Former Pacers Star Rips Into Team Over Injury and Contract Claims

Ricardo Klein | Oct 27, 2024

Nov 17, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo (4) and center Domantas Sabonis (11) celebrate a basket in the second half of the game against the Detroit Pistons at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

No matter what you've heard, former Indiana Pacers All-Star guard Victor Oladipo was never offered a $160 million contract. 

Oladipo appeared on "The OGs Show” with Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, where he reminisced about his time in the league with the Pacers. Oladipo was with the Pacers for four seasons, and it is where he played some of his best basketball, but the end of his tenure in Indiana wasn't all sunshine and rainbows; in fact, it ended quite unpleasantly. 

During the conversation with Haslem and Miller, Oladipo dismissed the speculation regarding his refusal of a $160 million contract from Indiana, clarifying that the offer he received was significantly lower. He further revealed that Indiana decided to trade him following an unsuccessful knee surgery.

“I never, ever, got offered $160 million," Oladipo told Haslem and Miller. "They offered three years, $80 million. It's less than what I had but pretty much about the same. My doctors and everybody were telling me I was getting healthier, even though, unfortunately, my surgery wasn't done correctly."

“I made that decision thinking I was getting better," Oladipo said. "And then, in my first three or four games in Indy that year, I averaged 20. That's why they traded me. Inside scoop, they knew my sh*t was f**ked up too. … That's pretty much what happened, never got $160 million, I would've taken it.”

Oladipo was assured that he was recovering properly from a severe knee injury that he suffered in the 2018-19 season. Oladipo suffered a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee, which ruled him out for the rest of the season. He underwent successful surgery five days later. Despite the injury, he was still selected as an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve. 

Nonetheless, Oladipo indicated that this information was misleading, and the Pacers were aware of the truth. He had sought out a maximum contract, which you could argue he earned at that time. His time in Indiana was special, as he averaged 20.6 points per game, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.6 steals while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 34 percent from three. 

However, due to his unawareness of the improper healing of his knee—knowledge that the Pacers possessed—they opted to trade him to the Houston Rockets.

The 2019-20 season was not a great one for Oladipo, as he was still recovering from his knee injury and was never 100 percent at any point. The Pacers finally cut ties with him for the 2020-21 season when they traded him to the Rockets as part of a four-team deal that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets. 

At that time, Oladipo had achieved the status of a two-time All-Star and was regarded as one of the league's most promising young talents. 

More Pacers: Pacers vs 76ers: How to Watch, Odds, Predictions, More