TJ McConnell agrees to deal with Indiana Pacers

It is the end of an era in Philadelphia. TJ McConnell has agreed to sign with the Indiana Pacers on a two-year deal.

I’m a little surprised by this. It felt almost inevitable that the Sixers were going to re-sign McConnell given their ability to go over the cap to retain him as well as their need for a backup point guard.

McConnell has been with the Sixers through some massive changes in the organization. He played through the process years and hung around to see the team find some success in the playoffs. He’s grown from a player who seemed like he’d be lucky to get a 10-day contract in the NBA to now fielding a $7 million contract. Many will miss McConnell’s presence on the squad.

That said, McConnell has his limitations as a player and the Sixers, a team with Finals aspirations, need more out of their backup point guard than TJ can offer. Unfortunately, Elton Brand is yet to address the position in free agency. Brand and the front office will have to search the scrap heap to find a player to fill the role. Raul Neto or Jeremy Lin would both be solid value options on the veteran minimum. It’s also possible that Brand is angling toward acquiring a point guard via trade before the season begins.

Farewell to you Timothy John. One last time for the memories: