Victor Oladipo and the Indiana Pacers “have talked a couple times recently,” with the standout guard set to enter the final year of his contract, according to J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star.
Aside from the ongoing coaching search, Oladipo’s status has been the biggest news surrounding the Pacers as the 2020 season draws to a close.
Oladipo came to Indiana (along All-Star power forward Domantas Sabonis) in the Paul George trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder in July 2017. Despite suffering a major knee injury in 2018-19, Oladipo remains the face of the franchise and its greatest reason for hope.
He wasn’t the same in the NBA season restart, and even considered not playing beforehand. But Oladipo gutted it out anyway. Still, the Pacers were swept by the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs — and rumors of Oladipo wanting out started to swirl.
He downplayed that talk during a recent Instagram Live appearance.
“I’m a Pacer. I’m a Pacer,” Oladipo said. “Those rumors on the internet, I don’t know where they’re coming from, I’m just focused on getting my knee right for next year.”
Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in early September he intended to stay in touch with Oladipo.
“I want to have a great relationship with him,” Pritchard said. “I do believe he made a huge sacrifice coming back and playing. We don’t feel any rush to make any quick decision on Victor. We have him for another year. It will be up to him. He will have the choice. It’s his first time to have an autonomous choice. He can go and do whatever he wants.”
Pritchard seems to feel strongly that winning will keep Oladipo right where he is, in Indiana.
“I’m hopeful that we can create an environment that he feels good about, that he feels like he can win,” Pritchard said. “He’s been pretty consistent in saying the most important for him is that he can win. I believe we can have a team that can do some good things in the playoffs.”
