The Indiana Pacers may not need to wait for the perfect moment to fix what’s missing. If the New York Knicks taught the league anything, it’s that a late-offseason swing can still reshape a roster - and sometimes the price comes down when the calendar keeps moving.
That’s the path the Pacers could consider as they look to patch the two biggest issues facing their team: depth and ceiling. The Knicks found their answer to a major roster problem deep in the offseason, and they did it without paying the kind of premium that might have been required earlier in the summer. Once flexibility dries up and the market thins out, useful players can suddenly become more affordable.
Indiana has the kind of movable money that could make that kind of maneuver possible. Obi Toppin’s two-year, $30 million deal and TJ McConnell’s three-year, $34 million contract could be used to split one move into several smaller ones. That matters for a team that, right now, looks like an eight-man roster with very few real swing pieces deeper down the bench.
Jarace Walker is part of that conversation too. His $8.4 million expiring contract gives the Pacers another possible route, even if the former sixth overall pick has yet to break out in Indiana. There may still be enough interest in him as a connective forward and a second-draft type of bet.
The broader problem for Indiana is easy to see. The Pacers were not a true 19-win team, but the injuries made the season collapse look even worse than it already was.
Tyrese Haliburton was out, and that was obviously a huge blow. But he wasn’t alone.
Pascal Siakam missed 20 games, Aaron Nesmith played only 45, and the three presumed starters outside of Haliburton who began last season in Indiana missed 81 games combined.
That kind of injury mess is hard to survive, and the Pacers would be wise not to count on a clean slate fixing everything. They need more than better health. They need more options.
As for who might be available, there are a few names that fit the idea of buying low late. New Orleans has held onto its pieces for too long and could now be forced to sell low on Herb Jones or Trey Murphy III. Last year, the Knicks got Jose Alvarado for a few second-rounders at the deadline, so Indiana could try to revisit that same New Orleans pipeline.
There’s also the possibility of looking at Milwaukee’s haul if the Bucks wind up dealing pieces in a Giannis Antetokounmpo return. Jaime Jacquez Jr. and Kel'el Ware would both fill major needs for the Pacers.
The offseason is nearly out of fireworks, but there’s still plenty of time before mid-October. For Indiana, that might be enough.
In Other News...
Pacers Two-Way Battle Just Claimed Its First Summer League Casualty
The Pacers two-way competition has already thinned out, and Summer League has done some of the sorting for them. Indiana entered camp with a cluster of young players fighting for limited spots, but one of the early names in the mix is now out of the picture, leaving Braden Smith, Kobe Brown, Jalen Slawson and Ethan Thompson still in contention as the team sorts through its three two-way contracts.
The move adds another layer to a battle that already had a clear favorite in the room, with Smith expected to land one of those deals after being taken 38th overall. Peter had shown enough to stay on the radar after appearing in 38 NBA games last season and spending time in the G League, and he also put together a solid Summer League showing before the Pacers made their first cut. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Haliburton Just Sent A Chilling Reminder To Jalen Brunson
Tyrese Haliburtons latest appearance with Jalen Brunson had nothing to do with the NBA box score and everything to do with the old Pacers-Knicks edge that still lingers. The two guards showed up as guests at a WWE event at Madison Square Garden, where the setting gave Haliburton a chance to needle Brunson in front of a New York crowd, a reminder that their playoff rivalry has not faded just because the season moved on.
For Indiana, the bigger picture is Haliburtons return path after the torn Achilles tendon he suffered in the 2025 NBA Finals. He is expected back for training camp, and while the Knicks are coming off a championship run with Brunson as Finals MVP, the Pacers are still waiting to see how their star looks when he gets back on the floor. The WWE cameo was just a detour, but it was also a small glimpse of the competitive spark that will follow him into whatever comes next. [Read more 🡒]