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How new Pacers forward T.J. Warren is ready to thrive and finally be successful
By Scott Agness Jul 30, 2019
6 
T.J Warren may be the only one who loves when it’s raining outside. It’s the best, he says. It’s not because it evokes a wonderful memory from childhood or makes him want to go jump in puddles.
It’s more about the calming effect it has on him.
“I know it’s weird,” he admits, after having to repeat “rain” several times because there’s no way he lists rain as a hobby, right?
“But since I was a kid I’ve been obsessed with rain. It puts me in a different state of mind. I just feel like I get my best thoughts when it rains and it opens up my imagination.”
There’s a lot to Warren. An early impression of Warren also reveals another simple thing: He loves basketball.
He may never become team spokesman or captain, and he isn’t going to freely sing or dance in front of cameras, but that’s just fine. The Pacers already have that from leader and co-captain Victor Oladipo. Instead, they need more offensive firepower, a player who can get his points and open up the floor for everyone else.
“Once I found out I was going there, I was stoked,” Warren said, speaking between summer-league games in Las Vegas. “It’s closer to home and just a great situation overall, a first-class organization.”
Warren was born in Durham, N.C., and calls nearby Raleigh home — just like Pacers head coach Nate McMillan. The two have had a relationship for “a long time” because of T.J.’s father, Tony Warren Sr, who played at N.C. State from 1975-79. McMillan was there years later, from 1984-86.
“He and my dad have been tight ever since they were in high school,” Warren said.
Warren left N.C. State after two years and was selected 14th overall by the Suns in the 2014 NBA Draft. He spent his first five seasons in Phoenix, which was a losing situation and without a sniff of the postseason. But he turns 26 in September before the start of training camp and will be entering his prime after his most productive season.
The Pacers have surrounded Oladipo with several versatile players who are all about the same age. Malcolm Brogdon is 26, Jeremy Lamb is 27 and both Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner are 23.
“I feel like everybody complements each other well,” Warren said. “Victor being the franchise guy there, I can’t wait to have him back.”
Coach McMillan’s son, Jamelle, was with Warren all last season in Phoenix and knows his dad’s coaching philosophy well.
“T.J. is all about basketball, man,” said Jamelle McMillan, who spent one year as a Suns assistant coach. “He’s a complete and total gamer. He gets some of the craziest buckets I’ve ever seen in my life. He’s a bonafide scorer.
“You’re looking at an easy 20 (points) a night, something they (Pacers) struggled with in the playoffs against Boston. He’s somebody who can take the pressure off Malcolm, take the pressure off Victor and is another option to go get a bucket.
“He is the definition of a gym rat. He doesn’t say much, even to us, but he’s going to show up and he’s going to be about his business. Even on off days, he’s at LA Fitness or anywhere he can find a gym, he’s going to be there. Going to Indiana, which is a basketball state and where they appreciate basketball culture there, he fits right in.”
Nate is a proud of the coach Jamelle has become, even after advising him to stay out of the hectic business years ago. He wanted Jamelle, who returned to the Pelicans this summer after the Suns fired head coach Igor Kokoskov after just one season, to make a name for himself.
After the Warren trade was proposed, Jamelle soon heard from his dad.
“We went around and around and around about it,” Jamelle said. “He kind of knew (Warren’s game) just from watching and paying attention to us last year. He had a few questions here or there and it was nothing complicated. You’re getting a guy who is about the game and that’s what my dad appreciates and respects.”
Warren is the first product from former Pacer forward David West’s AAU program — Garner Road Basketball Club, based in Raleigh — to make it to the NBA. West is arguably his biggest fan, too. So it was no surprise when West was sitting courtside with Warren during a Pacers game at summer league.
David West (left) talks with the Pacers coaching staff at summer league. (Scott Agness / The Athletic)
Just days earlier, Warren didn’t share any emotion when he was introduced to Pacers fans for the first time. Dressed in a navy blue suit with a white collared shirt underneath, Warren’s lack of excitement was called into question by fans during the live video stream. What must be understood is that news conferences aren’t for everybody. One guy may thrive and entertain in that setting while another would rather be anywhere else.
