Pacers Open to Paying Tax for First Time Since 2006
Indiana Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said the franchise is prepared to exceed the projected luxury-tax threshold in the 2026-27 season if it helps the club contend for a championship. Speaking on local radio, Buchanan acknowledged ownership’s historic reluctance to spend beyond the cap but noted that the current roster has accelerated the team’s timeline.
“That’s a very real possibility,” Buchanan said when asked about becoming a tax team. “We want to be aggressive and try to put this team in the best position to win a championship.”
Indiana’s aggressive stance was evident at the February trade deadline, when the Pacers sent a protected future first-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers for center Ivica Zubac. The selection ultimately became the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft, a cost Buchanan said he would “still make” to bolster the current core.
Mavericks Reshuffle Continues Under Masai Ujiri
The Dallas Mavericks have parted ways with head coach Jason Kidd and executive Matt Riccardi as newly hired president Masai Ujiri and general manager Mike Schmitz reshape the organization. Riccardi, who served as co-interim general manager with Michael Finley after the dismissal of Nico Harrison, was reportedly the runner-up to Ujiri during the team’s executive search.
NBA insider Marc Stein described the departures as part of a sweeping series of front-office and coaching changes aimed at realigning the franchise around top draft pick Cooper Flagg.
James Wiseman Weighs Offer from Maccabi Tel Aviv
Free-agent center James Wiseman is considering a contract proposal from Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv, according to reports cited by Sportando. The 24-year-old, selected No. 2 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, appeared in four games for the Pacers last season before being waived shortly after Christmas.
Injuries have limited Wiseman’s NBA opportunities, including a lost season stemming from an Achilles tendon tear. A move overseas could provide the consistent playing time he has struggled to secure in the league.
Source: Hoops Wire
