Pacers add Popeye Jones to staff; will play 2 preseason games in Asia
From the Indiana Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers announced Wednesday that Popeye Jones has been signed as an assistant coach to complete the Pacers’ coaching staff. Per club policy, no terms of the contract are released.
The 43-year-old Jones comes to the Pacers after spending the last three years with the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, one season in player development, the last two as an assistant coach. Prior to that, he was with Dallas for three years in player development. Jones played collegiately at Murray State and was a 1992 second-round pick of the Houston Rockets, who traded his rights to Dallas. He played one season in Italy before joining the Mavericks in 1993 and ended up playing with Toronto, Boston, Denver, Washington and Golden State before retiring in 2004.
-Popeye brings a wealth of experience, both as a player and coach,” said Pacers head coach Frank Vogel. -He comes in as a player development coach focusing on the big men, but he has become a complete coach, great with Xs and Os and game strategy. He will be a great asset to our staff.”
Jones joins long-time assistant Dan Burke and associate head coach Nate McMillan, who was hired in July, on the Pacers’ staff.
Pacers to play two games in Asia
The Indiana Pacers announced Wednesday an eight-game preseason schedule that will have them meeting the Houston Rockets for two games in Asia.
After opening the preseason Saturday, Oct. 5 in Bankers Life Fieldhouse against the Chicago Bulls (7:00 p.m.), the Pacers will travel to Manila, Philippines to face Houston, Oct. 10, in the Mall of Asia Arena. On Oct. 13, the two teams will meet in the Taipei Arena in Taipei, Taiwan. This will be the Pacers’ third trip internationally, having played in Berlin, Germany and Seville, Spain in 1996 and in 2009, Taipei and Beijing, China.
The Pacers return home to face Dallas, Wednesday, Oct. 16, in a 7:00 p.m. game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, then go on the road for the final four games: at Chicago, Oct. 18 (8:00 p.m.); at Cleveland, Oct. 19 (7:30 p.m.); at Atlanta, Oct. 22 (7:30 p.m.); and at Dallas, Oct. 25 (8:00 p.m.).
