According to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic , the Indiana Pacers are waiving young big man Goga Bitadze.
Bitadze, the 18th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has spent his entire career with Indiana to date. He has never gotten a ton of playing time for the blue and gold, and this year, he is averaging just 9.6 minutes per game. Given how many other young centers are on Indiana's roster, it appeared that Bitadze had fallen out of the Pacers future plans.
The Pacers are reportedly making a larger trade with the Milwaukee Bucks involving several players, including Jordan Nwora, and they will need roster spots to make it all possible. Bitadze being waived is most likely a casualty of that deal.
Bitadze rarely got a consistent chance with the Pacers. "I don't get a whole lot of playing time right now. I've just got to stay patient, stay ready, do great in practices. Get better with the guys," the center told All Pacers earlier this season.
Bitadze's deal was set to expire at the end of the upcoming season, and Indiana has multiple draft picks coming to them in the 2023 NBA Draft, so they had little long-term need for the big man, especially considering how many other young centers Indiana has on its roster.
The Bitadze pick did not pan out for the Pacers. The hope was that he would grow into at least a rotation level big for the franchise, but a combination of a lack of playing time and skill growth made that not happen. Indiana will have to reflect on that draft in the future.
The Pacers could have more to come today given the complex nature of what they are possibly up to in terms of a deal with Milwaukee.
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