The Pacers trimmed their roster Saturday afternoon, parting ways with Keiba Keta, Rienk Mast and James Johnson as training camp and the preseason wrapped up in Indianapolis.
Keta and Mast both arrived on Exhibit-10 deals before camp and spent the entire preseason and training camp with Indiana. They were also part of the Pacers’ Summer League group and had meaningful roles there before being waived. Both big men are now set to head to the Noblesville Boom, Indiana’s G League affiliate.
Of the two, Mast put together the stronger preseason run. Across four games, he finished with 20 points on 7-15 shooting from the field and 6-9 from beyond the arc, good for 46.7% overall and 66.7% from three. He also added 14 rebounds and two assists in 43 minutes.
Keita appeared in all four preseason games as well, though his minutes were far lighter. He played 27 total minutes and still produced efficiently, going 9-11 from the floor for 18 points.
He also grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked two shots. His best stretch came in the preseason finale, when he linked up multiple times with point guard Braden Smith.
Johnson’s departure, meanwhile, was never really a surprise. Indiana brought him in as a veteran presence, someone who could mentor younger players and help tie the locker room together. But the Pacers’ financial situation prevents them from signing him to a veterans minimum contract right now, which is why he was brought in on an Exhibit-9 deal.
The earliest Indiana could sign James Johnson again would be Nov. 5, 2026, when a veterans minimum contract would be prorated and able to fit under the Pacers’ salary cap.
Still, the door isn’t completely shut. Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said before the season that there had been no talks with Johnson or his agents about bringing him back after camp.
“We do have an open roster spot that becomes more flexible as the season goes on,” Buchanan said. “We’ll evaluate where the team’s at, and if it’s right to have somebody like James back, we’ll look at it.”
For now, Johnson remains a possibility rather than a certainty. Indiana clearly values him, and Buchanan made it clear the team will keep evaluating the roster as the season unfolds.
With limited financial flexibility, the Pacers have to be careful with every move - and Johnson sits near the top of that list. But if injuries pile up before he becomes eligible again, the team may need to look elsewhere.
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 🡒]
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 🡒]
Obi Toppin Is Putting His Pacers Role Under Serious Pressure
Obi Toppin arrived in Indiana with a chance to reset his career after things never fully clicked the way the Knicks had hoped following his strong run at Dayton. The Pacers gave him a clearer lane as a bench weapon, and he has settled into a useful role off the bench, giving the second unit some energy and scoring punch when it has needed it.
But this preseason has also put a brighter spotlight on the parts of his game that still have to hold up if that role is going to last. His defense and rebounding have already drawn concern, and for a Pacers team that values fit and reliability, those are not small issues. If those shortcomings continue, the conversation around Toppin could shift quickly from how he fits to whether Indiana eventually decides it needs a different answer. [Read more 🡒]