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INDIANAPOLIS – After finding their shooter and scorer earlier in free agency, the Pacers locked in on more of rebounding/bruising presence on Friday morning.
That came in the form of veteran big man Kyle O’Quinn (6-10 and 250 pounds), who agreed to a 1-year, $4.5 million deal with the Pacers.
O’Quinn, 27, is likely to be the Pacers’ emergency center, with the ability to also play the 4-position, if a bigger lineup is desired.
In 6 NBA seasons (2 in New York, 4 in Orlando), O’Quinn has averaged 5.8 points and 4.9 rebounds. O’Quinn has mostly been used as a reserve. He has 60 career starts.
With the Pacers waiving Al Jefferson and not re-signing Trevor Booker this summer, a more physical/rebounding focused player was missing in the frontcourt.
O’Quinn should take up those duties with the Pacers having Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis at the 5, and then Thaddeus Young, T.J. Leaf and Alize Jonson at the 4 spot.
Some familiarity is there between the Pacers and O’Quinn.
Victor Oladipo played alongside O’Quinn for 3 seasons in Orlando.
Unlike the major focus of the Pacers right now, O’Quinn is not a guy who is going to stretch the floor with his long-distance shooting. O’Quinn made just 4 three pointers in 77 games with the Knicks last season.
The O’Quinn signing, coupled with what else the Pacers have done in free agency, does put the team slightly over the salary cap.
Depending on how the Pacers want to play next season, O’Quinn might find it difficult to get into the rotation.
If T.J. Leaf proves himself as a stretch 4, will Indiana really have playing time for O’Quinn in a normal rotation?
Nonetheless, O’Quinn is a proven veteran who adds something different to the frontcourt and is a nice depth piece when nights call for it.
Current Pacers Depth Chart
PG-Darren Collison, Cory Joseph, Aaron Holiday
SG-Victor Oladipo, Tyreke Evans
SF-Bojan Bogdanovic, Doug McDermott
PF-Thaddeus Young, Kyle O’Quinn/T.J. Leaf, Alize Johnson
C-Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis
