Quenton Jackson has spent a long time fighting for a stable place in the NBA, so when the Pacers stopped short of waiving him before a July 15 deadline and turned his 2026-27 salary into a fully guaranteed $2,584,539 deal, he treated it for exactly what it was.
A payoff.
“ I ain't going to lie. That was a blessing,” Jackson said.
“I can't even lie. It was a blessing.
I can't say I saw it coming even when they surprised me. I didn't see that coming either.
I'm not really kind of a surprise kind of guy.”
“ So all in all it was just a blessing,” Jackson continued. “I worked so long to get to here.”
Indiana’s decision mattered on the business side, too. Before that deadline passed, only $275,000 of Jackson’s salary was guaranteed. Cutting him would have saved the Pacers about $2.3 million against the cap and freed up a roster spot.
Instead, Jackson heads into Wednesday’s season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans as one of 14 Pacers on standard contracts. T.J. McConnell, the roster’s longest-tenured player, did not appear in any of Indiana’s four preseason games.
For Jackson, though, the contract is only part of the story. He said getting signed was cool, but it doesn’t change the assignment in front of him: stay ready and answer when called.
That kind of patience has defined his climb.
Jackson went undrafted after his time at Texas A&M, then began working his way through a series of stops that included the Washington Wizards, their G League affiliate the Capital City Go-Go, and later a two-way contract with Washington. After that came an Exhibit 10 deal with the Chicago Bulls.
Indiana brought him in on a two-way contract in March 2024, then signed him to two more two-way deals in July 2024 and July 2025 before converting him to a three-year standard contract in February.
Last season, Jackson carved out a real role. He played in 49 games and started 19 for a Pacers team that won 19 games, the fewest in franchise history. He finished with averages of 9.1 points and 2.9 assists while shooting 47.0% from the field, 35.6% from 3-point range and 82.4% at the free throw line.
Rick Carlisle said Jackson will be asked to handle both guard spots and remain ready at all times now that he is a full-time roster player. Indiana has also used him at small forward when it has gone very small.
“He's improved each year, and he just, he's the kind of guy that we love,” Carlisle said. “He's a hard worker.
He's early in the gym, one of the last to leave. From a culture standpoint, he's everything that we are trying to be about.”
McConnell’s status leaves Jackson in position to shoulder even more of the backcourt responsibility. Indiana has not said why McConnell sat out, and Carlisle told reporters on Oct. 15 that the team was “working on it” and hoped he would be ready for the opener.
Fieldhouse Files’ Scott Agness projected Jackson behind Tyrese Haliburton at point guard on the opening-night depth chart, with McConnell and Johnny Furphy out. Two-way rookie Braden Smith is also part of the mix, and Haliburton has compared Smith to McConnell.
Jackson said his goal is simple: keep the offense moving, keep the energy up and help set the tone defensively.
“Get us in the flow, get us in the offense, make sure everybody get touches,” Jackson explained. “And then make sure that energy is still on the floor and make sure we're picking up on defense, too.”
He has given Indiana something to build on in the preseason, too. Through the first three exhibition games, Jackson posted 16 points and 8 assists in 38 minutes, shooting 6-of-12 from the floor and 2-of-5 from deep.
Wednesday also brings a matchup with Bennedict Mathurin, who is now with New Orleans after Indiana sent him to the LA Clippers in the Feb. 5 trade that brought in center Ivica Zubac. Mathurin signed with the Pelicans in September, and Jackson already sounds ready for whatever comes with seeing him across from him.
“I don't really need experience to guard Ben,” Jackson said. “It's not really that hard.
I just know it every time he catches the ball, just to rock, jab you, drive, spin off you. So I'm there on all of that.
So he's going to have to find a different game plan if he thinks he's going to attack me.”
“Other than that, that's my dog, man,” Jackson added. “I love him. Great competitor, so I'm looking forward to going at him.”
In Other News...
Pacers Open The Season With A Problem They Didn't Want
The Pacers head into their season opener already having to reshuffle the rotation, and the timing could not be much worse. Aaron Nesmith has been ruled out with a left hamstring strain, leaving Indiana without its starting small forward as it tries to get the new season moving in the right direction. His absence hands Kelly Oubre Jr. a chance to step into the lineup, while the injury also nudges the coaching staff toward more minutes for the wing depth behind him.
There is more uncertainty in the backcourt, too, with T.J. McConnell still sidelined by a right hamstring strain. For a team that leans on pace, pressure and energy, losing two rotation pieces before the first game is a frustrating start, especially when the bench is supposed to help stabilize things early. Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard are among the players who could be asked to pick up some of the slack, and the opening stretch now comes with an immediate test of Indiana's depth. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Trade Buzz Hints At A Bigger Plan Around Haliburton
The Pacers offseason chatter has started to sharpen around the idea that the front office is looking for more than just a bounce-back year. Bleacher Reports Dan Favale recently named three possible trade targets for Indiana in Yves Missi, Jaylin Williams and Jordan Walsh, a list that points to the kind of roster-building decisions the team may be weighing as it tries to keep pace in a crowded East.
A healthy Tyrese Haliburton changes the conversation almost immediately. Indiana is expected to take a step forward with Haliburton back from injury, and the projections reflect a team that could win a lot of games if the supporting cast fits properly around him. Haliburton already signed his five-year extension in 2023, so the long-term plan is clear enough - now the interesting part is whether the Pacers use trade talks to accelerate it. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Suddenly Face A T.J. McConnell Concern They Can't Ignore
T.J. McConnells availability has suddenly become an early Pacers concern, with the veteran guard expected to miss the first game of the season because of a hamstring strain. For a team that leans on his pace, energy and steadying presence, the timing is hard to ignore, especially with the regular season just getting underway and the point guard room looking thinner than usual.
McConnells value has always come from the same relentless style that has helped him last this long, even as he enters his mid-30s and continues to battle the wear that comes with playing that way. The bigger question now is not just how long he sits, but what Indiana does if this becomes more than a short-term issue, because there isnt a clear like-for-like answer waiting behind him. [Read more 🡒]