The summer departures of center Roy Hibbert and power forward David West have left plenty of minutes available next season for Indiana Pacers bigs. The candidates include 6-9 forward-center Lavoy Allen, who averaged 5.5 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench in 63 games last season.
Allen, 26, isn't taking for granted that he will fill one of the starting spots, as Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star reports:
- "'There [are] no promises I'll be playing major minutes, I've got to come in and earn it. If I come in at 290, overweight and sloppy, I'm not going to be playing major minutes.'"
Allen was acquired by the Pacers at the trade deadline in 2014 from the Philadelphia 76ers along with Evan Turner in the trade that sent Danny Granger to the Sixers. Allen hasn't been a regular starter since 2012-13, his second season in Philly.
Others in the mix should be Ian Mahinmi, Shayne Whittington, Glenn Robinson III and rookie Rakeem Christmas.
