Deadline passes with no contract extensions for Indiana Pacers players Goga Bitadze and Buddy Hield

The Pacers did not sign any players to contract extensions this offseason.

Monday was a key day for NBA franchises as it contained two different roster building deadlines. Teams had until 6 p.m. Eastern Time to agree to terms on a rookie scale contract extension with 2019 first round draft picks, and they had until midnight to agree on veteran extensions with eligible players.

For the Indiana Pacers, that meant they had until 6 p.m. on Monday to negotiate a longer contract with young center Goga Bitadze and until midnight to finalize a contract extension with veteran guard Buddy Hield. However, the team ultimately did not agree to a longer deal with either player.

That should come as no surprise. Neither of them are deserving of a contract extension at this time, and Indiana had no real motivation to rush into a new agreement with either player. Malcolm Brogdon signed a contract extension with the Pacers last offseason on the final day he could do so, and it made sense for a franchise chasing wins to lock up Brogdon. But this year, given the team's finances, direction, and options, there were few good reasons to sign either Bitadze or Hield to a contract extension.

Bitadze was eligible for a rookie scale extension, which would have kicked in during the 2023-24 season. But the young big man has been unpredictable in his minutes throughout his time with the blue and gold, and he is still the third center on the Pacers' depth chart. There wasn't any reason for the Pacers to lock him up long-term unless he was willing to take a below-market deal to be a reserve in future seasons. But Bitadze would surely like to be more of a fixture in a team's rotation, including the Pacers, so another season of growth before restricted free agency could be good for the young center. Improvement could lead to more opportunities — and more money.

But in the absence of a prove-it season from the Georgian center, there was no reason for either side to rush into a deal. "Goga is a good player. He's a very skilled five man," head coach Rick Carlsile said on Monday. "He's on a very good path. He can shoot the ball well, he really has a great feel for the game. [He] knows how to play. He passes it and blocks shots. He's a 7-foot center that can protect the rim and make threes. Those guys aren't growing on trees."

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Hield, meanwhile, was eligible for a veteran extension and could have added up to three years on to his contract. But there wasn't much motivation for the Pacers to want to extend Hield.

Hield has been in trade rumors all offseason, mainly with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, had Hield signed an extension that either added more than one additional season on to his deal or bumped his salary up by more than 5% over his 2023-24 contract value, he would have been ineligible to be traded for six months. And six months from now is well beyond the 2023 NBA trade deadline, so most extension parameters for Hield would have made him untradeable in the 2022-23 season. The Pacers wouldn't want to remove that option just so they could lock up the shooting guard on a deal that would last until he is in his mid-30s.

Hield is a talented offensive player, and he is likely looking for one more big contract during his NBA career. An extension, especially one that added the maximum allowed three years on to his deal, may have been something the 29-year old wanted.

But it didn't make sense for a Pacers franchise that is getting younger to lock up a veteran on a longer deal. Hield has value and may get paid again during his career, but it likely won't be by Indiana unless the team is much better than most predict this coming season. Then, they may be more interested in keeping some of their veterans going forward.

"Just being there for the young guys is doing my job," Hield said of being a veteran in training camp for the Pacers. He has told his younger teammates to stay consistent throughout camp.

Bitadze and Hield may be valuable players that each play a role for the Pacers in 2022-23. But there was no reason for Indiana to come to an agreement on a contract extension with either player, and that is why they let both deadlines pass on Monday. Bitadze will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2023 if he receives a qualifying offer while Hield has two years left on his current deal.

The Pacers season begins on Wednesday against the Washington Wizards.

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