Indiana Pacers Waive Mac McClung, Sign Veteran Monte Morris

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers waived guard Mac McClung on Thursday and signed veteran point guard Monte Morris to fill the open roster spot. This move comes as the Pacers continue to deal with injuries that have plagued their roster this season.

McClung, who is a three-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion, signed with the Pacers just a week ago on a multiyear deal. In three games, he averaged 6.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.3 assists, with his best performance being a 12-point game against the Atlanta Hawks.

The decision to release McClung incurs a $164,060 salary cap hit for the Pacers, as the second year of his contract was not guaranteed. The team is currently struggling with numerous key players sidelined due to injuries, which have left them with a 1-7 record. During their last game, they played without eight players, including several starters.

In response to these injury challenges, the Pacers signed Morris, who has eight years of NBA experience. Morris averaged 5.2 points, 1.6 assists, and 1.5 rebounds in the previous season with the Phoenix Suns. His experience is expected to provide much-needed support to the Pacers’ backcourt, especially as they await the return of injured guards Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin.

Morris was originally drafted in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets and has since played for several teams. He is projected to play a significant role as the Pacers aim to improve their performance moving forward.

“The situation here has been tough, but I’m ready to come in and help in any way I can,” Morris said upon joining the team.