Deividas Sirvydis discusses why he decided to sign with the Indiana Pacers and his time with the team

Sirvydis chose the Pacers this summer in free agency.

Sep 26, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Deividas Sirvydis (91) poses for photos during media day at the Pacers practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Deividas Sirvydis spent the first two seasons of his career in the Detroit Pistons organization, but he entered the 2022 offseason as a free agent despite being a top-40 draft pick just three years prior. He had to find a new team.

The Lithuanian forward latched on with the New Orleans Pelicans summer league squad in an attempt to prove himself to NBA teams. Absent a contract, Sirvydis headed off to Vegas fighting for his future in the league.

He lit the nets on fire for New Orleans. In four appearances, the 22-year old averaged 15.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for the Pelicans, and he shined as a shooter — Sirvydis canned 41.9% of his 31 three-point shots in summer league play. He stood out in the exhibitions.

In August, those performances led to an NBA deal — one month after the conclusion of summer league, the Indiana Pacers signed Sirvydis to a contract. According to the young forward, those performances for the Pelicans helped him land his deal with Indiana.

"I had a solid summer league, so that was the reason I'm here," Sirvydis said on Tuesday after a Pacers practice. He's been with Indiana for all of training camp.

Sirvydis had a bumpy first two years in the NBA. His rookie season was filled with high highs, such as a 16-point outing against the Denver Nuggets, and low lows, including four games of no made baskets and zero points. He was afforded even less opportunity in his second season, only appearing in three games, but his G League numbers were impressive.

Inconsistent play was likely a factor in Sirvydis not having a home earlier in free agency this offseason, but the Pacers took a chance on the wing. They added him on an Exhibit 10 deal, which is a one year, non-guaranteed contract that the Pacers can convert to a two-way deal if they want to. If Sirvydis is waived in training camp, he will receive a $50k bonus if he reports to Indiana's G League affiliate team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, for at least 60 days.

Essentially, it's a training camp deal. But when it was signed, the Pacers had open roster spots and two-way deals available. There was an opportunity for the young wing, which was appealing.

"That's a lot of [my] motivation, I want to be in the league one way or the other. I'm doing everything to be there," Sirvydis shared. The Pacers were a good fit for him as a result.

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So far, everything has felt right for the two-year pro in a new home. He arrived in Indianapolis early, prior to training camp, to get in some extra work with his teammates. He attended Tyrese Haliburton's youth basketball camp in Indianapolis and connected with the community. He's making the most of his chance, even if he has an uphill battle to ultimately make the Pacers roster.

"It was great. Just meeting new people, new system, everything is different... I'm glad I have a chance to be here. Everything feels great," Sirvydis said of his first weeks with the blue and gold. "I'm glad to be here. It feels good."

In camp, most of what Sirvydis has been tasked with improving is his defense. Defense is challenging on the wing, especially in the modern, spaced out NBA. Sirvydis has the height and speed to keep up with opponents, but technical improvements are needed if he wants to grow into a rotation level NBA wing. That's why the Pacers have been working with Sirvydis on that side of the ball so much in camp.

Sirvydis noted that all teams need defense, and every team is looking for stoppers on the wing. If he can improve on the less glamorous end of the floor, his NBA stock will improve. It's that simple, especially when considering that Sirvydis is already a talented shooter.

That shooting has been on display since the Lithuanian joined the Pacers. He participated in Indiana's three-point shooting contest at FanJam, and in his two preseason appearances, he's 2/3 from deep so far.

"Probably three point shooting. That's what I do best," Sirvydis said when explaining how he can help the blue and gold. "Just waiting for my opportunity to shoot. And of course, defensive activity and spacing on the offensive end. Mostly shooting."

Sirvydis has a quick release, and he's been a dangerous weapon on the right wing and in the left corner during his career. Coincidentally, he made one three from each spot in the preseason so far, and in general, he's happy with how his playing time has gone.

"I believe I took advantage of my minutes, especially my last game in New York. I had like seven minutes, had some opportunities on the offensive end, hit two threes," Sirvydis said. "Defensively [I] was, I believe, also solid. Just got to keep it up and take advantage of my minutes," he added. The Pacers have outscored their opponent by 15 with the young wing on the floor through two games.

Sirvydis still has a difficult path ahead of him to make Indiana's final roster. After the Pacers signed Trevelin Queen to a two-way deal on Tuesday, there is only one roster spot still available, and Sirvydis is competing with veterans James Johnson and Langston Galloway for the spot. He will have to stand out for the rest of training camp to make Indiana's regular season roster.

Should the Lithuanian forward end up in Fort Wayne, he could still see himself promoted to the NBA roster at some point during the season. That has happened to countless Pacers in past seasons, including Keifer Sykes, Justin Anderson, Oshae Brissett, and more. Getting waived after training camp would not necessarily be the end of the road for Sirvydis' journey with the Pacers.

But he will have to continue improving, especially on defense. So far, he has earned an opportunity with Indiana after a solid summer league and has taken advantage of it with strong preseason play. Now, he will need to continue that momentum and growth if he wants to stick with the NBA club.

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