Roy Hibbert Wants to Stay in Indiana, if the Money is Right


This summer, it’s a matter of dollars and sense for Roy Hibbert, who very much wants to remain an Indiana Pacer. From the AP: “Of course this isn’t going to be his last time in Indy, he’s not going anywhere,’ Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. Hibbert is one of six Indiana players who could become a free agent July 1, and at 7-foot-2, he could become one of the hottest commodities on the market. But because he will only be a restricted free agent, the Pacers can match any other offer to keep him. So how much will it take to keep the blossoming 25-year-old? That’s what the Pacers are trying to figure out. Last week, Vogel and team president Larry Bird both indicated they would like the roster to return intact — a combination that would require signing two key restricted free agents, Hibbert and guard George Hill. The Pacers may have enough cap room to work it. Early projections indicate the Pacers will be about $21 million under next season’s salary cap. But Hibbert has not gone public with a price. On Thursday, he stopped short of saying he would give the Pacers a hometown discount. ‘I want to make sure that everyone knows I love Indiana,’ he said. ‘But as the process goes and we try to get something done, that’s something I’m leaving to my agent.’ […] What the Pacers must decide is whether they can afford to keep him — or if it would be too costly to lose Hibbert. To Vogel, it’s a no-brainer. ‘I love our team so much, there’s such a great positive chemistry and any time you see any of those guys, it just lights up,’ Vogel said. ‘We’re going to get every single one of them (free agents) back. The Pacers are going to shoot for the moon.'”