Victor Oladipo will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021 and his future with the Indiana Pacers is uncertain. Oladipo and the Pacers briefly discussed a contract extension before the start of the 19-20 season.

"My goal is to have a direct relationship with Victor," said Kevin Pritchard. "Sometimes you have to just sit in front of someone, have a conversation, ask the tough questions, be open and honest. I have not heard anything other than he wants to be here."

J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star, however, indicates Oladipo "has been leaning the other way (leaving the Pacers) since July. Who knows what happens/changes btw then vs now."

Oladipo was an All-Star in 2018 and 2019 before suffering a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee in January 2019.

Pritchard continues to like the backcourt combination of Oladipo and Malcolm Brogdon.

"When you look at it on paper, it fits," said Pritchard  "You have two attacking guards who both can make plays for other people. ... We put a lot of load on Malcolm this year. His usage rates were (off) the chart."

The Indiana Pacers pointed out in their press release that Nate McMillan had a 3-16 record in the playoffs over four seasons, but the context of that record wasn't conveyed. The Pacers were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017, but lost by a combined 16 points as every game was close. Indiana then lost to the Cavaliers again in 2018, but in a seven-game series. The Cavaliers went to The Finals in each of those two seasons.

In 2019 and 2020, the Pacers participated in the playoffs without their All-Star in Victor Oladipo last season and Domantas Sabonis this season.

Indiana's decision to fire McMillan left him confused as he had just sign a contract extension.

“Yeah, well that was the reason for signing the extension; I was going to get that chance,” McMillan told The Athletic on Thursday. “But in saying that, my thought at the time (of signing the deal) was we would get out of the first round of the playoffs because we were heading down to Orlando with a healthy roster (except for Lamb). I felt confident we could beat those teams. …

“If we had gone down there with that full team, a healthy team, and lost, I would have made the decision for them. But I understand, sometimes you have some bad luck. To me, it’s like what’s happening in this country. We can’t put the pandemic on the guy who’s running the country, but you’ve got to take responsibility for what happens on your watch. And we failed to advance, so I have to take responsibility for that.”

The extension was technically signed before the Pacers left for the NBA campus in Orlando, but was not announced until rumors surfaced that his job was in jeopardy.

“At that time (of the extension), my contract was up June 31 so we had to talk about something (contractually),” he said. “I thought about it and said, ‘Even though we hadn’t started the playoffs, I really thought at the time we were going to advance. I had all my players (except Lamb). Domas was there. I always thought Victor was going to play. We had everybody and I really thought we could get out of the first round. So I signed that extension thinking, ‘OK, next year we’ll be healthy and I’ll give it one more try.

“And then we get down to the bubble and Domas has his injury and it was like ‘Ohhhhh-kay.’ But I know what I said to myself and told the organization, for me, it was about getting out of the first round, so when the decision was made yesterday, I understood. It was a hell of a run with this organization and I think we have a good team and good players – when healthy – but we’ve never really seen this team healthy where everybody was on the floor at one time.”

The Indiana Pacers have fired Nate McMillan just a week after agreeing to a soft extension.

The Pacers had reworked the final season on McMillan's contract for 20-21 and added a team option for 21-22. The Pacers were subsequently swept by the Miami Heat.

McMillan was head coach of the Pacers for four season and complied a 183-136 record.

Mike D'Antoni will be a candidate for the Pacers should he become available. 

"On behalf of the SImon family and the Pacers organization, I'd like to thank Nate for his years with the team," Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in a statement. "This was a very hard decision for us to make; but we feel it's in the best interest of the organization to move in a different direction. Nate and I have been through the good times and the bad times; and it was an honor to work with him for those 11 years (in Indiana and Portland)."

Nate McMillan highlighted the disparity in free throw attempts following the Indiana Pacers' 124-115 loss to the Miami Heat in game 3.

The Pacers, who lost the free throw battle 52-28, are down 3-0 in the series. 

Jimmy Butler had 20 free throw attempts in the game. 

"I can't explain that. I mean, 52 free throws is ridiculous. They had 24 at the half, Butler shoots 20 of them ... this is the playoffs, and I thought some of those calls were ... I can't explain it," said McMillan after the game.

Malcolm Brogdon also observed the discrepancy, but added that he didn't "know if that's a mix of the refs, us not being aggressive enough, whatever."

