--The Pacers decided against picking up the $7.5-million team option on guard Marquis Daniels. Team officials felt that was a lot of money to pay a player who has spent a significant amount of time injured and would be coming off the bench next season. If they had retained Daniels, the Pacers would have been limited in making any free agent moves because they would have been right up against the luxury tax, which their owners want to avoid going over. There was talk of possibly bringing Daniels back at a lower salary, but that ended when Dahntay Jones agreed to a four-year deal.
--The days of "Psycho T" are about to become a distant memory for Pacers rookie Tyler Hansbrough. Hansbrough, who got the nickname his freshman year by North Carolina's strength coach during one of their grueling weightlifting sessions, said he wants to focus on his NBA career. That was something in college," he said. "I'm trying to let that go." The name "Psycho T" was so famous in Hansbrough's four years in college that bookstores printed T-shirts with his face and moniker, until lawyers politely asked them to stop. It was fun while it lasted for Hansbrough. --Although they've yet to assign a player there, the Pacers will keep their NBA Development League affiliation with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. The Pacers share the Mad Ants with the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Tyler's a little wacko, and 'Psycho T' is about his drive and everything. But he's wacko because he likes to have fun. It's a very good wacko." -- University of North Carolina coach Roy Williams, on Pacers rookie Tyler Hansbrough.
