The Indiana Pacers have exercised their 2022-23 rookie scale team option for Goga Bitadze. This is the fourth-year option for Bitadze.

In three-plus seasons, Bitadze has averaged four points and 2.6 rebounds per game. The 22-year-old center is still a developing player behind Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner for the Pacers.

Bitadze will be under contract for $4.7 million for 2022-23. He'll then be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2023.

Caris LeVert has yet to suit up for the Indiana Pacers this season, but his return seems to be on the horizon. LeVert took part in contact practices earlier this week and has come through those feeling good.

LeVert said, "I’m trusting the coaches and medical staff, but I’m ready to go." The Pacers have listed LeVert as questionable for their game at the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.

Indiana shut down the versatile wing after he experienced some back soreness during the preseason. At the time, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said LeVert would miss the first four games and then would be re-evaluated. Indiana has kept to that exact timeline. Carlisle didn't comment further on LeVert's status when asked recently except to say, “I don’t know when he will play in games…hopefully soon.”

Malcolm Brogdon and the Indiana Pacers have agreed to a two-year, $45 million extension. Brogdon is now guaranteed $89.3 million over the next four seasons.

Brogdon is now ineligible to be traded this season.

The Pacers acquired Brogdon in 2019 on a four-year, $85 million sign-and-trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. 

It's relatively rare for a player on a non-guaranteed training camp deal to earn a regular season roster spot. This is generally limited to one player every few years. This offseason, five players outplayed their camp invite status and seem to have stuck for the regular season.

This group includes: Isaiah Hartenstein (LA Clippers), Wayne Selden (New York Knicks), Dennis Smith Jr. (Portland Trail Blazers), Matt Thomas (Chicago Bulls), Brad Wanamaker (Indiana Pacers). Armoni Brooks could be included in this grouping as well, but his situation was somewhat unique given his re-signed status and conversion process as a former Two-Way player.

When a player makes an opening night roster on a training camp deal, their contract converts to a standard non-guaranteed contract. Prior to that happening, a camp deal doesn't count against the salary cap or tax, and there is no guaranteed salary.

Prior to this season, Dwight Howard was the last player to go from camp invite to roster. Howard made the Los Angles Lakers roster out of camp in 2019.

The Indiana Pacers have been a team with legitimate interest in trading for Ben Simmons, though they haven't frequently been mentioned in the conversation publicly. 

The Pacers have "consistently registered interest" in trading for Simmons.

The 76ers, however, have been unmoved by Indiana's package built around Malcolm Brogdon and Caris LeVert for Simmons.

The 76ers continue to seek a trade for Damian Lillard. 

The Indiana Pacers have agreed to sign Brad Wanamaker to a camp deal.

Wanamaker signed a one-year, $2.25 million deal with hte Golden State Warriors during the 2020 offseason and finished the season with the Charlotte Hornets. 

The Indiana Pacers have traded Edmond Sumner and a 2025 second round pick via the Miami Heat to the Brooklyn Nets for the draft rights of Juan Pablo Vaulet.

Sumner is out for the season and will be waived by Brooklyn.

The Pacers will go from $514,000 below the luxury tax to $2.8 million below.

Brooklyn will save $8.1 million in salary and luxury tax with this move and the Doumbouya transaction.

The Indiana Pacers may be the sleeper team in the Ben Simmons trade talks. The Pacers are one of several teams that have remained engaged with the Philadelphia 76ers in trade discussions.

Simmons requested a trade from the Sixers over the summer. He's now holding out from training camp and the preseason. Recently, Philadelphia withheld a payment of $8.25 million for Simmons. That money has been placed in an escrow account, from which any fines Simmons incurs will be withdrawn.

The Pacers have a series of mid-range tradable contracts to put in a deal for Simmons. Indiana can also offer Philadelphia win-now veteran players, which seems to be a priority for the 76ers. In addition, the Pacers are feeling some pressure to get back to the postseason after missing out last year.

Several teams are still talking trades with the Philadelphia 76ers for disgruntled All-Star Ben Simmons. League sources indicate that the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors are still inquiring about trading for Simmons.

Cleveland, Minnesota and San Antonio have been linked to Simmons since he went on the block a couple of months ago. Toronto was also rumored to be involved, but had no interest in moving All-Star forward Pascal Siakam as part of a package for Simmons. It's unknown what level of interest Detroit or Indiana have.

It was recently reported that Philadelphia has not issued Simmons a payment of $8.25 million that was due on October 1. The Sixers have reportedly placed that amount in escrow and will deduct any fines Simmons incurs from that account.