Former Akron Zip center Enrique Freeman has entered the dead period after the NBA Summer League as a free agent.
Freeman, who played for the Indiana Pacers last season on a two-way contract, had his offer for another two-way deal rescinded after the team’s summer league season in favor of guard Traelon Peter. Both played well in the summer season.
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Peter averaged 9.5 points and shot 57.1%, according to reports. Freeman averaged a near double-double — 16.6 points and 9.6 points — playing primarily at center.
Indiana Pacers forward Enrique Freeman watches from the bench as the Pacers play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 12, 2025, in Cleveland.
He became a victim of a numbers game, according to an Indianapolis Star report. The Pacers have four centers on the roster, and Freeman, at 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, is smallish for the position in the NBA.
“He’s on the cusp of being an NBA roster-type player,” Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said on a recent “Setting the Pace” podcast. “His challenge is his position for the NBA. We play him at a lot of 5. He’s probably undersized for that for the NBA. He’s got a motor. He has a nose for the ball. He’s tough. He’s smart. It’s a tough decision for us, but the backcourt spot is probably more where we need some depth.”
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George M. Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture, but mostly sports, he thinks, for the Beacon Journal.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Ex-Akron Zips Enrique Freeman enters NBA offseason as free agent