Pacers T.J. McConnell agrees to 4-year, $45-million extension

INDIANAPOLIS -- Pacers veteran backup point guard T.J. McConnell has agreed to a four-year, $45-million extension, IndyStar confirmed. ESPN first reported the news. It brings McConnell's contract to $54 million over five years as he will still make $9.3 million this season.

The 32-year-old McConnell just finished his ninth season in the NBA and his fifth with the Pacers, and 2023-24 was arguably his best season as a professional. He finished seventh in the Sixth Man of the Year balloting, averaging a career-high 10.2 points per game on 55.6% shooting to go with 5.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game in just 18.2 minutes per game. He averaged 20.3 points and 10.9 assists per 36 minutes, figures which were by far the best of his career.

McConnell's 5.4 assists per game off the bench were the second highest average among players who came off the bench in at least 20 games with only Golden State's Chris Paul posting a higher figure. His 684 total points off the bench were 11th among the league's bench players and his 364 assists off the bench were second only to Sacramento guard Malik Monk's 370.

In the playoffs, McConnell was arguably the league's most productive reserve. His 11.8 points per game off the bench was the fourth highest figure among all players who came off the bench at least once and the most by anyone with at least 10 appearances off the bench. His 200 points were the most of any reserve. His 5.1 assists per game were by far the highest average of a reserve and his 86 total assists were more than double the next closest bench player -- Boston's Payton Pritchard, who finished with 40.

McConnell's extension is the fourth multi-year deal the Pacers have signed this offseason to lock in important pieces of last season's roster. All-Star forward Pascal Siakam signed the biggest, a four-year deal worth approximately $189 million. Forward Obi Toppin signed a four-year deal worth $60 million. Guard Andrew Nembhard signed a three-year extension worth approximately $59 million that kicks in next season.

McConnell's extension means that four of the Pacers' five playoff starters this season and their three top postseason reserves are all under contract through at least the 2026-27 season. All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton signed a five-year max deal worth approximately $245 million in July of 2023 that kicks in this season and forward Aaron Nesmith last year signed a three-year deal worth $33 million that also kicks in this year. However, all of these contracts and extensions have put them well over the salary cap and could quickly push them into luxury tax and tax apron situations beginning next year. That could reduce their overall roster flexibility and could influence their decisions when it comes to other players who are nearing free agency.

McConnell's extension doesn't kick in until next year, but the Pacers are still on the books for about $171 million in salary for the 2024-25 season between their active roster allocations and dead money from previously released players. That puts them more than $30 million over the salary cap, almost exactly at the luxury tax threshold of $170.8 million and without much space between them and the first apron of $178 million which would place them under tighter restrictions in terms of what trades they can make.

The McConnell and Nembhard extensions could get the Pacers close to those numbers when they kick in next year, which could change their calculus in upcoming decisions regarding center Myles Turner and guard Bennedict Mathurin. Turner will be a free agent after earning $19.9 million this season and will likely be hoping for a raise. Mathurin's rookie scale contract runs through the 2025-26 season, but the former first-team All-Rookie selection will be extension eligible in the summer of 2025 which could be particularly pricey.

T.J. McConnell family

McConnell's father, Tim, is one of the most successful coaches in western Pennsylvania high school basketball. His aunt, Suzie McConnell-Serio, was an All-American at Penn State from 1985-1988, Olympic gold medalist and WNBA star, as well as the coach at Duquesne and Pittsburgh.

McConnell married his high school sweetheart, Valerie, and they have a son, Trace, in 2021.

T.J. McConnell age

McConnell is 32. He was born March 25, 1992. McConnell will be 36 when the extension expires.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers T.J. McConnell agrees to 4-year, $45-million extension