PACERS

Insider: What will the Pacers do in free agency?

Candace Buckner
candace.buckner@indystar.com

The Indiana Pacers enter free agency on Wednesday with plenty of targets, but even more questions.

With David West looking for a new home and Luis Scola returning to the market, who will become the new starter at power forward?

How can they fill the deficit in the backcourt depth?

Are they content with Solomon Hill and Damjan Rudež in the wing reserve roles, or should they pursue a more veteran and versatile option?

Unfortunately, the Pacers have very specific needs and not a lot of wiggle room. Money won't solve all of these problems — especially with the Pacers' cap space.

According to NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement expert Nate Duncan, the salary cap will be approximately $67.1 million and the Pacers should have about $11 million in room, presuming the team retains center Roy Hibbert. This number includes Indiana extending a qualifying offer to second-year forward Shayne Whittington and the salary cap hold of top draft pick, Myles Turner (about $1.9 million), according to Duncan.

Without the curveball of actually finding a trade partner to deal away Hibbert, or using the stretch provision to release him and spread his $15.5 million salary over the next three seasons, the Pacers cannot attract any of the high-profile free agents (LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love, Marc Gasol or even Paul Milsap).

Instead, the team can address some needs but do so carefully with a solid signing, a long shot of two, and several minimum contracts.

Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird has often expressed the team's desire to re-sign unrestricted free agent Rodney Stuckey. Last summer, the Pacers brought in Stuckey for a one-year, veteran's minimum deal worth under $1.3 million. Stuckey (12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game) ended the season as the team's most productive bench option — a sixth-man role he wants to continue next season wherever he lands next year.

The market for reserve guards has resulted in the Los Angeles Lakers' Nick Young making roughly $5 million annually while the 2014 Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford of the Clippers pulls in more than $6 million. So if Stuckey looks to match his value with this precedence, the Pacers would be looking at spending a chunk of their space on one signing.

Though Bird likes Stuckey, the surprising move of West declining his $12.6 million player option causes a ripple effect in the team's priority. The Pacers will likely need a starting power forward and a few reasonable names to fulfill that role will be just as pricey as, if not more than, Stuckey: Thaddeus Young (who reportedly made $9.1 million last year), Amir Johnson ($7.1 million) and Brandon Bass ($6.9 million).

However, there are more affordable options. The 6-10 Brandan Wright takes high-percentage shots, protects the rim and made $5 million last year. Also, restricted free agent Mirza Teletovic can play both forward positions, shoot for range (career 36.2 percent from the 3-point arc) and only cost a little more than $3.3 million a year ago.

Also, the Pacers have other possibilities in finding backcourt veterans. Several reports have indicated the team's interest in Monta Ellis ($9.1 million last year). Besides Ellis, Indiana can pursue 2015 Sixth Man of the Year Louis Williams, who pulled in $5.9 million last year but will conceivably look for a pay increase. However, signing either of those players would increase the likelihood that Stuckey's gone.

Once the Pacers get to the $67.1 million cap, there will be small ways to fill out the roster. Indiana can use a $2.8 million Room Exception and pursue other players with veteran minimum salaries similar to how the team landed Stuckey last year.

Call Star reporter Candace Buckner at (317) 444-6121. Follow her on Twitter: @CandaceDBuckner.