The Pacers will be getting another up-close look at 6-foot-8 forward CJ Fair. The team and Fair have agreed to a non-guaranteed deal for training camp, according to multiple reports.
Shams Charania of Yahoo! Sports — congrats on the move to Y!, Shams — first reported an agreement had been reached. Fair’s agent, Joel Bell, did not immediately return a phone call.
Fair, 24, was one of four free agents the Pacers brought in for camp last September, along with Arinze Onuaku, Chris Singleton and Adonis Thomas. He did not make an NBA roster in his rookie season, instead playing 50 games in the NBA’s Developmental League. He averaged 13.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game, and he connected on 48.2 percent of shots attempted.
Fair joined the Boston Celtics for Summer League action this past July in both Utah and Las Vegas. It certainly didn’t go as well as he probably had hoped. He reached doubled figures in four of the eight games, averaged 7.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game off the bench.
As the Pacers recently purchased the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League, a move Pacers Sports & Entertainment Vice Chairman Jim Morris dubbed “very significant” for the organization, this signing has the looks, to me at least, of the team bringing in a player with potential that they would like to learn their system and grow.
[Toney Douglas signs free-agent deal, says ‘I know I’m here for a reason’]
With 16 guaranteed contracts already on the roster — 15 fully guaranteed — I’d be shocked if Fair made the opening day roster. Instead, it would make sense for the Pacers to assign him to the Mad Ants to further develop his game. The only negative/risk with sending him to the D-League is that any of the 29 other teams could claim his rights if they sign him to their 15-man roster.
Fair will be playing with a friend in camp, which gets underway on Sept. 29. The Pacers acquired Rakeem Christmas from Cleveland over the offseason, they played three seasons together (2011-14) at Syracuse University. Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger, also newcomers, were teammates at the University of Arizona (2006-09).
Since Labor Day, many more Pacers have made their way to Indianapolis for workouts. Media day is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 28. Teams can bring in a maximum of 20 players to camp.