The Pacers are bringing Kobe Brown back on a two-way contract, according to Tony East of Forbes, giving the forward another shot in Indiana after a productive late-season run.
Brown, the No. 30 pick in the 2023 draft, spent his first two-and-a-half NBA seasons with the Clippers before landing with the Pacers in the Ivica Zubac blockbuster at February’s trade deadline. He didn’t get much burn in Los Angeles, but once he arrived in Indiana, the door opened. The Pacers were dealing with injuries, Brown got a real chance to play, and he made it count.
Across 27 appearances with Indiana, the 6’7″ forward averaged 9.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 24.7 minutes per game while shooting .503/.433/.788. That stretch was enough to earn him a new deal, even if the path to restricted free agency was closed off.
Because Brown was a former first-round pick whose fourth-year rookie scale team option was declined, Indiana couldn’t give him a qualifying offer this offseason. Still, the two sides found common ground on a two-way contract. The deal makes Brown eligible to appear in up to 50 NBA regular season games in 2026/27 and can pay him up to $678,882.
For now, Brown takes over the Pacers’ third two-way slot. Taelon Peter and Ethan Thompson were carried over on two-year, two-way contracts from last season, and Indiana also still has a two-way qualifying offer out to Jalen Slawson. On top of that, the team reportedly plans to sign second-round pick Braden Smith to a two-way deal as well, so the roster picture there could keep shifting before the season starts.
In Other News...
Larry Nance Jr. Just Landed In A Spot Cavs Fans Will Notice
Larry Nance Jr. has landed in Indiana on a one-year veterans minimum deal, giving the Pacers another experienced frontcourt option as they continue to sort through a busy stretch of roster business. The move came as part of a flurry of transactions finalized July 9, with Indiana also bringing back some depth and trimming elsewhere to keep the books and roster slots moving in the right direction.
For Cavaliers fans, Nances new stop will register right away because it places a familiar name in a different kind of situation, one where the Pacers are juggling multiple additions at once. Indiana has also added Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kobe Brown while working through a crowded two-way picture, so Nance arrives in a group that still has a few moving parts before the summer dust fully settles. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]