Pacers must cut down roster to 15 by Monday

The Indiana Pacers have until Monday to cut their roster down to the league-maximum 15 players, with moves expected to be made both tomorrow and Sunday.

It’s not always a cake walk playing in the NBA. For guys like Paul George or Monta Ellis who are guaranteed a roster spot on any team in the league, things aren’t so bad. But for the Shayne Whittington‘s, C.J. Fair‘s, and Toney Douglas‘s of the world, days like the next two are ones they dread. In the next two days for about four players on the Pacers roster, they have a reason to be uneasy.

By Monday, teams in the NBA have to have their rosters down to a league-maximum of 15 players. Kadeem Jack was signed earlier in the month as a probable D-League player for the rest of the year, so for the Pacers that leaves just two more players to decide on for the coming season after the Rutgers alum made it 18 total in training camp. Along with Jack, C.J. Fair seems to be a future Fort Wayne Mad Ant, so that narrows us down to two main players: Shayne Whittington & Toney Douglas.

Whittington got the benefit of the doubt last year and was signed on, actually coming off the bench in decent spells due to the lack of depth (and quality) on the court last season. Toney Douglas, however, signed on in August after the Pelicans waived him at the end of July. Douglas has seen some good preseason minutes and contributed 15 fourth quarter points the other night as he tries to sneak his way onto the Pacers roster by the end of the day on Monday.

Feb 11, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jimmer Fredette (32) and Indiana Pacers forward Shayne Whittington (42) scramble for a loose ball during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pacers defeated the Pelicans 106-93.Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The only question remains is, which one is the better fit? Most would argue the spot is Whittington’s to lose, what with his experience with the team last season and his ability to step in at PF/C when Allen, Mahinmi, or Jordan Hill aren’t available, which might be the case a lot this season. For the most part it does belong to Whittington – he’s just the overall better fit. That isn’t a knock on Toney Douglas, who to his credit has been an excellent addition and a valuable part of the training camp roster, just seems to be less of a fit in the here and now than Whittington, and for that reason I expect the Pacers roster on Monday to be without Jack, Fair, and Douglas by Monday.

Next: Pacers win preseason finale against Charlotte

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