“He’s getting better at that,” West said, laughing. “We’re trying to get him better at that. T.J. is most comfortable on the basketball court.
“He’s just a basketball guy, studies the game. He’s not going to dress up, but he’ll be ready to play. He’s focused on being on the floor, being productive and he’s a guy who knows how to play the game without the basketball in his hands, which I think is his most valuable asset.
“He finds a way to the ball, he finds a way to score and he’s gotten more efficient in terms of shooting the 3-ball. T.J.’s a good kid, a good guy and he’s wired to do the right thing.”
With the opportunity to acquire Warren from the Suns before the draft, the Pacers were pleasantly surprised.
Warren has a good contract, owed $35 million total over the next three years. He should immediately elevate the Pacers’ offense, especially since Bojan Bogdanovic chose a bigger payday from the Jazz in free agency. And, the Suns included the 32nd pick in the 2019 NBA Draft in exchange for $1 million in cash considerations.
The starting small forward spot now belongs to Warren — one of three T.J.’s on the roster.
“I feel like every day matters here, every day is taken seriously and I’m ready to contribute to that,” he said.
Change in scenery can be good for players, too. In being dealt to the Pacers, he will play meaningful basketball for the first time since 2014, when he led N.C. State to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. With the Suns, he didn’t win more than 24 games since his rookie season. Now he’s playing for something beyond next year’s lottery pick.
And so when the trade became public, about 90 minutes before the draft on June 20, West fired off a tweet with a simple emoji:36 people are talking about this
“I was excited for him to get traded to the Pacers,” West explained. “He needs that stability, he needs a good environment. That’s the biggest thing I was excited about.
“It’s time for him to understand what it means for every day to mean something — every practice, every shootaround. When you’re on a team that’s not winning, after the first month or so you realize you’re not going to the playoffs and things become a drag.
“So I’m happy he’s in a situation with the Pacers, with a good coaching staff, solid people around him. I think it’s going to be a good turning point for him in his career.”
With the Pacers, Warren is getting first-class facilities, a basketball-centric fan base and a respected owner. West chose to sign with the Pacers in 2011 and then again in 2013. He’s the best player to sign with the franchise in free agency, so he knows exactly what’s in store for Warren, who missed 38 games last season due to right ankle soreness.
“I’m a big fan of (athletic trainers) Josh (Corbeil) and Carl (Eaton),” he said. “That’s going to be a huge benefit for him because he’s a guy who’s interested in his body and wants to know how things work. They’re probably the most informative training staff out there in terms of helping guys get healthy, help guys learn how to take care of their bodies.”
West has been a mentor to Warren since he was 12. West showed him the ropes, gave him advice, welcomed him into his AAU program and remains just a phone call away.
“He spoke very highly of the Pacers,” Warren said, remembering their first conversation after the trade.
Warren says he’s obsessed with getting better. So it’s only appropriate that after visiting with team officials in Indianapolis and completing an introductory press conference, he flew to Las Vegas to see the next wave of players at summer league.
Warren averaged 18 points and 4.0 rebounds per game last season while shooting 48.6 percent from the floor. But most impressively, he significantly upgraded his 3-point shooting after the Suns coaching staff instructed him to let it fly.
“He didn’t have a choice,” Jamelle McMillan said with a smile. “We made him let the thing go. All it was was just reinforcing that he could shoot it and step out to that range. He got in the gym with (Suns player development coach) Devin Smith last year and he put in the man-hours from beyond the arc. And he trusted it. His teammates trusted it.
“Devin Booker made sure he knew that he trusted him with it and we let him let it fly whenever he wanted to. All it did was translate from the trust. That was the biggest thing.”
Warren followed their instructions and shot 42.8 percent from beyond the arc on more than four attempts per game, a huge improvement from 22.2 percent the previous year.
“Just challenging myself, just knowing there’s always room for improvement,” Warren said of his enhanced shooting. “I never want to stay content with your game, understanding there are always ways to get better.”
A clear focal point for the Pacers front office this summer was to upgrade their scoring options. They addressed that by trading for Warren and Brogdon and signing Lamb.
