Teague knew he was the perfect point guard for the Pacers next to Oladipo and Sabonis.
For many NBA role players, there’s always that one team that feels like home — the place where their game clicks, their confidence grows, and their passion for basketball is reignited.
For Jeff Teague, that team was the Indiana Pacers. During his short stint in Indianapolis, Teague found a system that perfectly complemented his style and believed he could play a key role in the franchise’s long-term plans.
But despite that chemistry and sense of belonging, the Pacers decided to move in another direction, trading him away. The move left Teague frustrated, feeling that he was misjudged and let go despite being an ideal fit for the team’s identity and goals.
Teague knew he was best suited for the Pacers
When Jeff Teague joined the Indiana Pacers in the summer of 2016, after spending the first seven years of his career with the Atlanta Hawks, both sides had high hopes. With Paul George as the franchise cornerstone, Indiana looked poised to make a serious push in the Eastern Conference.
However, those ambitions quickly faded after a first-round playoff sweep, signaling that major changes were needed for the Pacers to take the next step. That offseason, the team not only parted ways with George but also reshaped its roster—sending Teague out despite his strong production of 15.3 points per game, making him the team’s second-leading scorer during the 2016–17 campaign.
Teague, though, believed his time in Indiana should have been different. He saw himself as the perfect fit for the Pacers’ system—a point guard who could lead, adapt, and thrive within the franchise’s culture.
So, when Victor Oladipo emerged the following season as the team’s new star, averaging 23.1 points per game and guiding Indiana to 48 wins, Teague couldn’t help but feel that his continued presence could have taken the Pacers even further.
“When I was with the Pacers, that was honestly my favorite season,” Teague recalled. “Paul George had asked for a trade after that baseball game, and I remember talking with Kevin Pritchard. They told me, ‘We’re going to bring you back.’ So I thought, ‘Perfect — I’ll stay in Indiana. They don’t have another point guard, this is the ideal setup.’
But once PG made it clear he wanted out, they said, ‘We’re going to rebuild. We’re trading pieces, but we love you, Jeff.’ Next thing I know, they deal Paul George for Oladipo and Sabonis — and suddenly they’re one of the top five teams in the East.”
Teague admitted the move left him deeply disappointed. “I was really hurt — genuinely hurt. I’ve been mad at KP ever since,” he said. “And when I ran into him later in Minnesota, he told me, ‘I didn’t know it would turn out like this. You would’ve been perfect for that team.’”
Role players never get their wish
Interestingly, Jeff Teague’s frustration didn’t come from pride — it came from understanding.
He recognized how perfectly his skill set aligned with that Pacers roster, believing his playmaking could have amplified Victor Oladipo’s scoring and complemented Domantas Sabonis’ interior presence.
For Teague, the trade didn’t feel like a simple roster move — it felt like a lost opportunity, a moment where he was denied the chance to help shape something special. His story highlights a familiar reality in the NBA: role players rarely get the same patience or trust as stars. When a franchise hits the reset button, the supporting pieces often become collateral damage.
And who knows — with Teague still in the mix, perhaps the Pacers might have had the extra spark needed to overcome the Cleveland Cavaliers in that hard-fought seven-game playoff series.
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