Shawn Marion visits with Pacers, per report

Free-agent forward Shawn Marion met with Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird in Indianapolis on Monday, according to ESPN's Marc Stein. The Cleveland Cavaliers had been frontrunners to sign Marion, and while that still may be the case, this meeting could mean it's no sure thing.

However, it's not a certainty the Pacers will use all or a good chunk of the exception. According to Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com, Indiana is currently about $2 million below the luxury tax threshold. The Pacers have shown staunch opposition to going into the tax, and it would make even more sense to avoid the tax now that 2014-15 is a lost season. Indiana could make cost-cutting moves elsewhere to fit Marion under the tax line, such as waiving Luis Scola, whose $4.87 million contract for next year has only $940,946 guaranteed.

Even if the Pacers offer Marion the full $5.3 million exception, there are still no guarantees he takes it. The 36-year-old has expressed a desire to play for a championship contender, and with George sidelined, that's not Indiana. The forward may be willing to forgo all that extra money in order to join LeBron James and the Cavs, a sure title contender.

Marion averaged 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 48.2 percent last year with the Dallas Mavericks. Marion would be a nice emergency fill-in for George, but he would still be a serious downgrade in terms of shot creation, which will be a major problem for the Pacers next season. In Cleveland, Marion would be a much-needed defensive specialist who could take some pressure off James.