Reports: Pacers To Add Athletic Big Man Mahinmi
by Jeff Tzucker | July 11, 2012 | Updated July 12, 2012 1:44 PM
Multiple sources, including Mike Wells from The Indianapolis Star and Jonathan Givony from Draft Express, have reported the Pacers will acquire Ian Mahinmi (YAN MY-ee-me) from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for guard Darren Collison and G-F swingman Dahntay Jones.
If the reports are true, Mahinmi's size—6'11" 230 lbs—shows the Pacers seem intent on bolstering their front line this offseason. They have already added 7-footer Miles Plumlee through the draft. Mahinmi is an athletic player who, at only 25 years old, has room to grow with the core the Pacers have in place. He also brings championship experience to the locker room as he was a member of the Mavericks when they won the 2011 NBA Finals.
In the 2005 NBA Draft, Mahinmi was selected 28th overall by the San Antonio Spurs. He spent two seasons there before signing with the Dallas Mavericks. Last season, he enjoyed a bigger role in the Mavs’ rotation and ended the season with averages of 5.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game.
Mahinmi was born and raised in Rouen, France. His mother is from Jamaica and his father is from Benin. The proper pronunciation of his first name is “Yan”, though he says he is comfortable with either the English or French version.
The trade would also signify the end of the line for Pacers players Darren Collison and Dahntay Jones, both key members of a Pacers squad who reached the second round of the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2005.
Collison, a lightning quick, 24 year old point guard was acquired two seasons ago from the New Orleans Hornets in a four-team, five-player trade. In his first season with the Pacers, he averaged 13.2 points and 5.1 assists. This past season, he averaged 10.3 pts and 4.8 asts, starting every game until losing time to injury late in the season.
Swingman Dahntay Jones has spent 3 seasons with the Pacers and has been a key member of the bench, particularly the last 2 seasons. Jones is a defensive stalwart whose athleticism has produced awe-inducing moments of explosiveness when attacking the basket. This past season, he averaged 16.2 mins and 5.3 points per game.