After three seasons with the team, the San Antonio Spurs traded veteran shooter Doug McDermott to the Indiana Pacers prior to the trade deadline on Thursday afternoon. The Spurs received forward Marcus Morris, a future second-round pick and cash considerations.
McDermott appeared in 46 games for San Antonio this season while averaging 6.0 points and 1.2 assists per contest. Though his contributions came with a Spurs team that never reached the playoffs during his time there, he still made sure to give fans and the city a goodbye in a text message he sent to the San Antonio Express-News.
"I'm going to miss being a Spur," McDermott said wrote to the Express-News. "The way they treat their players is second to none. I will always cherish the memories and friendships I made in my two and a half years with the program."
Originally a first-round pick by the Denver Nuggets before being traded to the Chicago Bulls on draft night in 2014, McDermott eventually made his way to Indiana in 2018 and played with the Pacers for three seasons. He said that the familiarity will help the process go that much smoother.
"Couldn't be more excited to join a place I'm familiar with in Indiana," McDermott wrote. "To be back and playing for an organization that made me the player I am today makes this day a whole lot easier. San Antonio will always be a special place to me and I appreciate all the Spurs fans for the support through the years."
McDermott played in 46 games for the Spurs this season, averaging 6.0 points and 1.2 assists per game while playing 15.2 minutes per contest. He scored a season-best 18 points in the 134-128 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Dec. 29.
During his three seasons with the Spurs, arguably McDermott's best performance came in a 142-134 overtime win over the Sacramento Kings on April 2, 2023. Against an eventual playoff team, McDermott scored a game-high 30 points off the bench on 4 of 8 shooting from deep.
McDermott will soon be making a trip back to San Antonio when the Spurs host the Pacers at the Frost Bank Center on Sunday, March 3.
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