The Indiana Pacers have made it official: Kelly Oubre Jr. is in the fold.
Indiana announced Wednesday, July 8, that it signed the veteran wing, who spent the last three seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. The team did not release contract terms, and there was no statement from Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard.
Per team policy, the details stayed under wraps, and Oubre will wear No. 10.
The move gives the Pacers another body on the wing at a time when they clearly needed one. Indiana had already thinned that group after trading Bennedict Mathurin to the Los Angeles Clippers in the Ivica Zubac deal, choosing not to re-sign Kobe Brown in free agency, and then losing second-round pick Johnny Furphy to an ACL injury.
The initial reporting on Oubre’s contract pegged it at two years and $17 million, but that number has since shifted. David Aldridge, James Boyd, and John Hollinger of The Athletic reported that a team source said the deal is actually worth $16.5 million, trimming the total by $500,000. Tony East of Circle City Spin also reported that the contract is fully guaranteed.
At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-2.5 wingspan, Oubre brings size and experience, and Indiana is expecting him to function as a true sixth man. He has started for multiple teams over the course of his career, but the early read is that he’ll come off the bench behind Nesmith and Nembhard and be the first wing off the sideline.
Last season, the former Kansas standout averaged 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. He also turned in the best three-point shooting season of his career, hitting 36% of his 5.5 attempts per game, including a blistering 46.3% from the corner. Overall, he shot 46.7% from the field, the second-best mark of his career, and 76.6% from the free throw line.
The defense is the swing skill. Oubre’s work on that end has been described as inconsistent, though he has drawn praise from analysts such as Brian Windhorst of ESPN and host of The Hoop Collective Podcast for his growth there. He’s at his best in isolation and one-on-one situations, but he still has trouble navigating screens and holding up against post players.
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