Al Jefferson has never spent more than three seasons with a team. That includes stints with Boston, Minnesota, Utah, and now Charlotte. The veteran center will leave the Hornets after signing a three-year, $30 million contract with the Indiana Pacers.
Al Jefferson agrees to $30 million deal with Pacers, per report
The veteran big man is moving to Indiana on a three-year deal.
The Pacers are betting Jefferson’s slump-filled 2015-16, a season where he scored his fewest points per game since 2006, was an aberration rather than an ominous harbinger of the big man’s future.
Jefferson made the jump from prospect to standout back in 2006-07 when he averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds per game with the Celtics. That big performance was enough to get him included in Boston’s trade for Kevin Garnett. “Big Al” spent three seasons in Minnesota before being traded west to Utah. After three more seasons with the Jazz, he became a symbol of Charlotte’s basketball rebirth.
The then-Bobcats shelled out $41 million over three years to lure Jefferson to North Carolina, but that gamble paid off. The team qualified for the playoffs in 2014 and 2016. Prior to his arrival, the franchise had only made a single postseason appearance in the past nine seasons.
Jefferson’s throwback post moves made him a star, but 12 years of experience and an evolving NBA game have lessened his effect on the court. While his instincts are still intact, it’s clear he’s no longer the scoring and rebounding machine he once was.
Injuries forced Jefferson to miss 35 games this past season, and when he did play he only logged 23.3 minutes per contest. His output -- 12.0 points per game, 6.4 rebounds, 0.9 blocks and a PER of 18.2 -- was still solid given his limited appearances, but still constituted his worst season since his days as a teenaged prospect with the Celtics.
As the Hornets moved towards a more dynamic small ball lineup, they moved away from the center who had been their prized possession two years earlier. However, he still has plenty to add to the Pacers.
Jefferson is a crafty veteran whose post scoring can add a new dimension on the offensive end of the floor and eliminate second chances with his big-bodied rebounding on the other side. While he may not be the best fit in an NBA that prioritizes speed, agility, and long range shooting, he still has ability to be a disruptor down low when his teams need him the most.
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