Jalen Slawson has gone from afterthought to one of the more intriguing names in Pacers camp, and preseason could be the first time he gets a real crack at showing it.
That’s a pretty sharp rise for a player who has already been cut by both the Sacramento Kings and the Orlando Magic. But Slawson has kept pushing, and the Pacers now have reason to believe he’s turning into a legitimate NBA player.
His summer league run helped fuel that belief. Slawson was one of Indiana’s breakout young players in Las Vegas, putting up more than 20 points per game. The Pacers weren’t especially strong there, but Slawson still stood out for the way he attacked the rim and created shots off the dribble.
This season, though, that’s not the job in front of him.
Indiana is going to need him to defend, rebound, run the floor in transition and knock down the looks created by others. That’s a different test entirely, and preseason may be the first chance to see how he handles it.
For some, that shift could be a concern. For others, it’s exactly where the upside starts.
The broader idea is simple: teams get better fast when they uncover real value on cheap contracts. Every championship roster seems to have a few of those players who do more than their salary suggests.
The New York Knicks had Jose Alvarado. The Denver Nuggets had Bruce Brown.
The Boston Celtics had Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard. The Toronto Raptors had too many of these guys to count.
For the Pacers, Slawson might be the best candidate to fill that kind of role. He’s on a two-way contract signed after that summer league breakout, which makes him an extremely low-cost option compared with what a two-way wing would normally cost on the open market.
If Indiana can uncover its fourth forward behind Kelly Oubre Jr., Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith on that kind of deal, the rotation suddenly looks a lot deeper than it might at first glance.
Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard are also possibilities for that spot, but neither 2023 draft pick has done enough yet to make that case with confidence.
Slawson, along with Quenton Jackson, has simply shown more. And in a season where the Pacers are trying to find real contributors, that should matter more than draft position. If they’ve earned the opportunity, they should get it.
Maybe that’s a lot to ask from a player who was in the G League not long ago. But if Slawson keeps building on what he showed in summer league, preseason could turn into the start of a much more interesting conversation.
In Other News...
Tyrese Haliburton Gives Pacers Fans One Huge Reason To Watch Tonight
The Pacers finally get a real look at their new starting group tonight when they open preseason against the Timberwolves, and there is plenty of curiosity baked into the matchup. For Indiana, this is the first chance to see the lineup tested against another team after camp work, with the game offering an early read on how the pieces fit as the season approaches. Minnesota brings its own intrigue after an active offseason, so this is not just a tune-up for the Pacers but a first glimpse at where they stand.
Tyrese Haliburtons return from injury is the biggest reason Indiana fans will be paying attention, since his presence changes the tone of the entire operation. His availability gives the Pacers a centerpiece to build around again, and tonight should offer a useful look at how he moves with the new starting five around him. There are still plenty of questions left to answer, but this game at least starts to sketch out what Indiana can be once the games begin to count. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Championship Hopes May Come Down To One Deadline Decision
Tyrese Haliburton is back for the 2026-2027 season, but the Pacers are not exactly rolling into the year with a freshly restocked cupboard. Indiana missed out on the kind of draft break that can quietly change a teams ceiling, and after losing Myles Turner in free agency, the front office had to patch the middle of the roster by bringing in Ivica Zubac through a trade. It leaves the Pacers in a familiar but uncomfortable spot: good enough to matter, not yet complete enough to feel settled.
What happens next may hinge less on opening night than on February. With the Eastern Conference getting tougher and Indianas current core still needing help around Haliburton, the organization is expected to keep its powder dry for the 2027 trade deadline, when the right move could determine whether this season becomes a step forward or just another year of waiting on the edge of contention. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Preseason Opener Will Reveal Something Bigger Than The Score
The first preseason game will give the Pacers their initial live look at how this group is coming together, but it will not settle the biggest questions hanging over camp. Tyrese Haliburtons Achilles recovery remains a storyline worth monitoring, and the arrival of new faces such as Kelly Oubre Jr. and Ivica Zubac adds another layer to watch as Indiana starts sorting out rotations and roles.
What matters most early on is less about the final score and more about whether the group looks connected. For a team trying to build momentum for the season ahead, chemistry and morale can matter just as much as any box score detail, and this opener should offer at least a first glimpse of how well the Pacers are building that foundation. [Read more 🡒]