At 6 foot 8 and 215 pounds, Warren is a versatile forward who can score from all over. He can create his shot, score off the dribble and in the mid-range, and attack the basket. He’s another threat, joining a team that lacked offense and managed less than 92 points per game in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.
“You look at T.J. and what he can do — he’s a 19-point scorer,” Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said. “He’s one of those hybrids that when you put a 3 on him, he’s a strong matchup in the post against 3s and on the perimeter he creates a lot of mismatches.”
West said he did have a few conversations with Pritchard about Warren.
The Suns primarily used Warren at power forward last season. While he has the versatility to slide down to play the four spot at times, McMillan will play him primarily at small forward.
“Which is what he wants to be, which is what he is,” Jamelle McMillan said. “At the 3 or 4, he’s a tough matchup, either way, I think on most nights. He prefers the 3 and I think that’s the way it fell with Bojan leaving. It just fell perfectly for him in the role that he’s comfortable with and the role that he has the most confidence in.”
The Pacers, who finished first in scoring defense (104.7) and sixth in field-goal defense, need Warren to take his defense seriously. He’s been a below-average defender, so can he evolve into a solid player on that end of the floor?
“If he’s asked to do something on the basketball floor, he’s going to do it,” Jamelle continued. “He’s a willing learner and willing to try. He’s going to get out there within the scheme of what they do and their system is built around team first, protecting the paint and protecting each other.
“He’s got the guys around him to help him out and he’s going to help them. He’s a great help defender more so and guys who are more isolation driven. He’s not necessarily a chase-around guy.”
At this time two years ago, nobody thought Bogdanovic would be able to stay in front of his man — and he became a capable defender. Warren stands to benefit from the Pacers’ team concepts and having Turner, the league leader in blocks last season, behind him as a safety net.
Whether he can do it on a nightly basis remains to be seen. What is known, however, is that he will work at it because that’s what he does. His location on Twitter is listed as “In a gym near you.”
Once Warren moves to Indianapolis, he will get acclimated to his teammates, surroundings and the Midwest weather. Away from the dry heat and losing seasons in Phoenx, Warren should be calmed by the unpredictable rainstorms in Indy as he joins a stable franchise where basketball is everything.
How new Pacers forward T.J. Warren is ready to thrive and finally be successful
By Scott Agness Jul 30, 2019
6 T.J Warren may be the only one who loves when it’s raining outside. It’s the best, he says. It’s not because it evokes a wonderful memory from childhood or makes him want to go jump in puddles.
It’s more about the calming effect it has on him.
“I know it’s weird,” he admits, after having to repeat “rain” several times because there’s no way he lists rain as a hobby, right?
“But since I was a kid I’ve been obsessed with rain. It puts me in a different state of mind. I just feel like I get my best thoughts when it rains and it opens up my imagination.”
There’s a lot to Warren. An early impression of Warren also reveals another simple thing: He loves basketball.
He may never become team spokesman or captain, and he isn’t going to freely sing or dance in front of cameras, but that’s just fine. The Pacers already have that from leader and co-captain Victor Oladipo. Instead, they need more offensive firepower, a player who can get his points and open up the floor for everyone else.
“Once I found out I was going there, I was stoked,” Warren said, speaking between summer-league games in Las Vegas. “It’s closer to home and just a great situation overall, a first-class organization.”
Warren was born in Durham, N.C., and calls nearby Raleigh home — just like Pacers head coach Nate McMillan. The two have had a relationship for “a long time” because of T.J.’s father, Tony Warren Sr, who played at N.C. State from 1975-79. McMillan was there years later, from 1984-86.
“He and my dad have been tight ever since they were in high school,” Warren said.
Warren left N.C. State after two years and was selected 14th overall by the Suns in the 2014 NBA Draft. He spent his first five seasons in Phoenix, which was a losing situation and without a sniff of the postseason. But he turns 26 in September before the start of training camp and will be entering his prime after his most productive season.
The Pacers have surrounded Oladipo with several versatile players who are all about the same age. Malcolm Brogdon is 26, Jeremy Lamb is 27 and both Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner are 23.
“I feel like everybody complements each other well,” Warren said. “Victor being the franchise guy there, I can’t wait to have him back.”
Coach McMillan’s son, Jamelle, was with Warren all last season in Phoenix and knows his dad’s coaching philosophy well.
