The Pacers are bringing back Jalen Slawson on a two-way contract, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Slawson had already received a two-way qualifying offer from Indiana in June, so this agreement is expected to function as that offer being signed. In practical terms, it’s a one-year two-way deal with a partial guarantee of $91K.
Indiana first got a look at the 6’7″ forward late last season, after signing him to a two-way contract at the end of February. Slawson, the 54th pick in the 2023 draft out of Furman University, had played only 12 games for Sacramento as a rookie and then spent most of the next two seasons in the G League before landing in Indiana. Once he arrived, he appeared in 13 games for the Pacers and gave them productive minutes down the stretch, putting up 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 23.9 minutes per game while shooting .442/.375/.706.
His Summer League run this month was a mixed bag, but there was plenty to notice. Slawson flashed his athleticism and posted big numbers, averaging 20.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 3.2 blocks in 26.3 minutes per game. At the same time, the rough edges were there too: he hit just 9-of-31 from three-point range, finished with 3.6 turnovers per game, and picked up 22 personal fouls, the seventh-most of any player in Las Vegas.
Slawson joins Kobe Brown and Ethan Thompson as Indiana’s three players on two-way contracts. The Pacers also reportedly plan to sign second-round pick Braden Smith to a two-way deal sooner or later, which would mean waiving one of Slawson, Brown, or Thompson.
If Slawson stays on the two-way deal through the season, he can earn up to $678,882 and be active for as many as 50 regular season games. Indiana would also be able to move him between the NBA roster and the Noblesville Boom in the G League.
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