The Pacers have already decided James Johnson won’t be on the roster, but that shouldn’t be the end of his run in Indiana.
After waiving Johnson as part of a three-player cut, the Pacers are left with a familiar reality: his playing value just isn’t enough to justify a spot anymore. That’s not a knock so much as the natural finish line for a 39-year-old power forward who hasn’t been truly playable in nearly five years.
Johnson once brought the kind of two-way juice that made him much more than a big body - he was a playmaking point forward who would gladly step in if somebody came for his teammates. That version of him is gone.
Still, the Pacers don’t have to lose him entirely.
Johnson’s real value in Indiana was never limited to what he did on the floor. He was widely embraced in his return, to the point that one of the biggest talking points from media day was how badly the roster needed him and how much the team loves him.
That kind of presence doesn’t disappear just because the contract does. The Pacers should find a way to move him from the cap sheet to the coaching staff, where he can keep serving as that bridge between the players and the coaches.
In other words, keep him close to the bench where he already belonged.
A 16-year career is a serious accomplishment, especially for a player who had such an unusual one. Johnson entered the league as a near-lottery pick by the Chicago Bulls out of Wake Forest University, then somehow found a way to stick around for 10 different franchises across 16 seasons.
That’s no accident. He may have been an inefficient, undersized center who shot 30% from three for his career, but he also carved out 30 career playoff games and averaged 4.1 points per game while surviving in a league that turns over faster than almost anywhere else.
The reason is simple: people trust him, and he notices the details.
Johnson has been the stabilizing voice in rebuilding locker rooms. He was the one who told the struggling Miami Heat to get themselves together on behalf of coach Eric Spoelstra in 2018, helping steady a team that was down, frustrated and strapped for options.
Coaches like him. Teammates like him.
Opponents, meanwhile, have long hated playing against him and, at times, feared him too.
Even if the fighting edge isn’t what it used to be, the mind and the message still matter. Those are the traits Rick Carlisle could use.
In Other News...
Pacers-Bucks Got Heated Again As Indianas Starters Sent A Message
The preseason meeting with Milwaukee carried a little more edge than the calendar might suggest, and it started before the opening tip even really settled in. Pacers fans made their feelings known when former Indiana center Myles Turner was introduced, and the game quickly took on the familiar physical tone these matchups have been known for, with Ryan Rollins and Tyrese Haliburton getting tangled up in an altercation that added to the tension.
Indianas starters answered with the kind of first-half showing that tends to travel well into the regular season. Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam were all in the middle of the action, while Ivica Zubac helped steady the defensive end as the Pacers built their edge with activity on both ends. It was the sort of stretch that suggested Indiana was less interested in the preseason label and more focused on sending its own message. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Make Final Roster Cuts With One Veteran's Future Unclear
The Pacers trimmed their roster after training camp and the preseason, waiving Keiba Keita and Rienk Mast as both head to the organizations G League affiliate, the Noblesville Boom. Indiana also moved on from James Johnson, a veteran whose stint with the team ended because of salary cap restrictions, leaving the front office with a little more flexibility as it heads into the season.
Johnsons situation is the one worth watching from here, even if there is no sign of an immediate reunion. The earliest he could return is Nov. 5, 2026, and general manager Chad Buchanan said the Pacers will keep evaluating roster needs as the year unfolds, which leaves the door open for future moves if circumstances change. [Read more 🡒]
Former Pacers Pick Is Suddenly Making A Case In Milwaukee
As the Pacers get ready to close out the preseason against Milwaukee, there is at least one familiar name on the other bench worth keeping an eye on. The Bucks have four former Pacers on their roster, and rookie guard Kam Jones has been the one drawing the most attention after turning heads with his work over the summer and into exhibition play.
Bucks assistant coach Jenkins praised Jones development, pointing to clear growth on offense and better activity on defense. Jones already flashed that progress with a 23-point outing in 22 minutes against the Chicago Bulls, and now he is trying to carry that momentum into his second NBA season as Milwaukee keeps sorting out what it has in a young backcourt option who once belonged to Indiana. [Read more 🡒]