“T.J. is all about basketball, man,” said Jamelle McMillan, who spent one year as a Suns assistant coach. “He’s a complete and total gamer. He gets some of the craziest buckets I’ve ever seen in my life. He’s a bonafide scorer.
“You’re looking at an easy 20 (points) a night, something they (Pacers) struggled with in the playoffs against Boston. He’s somebody who can take the pressure off Malcolm, take the pressure off Victor and is another option to go get a bucket.
“He is the definition of a gym rat. He doesn’t say much, even to us, but he’s going to show up and he’s going to be about his business. Even on off days, he’s at LA Fitness or anywhere he can find a gym, he’s going to be there. Going to Indiana, which is a basketball state and where they appreciate basketball culture there, he fits right in.”
Nate is a proud of the coach Jamelle has become, even after advising him to stay out of the hectic business years ago. He wanted Jamelle, who returned to the Pelicans this summer after the Suns fired head coach Igor Kokoskov after just one season, to make a name for himself.
After the Warren trade was proposed, Jamelle soon heard from his dad.
“We went around and around and around about it,” Jamelle said. “He kind of knew (Warren’s game) just from watching and paying attention to us last year. He had a few questions here or there and it was nothing complicated. You’re getting a guy who is about the game and that’s what my dad appreciates and respects.”
Warren is the first product from former Pacer forward David West’s AAU program — Garner Road Basketball Club, based in Raleigh — to make it to the NBA. West is arguably his biggest fan, too. So it was no surprise when West was sitting courtside with Warren during a Pacers game at summer league.
David West (left) talks with the Pacers coaching staff at summer league. (Scott Agness / The Athletic)
Just days earlier, Warren didn’t share any emotion when he was introduced to Pacers fans for the first time. Dressed in a navy blue suit with a white collared shirt underneath, Warren’s lack of excitement was called into question by fans during the live video stream. What must be understood is that news conferences aren’t for everybody. One guy may thrive and entertain in that setting while another would rather be anywhere else.
“He’s getting better at that,” West said, laughing. “We’re trying to get him better at that. T.J. is most comfortable on the basketball court.
“He’s just a basketball guy, studies the game. He’s not going to dress up, but he’ll be ready to play. He’s focused on being on the floor, being productive and he’s a guy who knows how to play the game without the basketball in his hands, which I think is his most valuable asset.
“He finds a way to the ball, he finds a way to score and he’s gotten more efficient in terms of shooting the 3-ball. T.J.’s a good kid, a good guy and he’s wired to do the right thing.”
With the opportunity to acquire Warren from the Suns before the draft, the Pacers were pleasantly surprised.
Warren has a good contract, owed $35 million total over the next three years. He should immediately elevate the Pacers’ offense, especially since Bojan Bogdanovic chose a bigger payday from the Jazz in free agency. And, the Suns included the 32nd pick in the 2019 NBA Draft in exchange for $1 million in cash considerations.
The starting small forward spot now belongs to Warren — one of three T.J.’s on the roster.
“I feel like every day matters here, every day is taken seriously and I’m ready to contribute to that,” he said.
Change in scenery can be good for players, too. In being dealt to the Pacers, he will play meaningful basketball for the first time since 2014, when he led N.C. State to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. With the Suns, he didn’t win more than 24 games since his rookie season. Now he’s playing for something beyond next year’s lottery pick.
And so when the trade became public, about 90 minutes before the draft on June 20, West fired off a tweet with a simple emoji:36 people are talking about this
“I was excited for him to get traded to the Pacers,” West explained. “He needs that stability, he needs a good environment. That’s the biggest thing I was excited about.
“It’s time for him to understand what it means for every day to mean something — every practice, every shootaround. When you’re on a team that’s not winning, after the first month or so you realize you’re not going to the playoffs and things become a drag.
“So I’m happy he’s in a situation with the Pacers, with a good coaching staff, solid people around him. I think it’s going to be a good turning point for him in his career.”
With the Pacers, Warren is getting first-class facilities, a basketball-centric fan base and a respected owner. West chose to sign with the Pacers in 2011 and then again in 2013. He’s the best player to sign with the franchise in free agency, so he knows exactly what’s in store for Warren, who missed 38 games last season due to right ankle soreness.
