Victor Oladipo Rumors: Pacers Star Wants 'Most Money Possible' and to Contend

Indiana Pacers shooting guard Victor Oladipo is looking for the "most money possible" from a contending NBA team when his current contract runs out after the 2020-21 season, per J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star.

"Two league sources told IndyStar that Oladipo wants two things: the most money possible [he will be 29 next year] and the chance to win big in the playoffs," Michael wrote (h/t Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald).

The report also included a rumor that has some legs regarding where Oladipo may want to go in particular: "Despite rampant speculation that he could end up with the Knicks (he fired Leon Rose of CAA, then his agent who is now president of the franchise), the strongest preliminary indication is Miami."  

Jackson had previously reported on the possibility of Oladipo heading to the Miami Heat: "He trains in South Florida in the offseason, and from all indications, likes South Florida. The Heat likes his game. I would put him [Oladipo] No. 1 on the most likely list if Miami doesn't get [Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo], and if he returns to his old form—two big ifs."

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic had reported on Complex's Load Management podcast in June that Miami "made it known" it wants to go after both Oladipo and Antetokounmpo, the reigning NBA MVP.

Oladipo is sitting out the NBA's restart in Walt Disney World to continue recovery from a ruptured quad tendon that sidelined him for an entire calendar year. He returned in late January and averaged 13.8 points and 3.2 rebounds on 39.1 percent shooting in 25.9 minutes per game.

Those numbers were far lower than the ones Pacers fans were used to, but Oladipo was still working his way back from an injury that kept him out for 12 months.

The question now is how he will fare in 2020-21 with a full offseason to recuperate from the injury. If he looks closer to his older Pacers form, like when he averaged 23.1 points and 2.4 steals per game in 2017-18, then he shouldn't have much problem finding a contending team to dole out a ton of cash for his services. He'll still be just 29 years old when the 2021-22 season begins.

That's a long way off, though. For now, Oladipo is looking to get ready for the 2020-21 season and a start date that is undetermined due to the 2019-20 campaign's four-month suspension amid the COVID-19 pandemic.