The Pacers are picking up their team option on forward Oshae Brissett for 2022-23, reports James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Brissett’s $1,846,738 salary for next season will remain non-guaranteed after the option is exercised, but it’s a safe bet he won’t be waived.
Brissett, who turned 24 this month, has been a regular part of Indiana’s rotation over the last season-and-a-half, averaging 9.6 PPG and 5.4 RPG with a .368 3PT% in 88 games (23.7 MPG).
Given how modest his option salary is, there was never doubt that the Pacers would retain Brissett, but there was some question about whether or not they’d pick up his option.
Turning down the option would have made the former Syracuse standout a restricted free agent this offseason, whereas exercising it will put him on track for unrestricted free agency next year.
The Pacers have apparently decided to keep Brissett on a low cap number for one more year and will take their chances with locking him up beyond 2022-23, knowing that they won’t have the right of first refusal on any offer he signs as a free agent next summer.
We’re tracking all of the ’22-23 team option decisions right here.
More must-reads: