The Pacers kept busy on July 9, 2026, locking in a pair of roster moves and clearing the way with a waiver to make it all work.
Indiana officially signed Larry Nance Jr. to a one-year veteran’s minimum deal after previously agreeing to a two-year, $16.5M contract with Kelly Oubre Jr. Nance Jr.’s salary is worth about $3.9M, though the Pacers will be on the hook for $2.45M thanks to the veteran minimum exception rule.
To make the move legal, the Pacers waived Micah Potter, whose non-guaranteed deal had him set to make $2.8M next season. That move saves Indiana roughly $400k against the salary cap.
The team confirmed the Nance Jr. signing in a statement that also noted the roster cut: "The Indiana Pacers announced Thursday the team signed forward/center Larry Nance Jr. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Nance Jr. will wear number 22 for the Pacers. In a related move, the Pacers waived Micah Potter."
Indiana also shared that Nance Jr. will wear No. 22 next season. Isaiah Jackson was the last Pacers player to wear that number before he was included in a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers for Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown.
Brown is sticking around, too. The Pacers announced Thursday afternoon that they were signing unrestricted free agent Kobe Brown to a two-way contract, with Tony East of Forbes and Circle City Spin first reporting the agreement.
Brown came to Indiana in the midseason blockbuster that also brought in Zubac, and this is his last season of eligibility for a two-way deal. He’ll make half of the zero-experience veteran minimum, which comes out to roughly $675K, and the contract will not count against the Pacers’ salary cap.
Indiana liked what it saw from Brown in a short sample. The team noticed a big jump in his outside shooting, while Rick Carlisle pointed to his rebounding skill and his size for a wing.
There’s more movement on the way, too. Dustin Dopirak of the Indy Star first reported that the Pacers are expected to sign Braden Smith, the 38th overall pick in the 2026 draft and the all-time NCAA assists leader, to a two-way contract. The team also gave Jalen Slawson a qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent, and is looking to sign him to a two-way deal as well.
That creates a crowded picture for Indiana’s three two-way slots. Ethan Thompson is already on one, along with Taelon Peter, the Pacers’ 54th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Indiana still has one open roster spot, but only Braden Smith and Taelon Peter can be signed into the available salary cap space the team has left.
In Other News...
Pacers Clearly Wanted More Than Frontcourt Depth With Larry Nance Jr
The Pacers added Larry Nance Jr. on a one-year deal worth $4 million, a move that gives the roster another veteran big man and a little more flexibility in the front court. To make the numbers work, Indiana waived center Micah Potter, a reminder that even modest summer additions can come with a corresponding roster decision.
Nance is expected to help with depth and provide a steady voice in the locker room, which is part of why the Pacers were interested in him beyond the usual big-man fit. He has not been in an NBA rotation since the 2023-24 season and played only 35 games last year with Cleveland, so the appeal in Indiana is about more than just minutes and matchups. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Bring Back Kobe Brown As Roster Picture Starts Taking Shape
The Pacers have added another familiar name to their offseason mix, agreeing to bring back Kobe Brown on a two-way contract as the roster picture begins to settle. Brown, the No. 30 pick in the 2023 draft, came to Indiana in a trade from the Clippers and gave the team a look at his versatility last season, averaging 9.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 27 games.
For now, the move gives Indiana another option in the two-way pool as the front office keeps sorting out the back end of the roster. Browns deal lets him move between the NBA club and its developmental affiliate, and it also comes at a time when the Pacers still have other two-way business to resolve before the group is finalized. [Read more 🡒]