s outstanding vibe and chemistry, both on and off the court, he’s like to keep much of it together.
The primary decision that is out of the Pacers’ hands is power forward Thad Young. He has a player option for next season, but it is not due until June 29th. Young was voted a co-captain, along with Myles Turner, and he provided valuable leadership in the locker room with Al Jefferson on top of his contributions on the court.
He played and started in all but the final regular-season game of the season. That was a coach’s decision, giving him a day off ahead of the postseason. Young turns 29 years old in June.
Joseph, who will turn 27 in August, just completed his seventh season in the NBA. He and Lance Stephenson were the only two Pacers to play in all 82 games. Joseph also made 17 starts, and averaged 7.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.
This will be year four of a deal Joseph originally signed as a free agent with Toronto, his hometown team, in 2015.