Donald Sloan wasn’t expecting a large role with the Pacers this season, but he remained ready. With both George Hill and C.J. Watson going down with injuries, the team’s third-string point guard has so far had to carry the load at point guard through the first five games (1-4).
No longer. Help is on the way for Sloan.
The Pacers have added reinforcement at point guard, signing A.J. Price.
The Pacers signed a familiar face in A.J. Price, their 2009 second-round draft pick, to help with point guard responsibilities while Hill and Watson remain out. He is expected to suit up on Friday as the Pacers take on the Celtics in Boston.
With Price, 28, the Pacers add a veteran who has a deep understanding of the league and more importantly, the Pacers’ system. He played his first three seasons in Indy from 2009-2012 and in exactly 150 games as their third option at point guard.
The Pacers aren’t expecting starter George Hill (bruised left knee) back until December, ESPN’s Mike Breen said on Wednesday’s broadcast. (Vogel told reporters recently that Hill was a “long ways away.”) C.J. Watson (sore foot) has been out for more than a month and is still in a boot. He did not make the road trip.
Rodney Stuckey having foot issues, too, compounds the issue.
The Pacers recently applied for and received the hardship exemption from the NBA, which allows a team that is without four players for three or more games, to sign another player. So, yes, the Pacers currently have 16 players on their roster.
Price spent the preseason with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He saw time in six games, and averaged 7.2 points and 1.5 assists in 13.3 minutes per game. He even tallied 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting when the two teams faced off at Xavier University.
“I always enjoy playing and always get excited to play them,” he told VigilantSports.com prior to the game. “They were my first team, the ones to first give me a shot. I always get a little more motivated to play against them.”
The Cavaliers, however, opted to waive him on on November 1.
Sloan, meanwhile, is coming off a career-best 31 points in a losing effort Wednesday night against the Wizards. He leads the Pacers in minutes played at 36 minutes per game — almost four minutes more on average than the next Pacer (Roy Hibbert, 32.2mpg).
How many minutes is Sloan comfortable playing?
“48,” he said laughing. “As much as needed. I try to push myself as much as possible. I got great teammates out there picking up a lot of the slack, offensively and defensively helping me out. I feel OK with any amount of minutes. I get a little fatigued but, like I said, they’re there to help pick up a lot of the slack.”
He’s averaging 15.6 points, 6.6 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. He has impressed, but it’s hard to maintain it at a high rate and efficiency during a challenging NBA schedule. The team is currently in the middle of a stretch with five games over seven days. And, foul trouble can cause all kinds of problems.
The team is eager for the return of both Hill and Watson, but in the meantime, Price is a welcome sight and a necessary addition.