The Pacers have the fourth best winning-percentage (.610, 25-16) in the Eastern Conference, but like every team, they are always looking to get better.
Thursday before the trade deadline passed, Indiana boosted their backcourt by picking up guard Leandro Barbosa from the Toronto Raptors for the Pacers’ 2012 second-round pick and cash considerations.
Indiana was just over $14 million under the cap and had money to spend if they found an enticing deal. Carrying only 13 players, the Pacers also had a couple roster spots available.
Essentially, they are picking up another body and another scorer for free. Being under the league minimum salary cap, the Pacers would have to divide the remaining money with players on the team or spend it on another player.
“He’s going to add great depth to our already strong bench and we know he’s an extremely explosive scorer, a sparkplug, always has been in this league,” head coach Frank Vogel told Pacers.com. “We’re just excited to add more veteran leadership, a guy that’s been in deep playoff runs and we’re excited about him being able to come in and help us as we try to make a deep playoff run this year.
Barbosa, 29, will come off the bench and be a scoring threat with the Pacers’ second unit. This season, he’s averaging 12.2 points while shooting 44-percent from the field. He will add more depth to the guard position but is more of an attacking guard like George Hill.
“He’s a great reader of defense, great in the open court, as fast as anybody in the league. We want to play fast and he just adds to our speed. And he adds to our ability to execute simple actions like pick-and-roll and pin-downs and gives us another 3-point shooter which quite frankly is a welcome bonus. You can never have enough shooters in this league.”
In the final year under contract, Barbosa will be receive a pro-rated amount of his $7.6 million deal.
The Pacers play the Knicks on back-to-back nights this week — in New York Friday and Indy on Saturday. Barbosa isn’t expected to join the team until after the weekend.
Welcoming my new teammate Leandro Barbosa!! All past transgressions are now forgiven!!
— Danny Granger (@dgranger33) March 15, 2012
Want to take the time to welcome our newest Member to #PacerNation Leandro Barbosa
— INDIANA GEORGE HILL (@George_Hill3) March 15, 2012