INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – APRIL 10: Kelly Oubre Jr. #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers steals the ball from Taelon Peter #4 of the Indiana Pacers during the first quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on April 10, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Getty Images
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers and veteran wing Kelly Oubre have agreed to terms on a multi-year contract.
It’s a two-year deal worth nearly $17 million that will bring the former Philadelphia 76ers forward to Indiana. There are no options in the contract, and it’s fully guaranteed.
Oubre fills a need for a Pacers team that hoped to add depth in free agency. General manager Chad Buchanan said as much last week after the NBA Draft. “We like some pieces off our bench. But I think the reason we had successful playoff runs was because of the depth of the team. And we feel like we want to get back to that depth that we had on those runs,” he said.
Oubre immediately fills that need as one of the Pacers better talents off the bench. He’s averaged over 14 points per game in every season of his career since 2017-18, including climbing over 20 with the Charlotte Hornets in 2022-23. The Pacers need that skillset with their second unit after trading away Bennedict Mathurin during the most recent season.
The new Pacer is a sub-par three-point shooter but a terrific rim finisher who scores on about 70% of his shots at the basket, an excellent mark for a non-center. Last year, over 90% of Oubre’s shot attempts came from either inside of 10 feet or from beyond the three-point arc – he is more than capable of getting off efficient looks.
Why did the Pacers want Kelly Oubre?
He’s also a truly wing-sized wing at six-foot-eight and mobile enough on defense, which helps him impact the game on the less glamorous end of the court. For a Pacers team that wanted wing depth and a shot creator for their second unit, Oubre is a snug fit.
Last season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Oubre averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. His rebounding should also be a boon for a Pacers team that has struggled on the glass in recent seasons.
“The wing position would probably be one where, if we can add some wing depth, that would help,” Buchanan said last week. Oubre certainly qualifies.
Because Oubre’s deal is going to approach about $17 million in total value, the first-year value of the contract is between $8 and $8.5 million. Notably, that number is above the first-year value of the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, meaning the Pacers are likely using the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception to bring in Oubre. That would hard cap the Pacers at the Fist Salary Cap Apron of just over $209 million, and Indiana’s current total team salary is about $207 million.
The Pacers now have 14 players under contract with 12 of them guaranteed. They can add another player in free agency, but their hard cap situation makes a cost-cutting move something to keep an eye on. But that’s a future consideration for the team. Step one was improving the team as they head into a season during which they wish to contend, and adding Oubre makes the team better.
Leave a comment