Indiana Pacers center reserve center Jalen Smith is opting out of his player option for the 2024-25 season and will become a free agent.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers center Jalen Smith will opt out of his player option for the 2024-25 season and become a free agent, league sources have informedSmith had until 5 p.m. Eastern Time on June 29 to decide on the option in his contract. It would have paid him $5.4 million in the coming season, but he will now explore the market for a new agreement in free agency. The 24-year old signed a three-year, $15.1 million deal back in 2022, but the third season contained a player option.
"He can shoot, he can make stuff down low, he can roll. I think his thing is just getting that dose of confidence," Pacers starting center Myles Turner said of Smith during the most recent season. The young big manafter a strong summer of 2023 and hot start to the season. "There's nobody that worked harder than Jalen Smith in the summer," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said during the campaign.
He opened games for a few months to begin the campaign in 2022-23, but it became clear that he was better suited as the backup center. He has spent most of his time in that role since inking his deal with the Pacers.Smith averaged 9.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game this past season for the blue and gold, and his shooting from deep was valuable. He knocked down 42.4% of his three-point looks while taking five outside shots per 36 minutes — he became a reliable threat from the perimeter.
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