“I’m a big fan of (athletic trainers) Josh (Corbeil) and Carl (Eaton),” he said. “That’s going to be a huge benefit for him because he’s a guy who’s interested in his body and wants to know how things work. They’re probably the most informative training staff out there in terms of helping guys get healthy, help guys learn how to take care of their bodies.”
West has been a mentor to Warren since he was 12. West showed him the ropes, gave him advice, welcomed him into his AAU program and remains just a phone call away.
“He spoke very highly of the Pacers,” Warren said, remembering their first conversation after the trade.
Warren says he’s obsessed with getting better. So it’s only appropriate that after visiting with team officials in Indianapolis and completing an introductory press conference, he flew to Las Vegas to see the next wave of players at summer league.
Warren averaged 18 points and 4.0 rebounds per game last season while shooting 48.6 percent from the floor. But most impressively, he significantly upgraded his 3-point shooting after the Suns coaching staff instructed him to let it fly.
“He didn’t have a choice,” Jamelle McMillan said with a smile. “We made him let the thing go. All it was was just reinforcing that he could shoot it and step out to that range. He got in the gym with (Suns player development coach) Devin Smith last year and he put in the man-hours from beyond the arc. And he trusted it. His teammates trusted it.
“Devin Booker made sure he knew that he trusted him with it and we let him let it fly whenever he wanted to. All it did was translate from the trust. That was the biggest thing.”
Warren followed their instructions and shot 42.8 percent from beyond the arc on more than four attempts per game, a huge improvement from 22.2 percent the previous year.
“Just challenging myself, just knowing there’s always room for improvement,” Warren said of his enhanced shooting. “I never want to stay content with your game, understanding there are always ways to get better.”
A clear focal point for the Pacers front office this summer was to upgrade their scoring options. They addressed that by trading for Warren and Brogdon and signing Lamb.
At 6 foot 8 and 215 pounds, Warren is a versatile forward who can score from all over. He can create his shot, score off the dribble and in the mid-range, and attack the basket. He’s another threat, joining a team that lacked offense and managed less than 92 points per game in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.
“You look at T.J. and what he can do — he’s a 19-point scorer,” Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said. “He’s one of those hybrids that when you put a 3 on him, he’s a strong matchup in the post against 3s and on the perimeter he creates a lot of mismatches.”
West said he did have a few conversations with Pritchard about Warren.
The Suns primarily used Warren at power forward last season. While he has the versatility to slide down to play the four spot at times, McMillan will play him primarily at small forward.
“Which is what he wants to be, which is what he is,” Jamelle McMillan said. “At the 3 or 4, he’s a tough matchup, either way, I think on most nights. He prefers the 3 and I think that’s the way it fell with Bojan leaving. It just fell perfectly for him in the role that he’s comfortable with and the role that he has the most confidence in.”
The Pacers, who finished first in scoring defense (104.7) and sixth in field-goal defense, need Warren to take his defense seriously. He’s been a below-average defender, so can he evolve into a solid player on that end of the floor?
“If he’s asked to do something on the basketball floor, he’s going to do it,” Jamelle continued. “He’s a willing learner and willing to try. He’s going to get out there within the scheme of what they do and their system is built around team first, protecting the paint and protecting each other.
“He’s got the guys around him to help him out and he’s going to help them. He’s a great help defender more so and guys who are more isolation driven. He’s not necessarily a chase-around guy.”
At this time two years ago, nobody thought Bogdanovic would be able to stay in front of his man — and he became a capable defender. Warren stands to benefit from the Pacers’ team concepts and having Turner, the league leader in blocks last season, behind him as a safety net.
Whether he can do it on a nightly basis remains to be seen. What is known, however, is that he will work at it because that’s what he does. His location on Twitter is listed as “In a gym near you.”
Once Warren moves to Indianapolis, he will get acclimated to his teammates, surroundings and the Midwest weather. Away from the dry heat and losing seasons in Phoenx, Warren should be calmed by the unpredictable rainstorms in Indy as he joins a stable franchise where basketball is everything.
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