Free Agency Diary 2017

Pacers and Damien Wilkins Agree to Deal

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Jeff Hawkins
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Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.

All posts by Jeff Hawkins
Sports Editor

Updated06 Nov 2023

Damien_Wilkins_Hornets_2015_AP

The Indiana Pacers have agreed to a one-year, veteran minimum deal with veteran swingman Damien Wilkins, a league source told Basketball Insiders.

Wilkins, the son of Gerald Wilkins and nephew of Dominique Wilkins, spent last season with the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA D-League. The 37-year-old swingman averaged 14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 steals in 31.5 minutes per game. Wilkins shot 49 percent from the field, 36 percent from beyond the arc and 84 percent from the free throw line.

Indiana now has 15 players on the roster.

Wilkins last played in the NBA during the 2012-13 season with the Philadelphia 76ers.

It’s worth noting new Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan was in Charlotte last season while Wilkins played for Greensboro, the team’s D-League affiliate.

Wilkins was a D-League All-Star and All-NBA D-League Third Team member in 2015 for the Iowa Energy. The 6-foot-6 swingman averaged 20.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 37.8 minutes per game during that campaign.

For more information on Indiana’s salary cap situation, click here.

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Author photo
Jeff Hawkins
Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.

All posts by Jeff Hawkins
Author photo
Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.

All posts by Jeff Hawkins