The Indiana Pacers don’t have a laundry list of offseason needs, but the one area that stands out is pretty clear: they need more punch from the bench. With Bennedict Mathurin no longer carrying the second unit, Indiana has to find a scorer who can produce without needing the ball in his hands all the time.
That’s where Luke Kennard comes in.
Kennard is set to hit free agency after finishing the 2025-26 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, who acquired him from the Atlanta Hawks before the deadline. In 32 games and six starts with the Lakers, he put up 9 points per game while adding 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He also shot 52.7 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from three.
For the Pacers, the appeal is obvious. They do not need another high-usage scorer trying to take over possessions.
What they need is a guard who can work off the ball, stay ready, and make defenses pay when T.J. McConnell is running the second unit.
That is Kennard’s lane.
At 30 years old, he has built his reputation as one of the league’s most reliable shooters. Over his 538-game career, he has connected on 44.2 percent of his three-point attempts. That kind of perimeter accuracy is rare, and it would give Indiana a very different kind of weapon off the bench.
The fit goes beyond reserve minutes, too. Kennard would also make sense alongside Tyrese Haliburton, giving the Pacers another floor-spacer who can open things up for their star point guard.
The obstacle, as always, is money. Elite shooting tends to come with a price tag, and Indiana does not have a lot of financial flexibility at the moment. Even so, if the Pacers decide Kennard is the priority, there are ways to make it work.
In Other News...
Pacers Fans May Hate What Just Surfaced About That Draft Night Asset
A draft-night asset the Pacers landed in a deal with Chicago is already part of a larger roster shuffle on the other end. The Bulls moved both of their second-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, sending the No. 38 selection to Indiana along with Kam Jones while also flipping No. 56 to the Lakers for cash, a sign that new lead executive Bryson Graham is still sorting through the edges of the roster as the rebuild takes shape.
Chicagos follow-up decisions only add to the intrigue for Indiana observers. The Bulls have been trimming and adjusting around their future flexibility, keeping Leonard Miller after his late-season push and opening up more room to maneuver in free agency, while the Pacers are left watching a deal that already looks like it could have a few more layers before the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers GM Sends Important Johnny Furphy Update To Concerned Fans
The Pacers had enough moving parts around draft day to keep the front office busy, with Chad Buchanan talking through the Braden Smith trade while also offering an update on the health of Tyrese Haliburton and Johnny Furphy. For a team that will need its depth to hold up over the long haul, any good news on young pieces matters, especially when Furphy is still working his way back from injury and trying to carve out a role in the rotation.
Buchanan sounded encouraged by where Furphy stands in rehab, saying the forward is adding strength and showing positive signs as he continues to progress. Furphys path back is still the one Pacers fans are watching most closely, since his value this season is likely to come in spot duty and depth minutes rather than a heavy workload, but the early read from Indiana is that the recovery is moving in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]