Erik Spoelstra said that his team were earning the free throw by their aggression. 

"In a playoff game, to be able to have 20 free throw attempts [from Jimmy] -- and those were all collisions. It's not as if he's flopping his way to the line. He's putting his body in there and drawing contact and making you have to make the call."

Domantas Sabonis will return to the Orlando bubble on Saturday, confirmed Nate McMillan.

McMillan added that Sabonis will quarantine for "a few days."

Sabonis left the bubble last month due to plantar fasciitis.

Sabonis has not engaged in any basketball activities during his rehab and is not expected to rejoin the Pacers active roster once he clears quarantine, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. 

The Indiana Pacers said that they have "no immediate concerns" after Victor Oladipo suffered a left eye injury during their 113-101 loss to the Miami Heat.

Oladipo suffered the eye injury in the first quarter, and did not return to the game after shooting two free throws.

Oladipo is being re-evaluated on an on-site clinic.

"It wasn't an option. His vision was really blurry, really couldn't see out of his eye when we spoke to him at halftime, and he was going to get that checked out," said Nate McMillan. 

The 2021 NBA All-Star Weekend will not be held as scheduled, an NBA spokesperson told Fieldhouse Files.

“Given the uncertainty surrounding the schedule for the 2020-21 NBA season, we and the Indiana Pacers informed our hotel partners in Indianapolis that NBA All-Star 2021 is unlikely to take place on Presidents’ Day weekend so they could make other arrangements. More information about next season’s schedule, including NBA All-Star, will be announced at a later date.”

The NBA tentatively plans on beginning next season in December.

The following statement from Pacers Sports & Entertainment president & COO Rick Fuson was provided to Fieldhouse Files:

“We have been working with the NBA since 2017 to bring our fans and our city this world-class event, just as we did when we last hosted in 1985. While it appears NBA All-Star 2021 is unlikely to happen on Presidents’ Day weekend, we are excited about continuing to collaborate with the NBA as we look to the future.”

The NBA has already scheduled its next two All-Star Games for Cleveland (2022) and Salt Lake City (2023).

Jimmy Butler is ready to put his rivalry with T.J. Warren behind him as the Miami Heat prepare to play the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs.

"Look, I just play basketball," Butler said during a video call with reporters after Sunday's practice. "I'm going to go out there and be the best player on the floor. That's what Miami has me here to do. I'm not worried about nobody's matchup, man. We can kill that. That's dead, that's something that'll pass. Everybody wants to make a story out of it, but my job isn't against T.J. Warren, it's against the Indiana Pacers, and my job is to help the Miami Heat beat the Indiana Pacers."

Butler and Warren exchanged words and had to be separated during a Jan. 8 game.

"Now's the time to play your best basketball," Butler said. "To do whatever it takes to make sure that your team can win. I know that myself, I know that my teammates, the coaches, this organization, know that I'm capable of making that, so now it's just me going out there and doing just that and helping this team win some games."

Nate McMillan has agreed to a contract extension with the Indiana Pacers.

McMillan had one season remaining on his contract. McMillan confirmed that the extension is for one additional season.

McMillan will have reached the playoffs in each of his four seasons as Pacers coach.

ESPN's Zach Lowe and Jeff Van Gundy speculated about the future of McMillan as head coach of the Pacers last week. Lowe said the Pacers possibly moving on from McMillan this offseason has been "the hottest rumor all season."

T.J. Warren scored 39 points in the Indiana Pacers' 116-111 win over the Los Angeles Lakers to increase his scoring average inside the bubble to 34.8 points.

Warren is also shooting 60.5% from the field, and 55.6% on 3s.

"During the time off just staying locked, staying in love with the game and just being myself when I'm out there. I've got a good supporting cast, good family and friends, so that helps a lot. And the organization, the Pacers welcomed me in with open arms and brought me in, so I'm just grateful for everything right now," said Warren about his improvements.

Warren closed out the game with a 7-0 run by himself.

"Hey look, T.J. Warren is on a different planet right now. It don't matter what I say, it don't matter what you say, it don't matter what somebody down the street say -- Johnny, Barley, Ms. Susie -- he locked in right now. I don't need to encourage him to do anything; he's going to put the ball in the rim regardless of who's out there," said Victor Oladipo.