Pacers reportedly waive veteran center Al Jefferson
Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star Scott Horner
33-year-old post man played little last season but was valuable in the locker room
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IndyStar
Al Jefferson was a valued member of the Indiana Pacers locker room last season, but his diminishing court presence and significant salary made him expendable.

The Pacers reportedly waived the veteran big man Monday. He was due $10 million for the coming season, according to Spotrac. Now his salary cap hit is $4 million, and that could be stretched across three seasons.

The 33-year-old old-school post player appeared in a career-low 36 games last season, his 14th, averaging 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds.

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Jefferson knew his court time would drop after Indiana obtained Domantas Sabonis in a trade, and Jefferson adapted a new role -- locker room mentor.

“Coming into this season it was a new role for me,” Jefferson said around the All-Star break. “I tried to attack it head on.

“I’m very comfortable. This NBA don’t owe me anything. This NBA has been great to me. Whatever role I have to play to stay in this league as long as I can, I will play it. I love to help the young guys, mentor, be that glue in the locker room. Nate (McMillan) and the coaches do what they do, but they’re not around the team as much in the locker room. I got to be that voice in the locker room. And the good thing about it, the guys listen to me. No one takes nothing negative. No one takes it ‘Well you’re picking on me.’ Because they know if I say something, or correct something, it’s coming from a good place.

“I’ve never seen a group of guys like this that are so happy for one another. When guys have success, this whole locker room is so hype. Young guys don’t learn that right away. I knew then, OK this team will have a lot of success.”

At the trade deadline, Jefferson thanked team president Kevin Pritchard for keeping him on the roster. Several teammates had approached Pritchard, asking him to keep the roster intact, though Jefferson could have easily been a piece in a trade.

“They’re always going to do what’s best for the team, so I never tried to get involved in that trade stuff, even though I know I could have gone to KP, because we have a great relationship," Jefferson said at the time. "But KP, I know he’s smart enough to see what we have.”