The Pacers are finally eligible to fill their 15th and final roster spot, and the timing matters because the team is short on healthy NBA bodies right now. James Johnson had been the expected answer when that day arrived, but that reunion may need to wait.
With injuries piling up early in the season, Indiana has reason to look hard at a thin free-agent market for someone who can help in the short term. Three names stand out as possible fits, each offering a different kind of insurance.
Jemison is the one that makes the most sense if the Pacers want help at center right away. He signed with the Raptors in the offseason, then was waived after suffering a hand injury that was not believed to be serious. Other teams have also checked in on him because of his hard play.
The 26-year-old spent all of last season with the New York Knicks on a two-way deal. He didn’t get much run, but he gave them depth at the five and earned praise from Mike Brown for his defensive work in the preseason.
On paper, he may not jump off the page for fans. Still, there are clear reasons he fits what Indiana needs: he’s in the prime of his career, he should fit the locker room, and his game is different from Huff and Nance.
At 6-foot-10 and 270 pounds, Jemison brings a high motor, rebounding, rim protection and a career 55.5% field-goal percentage. He can be viewed as a more athletic Tony Bradley, and Bradley found success in this Pacers system even though his style was very different.
The Pacers also value the kind of person they bring into the room, and Jemison checks that box too. He has been praised for his positivity, energy and team-first approach, and he is known for being a devout christian, similar to the Pacers’ midseason signing last year of Micah Potter.
What he would give Indiana is straightforward: stronger center depth. He’s a solid screen setter, more of a force on the interior defensively and a capable lob threat.
What he won’t give them is much outside shooting, shot creation or ball security. That’s part of why he remains unsigned, but on a non-guaranteed deal, he’s worth a look given the state of the Pacers’ five spot.
If the Pacers decide they want a veteran presence instead, Kevin Love is another route. The 38-year-old could give the frontcourt some stability, and with Ivica Zubac already missing multiple games because of injury, there could be a stretch later in the season when Indiana needs a battle-tested big to shore up the rotation. Love averaged 6.7 points and 5.8 rebounds last season, which would make him a useful layer of insurance.
The backcourt is trickier, especially after Tyrese Haliburton’s latest injury. The free-agent guard pool is either thin or filled with players who are unproven or dealing with injuries themselves. Still, steady ball-handling matters, especially when your lead guard can’t always be counted on.
That’s where Gabe Vincent comes in. His time with the Lakers has been slowed by injuries, and he has only seen spot minutes with Atlanta, but he still brings veteran experience and, if healthy, could give Andrew Nembhard a defensive-minded backcourt partner when Haliburton is out. He just turned 30, so there’s also a chance he could be more than a short-term stopgap.
In Other News...
Cavs Injury Absence Opened The Door For A Rookie Who Delivered
The Pacers injury situation has already pushed them into some unusual territory, and the latest game against the Hawks only underscored how thin the margin has become. Indiana dressed just six healthy players, a stretch that marked the earliest point in a season since 1948 that a team had to rely on six or fewer, and Jarace Walker ended up carrying the heaviest load with 45 minutes on the floor.
Rick Carlisle praised the effort anyway, even in defeat, because the group had little choice but to keep grinding through it. The broader injury picture around the league only adds to the context, with Peyton Watson sidelined by hamstring tightness and Nic Claxton inching toward a season debut, but for Indiana the immediate focus remains on simply getting enough bodies back to make these nights more manageable. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Injury Crisis Just Hit A Historic Low In Atlanta
The Pacers injury situation reached a brutal new level in Atlanta, where they were forced to play with only six available players because 11 were sidelined. Even in a league that has seen its share of depleted lineups, that kind of shortage leaves little margin for error, and Indiana still managed to stay in the game before falling 108-104 to the Hawks.
Jay Huff led the way with 22 points, but the bigger concern is how long this patchwork rotation may have to hold together. Tyrese Haliburton is expected to miss about two weeks with a left hamstring strain, and Ivica Zubac remains out with a left ankle injury, leaving the Pacers to keep piecing together answers while the injury list keeps growing. [Read more 🡒]
Braden Smith Just Gave Pacers Fans A Reason To Pay Attention
The early-season rookie spotlight has already started to shift, and Braden Smith has put himself right in the middle of it. In the Nov. 2 slate, the first-year guard turned in one of the most eye-catching performances among the leagues newcomers, giving Pacers fans a fresh reason to keep tabs on how this class is developing. For a team always looking for young talent to pop, it was the kind of night that stands out even in a crowded field of first-year standouts.
Smith was part of a broader wave of rookies making noise across the league, with several first-round names and second-round picks turning in strong box scores against a variety of opponents. But for Indiana, the attention naturally narrows to how Smiths play fits into the bigger picture, especially when a rookie guard starts showing the kind of production that gets noticed beyond just one game. The next question is whether this was a one-night surge or the start of something more meaningful for the Pacers. [Read more 🡒]