PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 13: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers drives against Kelly Oubre Jr. #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at the Wells Fargo Center on December 13, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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INDIANAPOLIS – NBA teams can officially negotiate with free agents from other teams beginning later today. Front offices could agree to terms with their own free agents already, which led to several deals getting done in recent days, but external signings will begin to be reported this evening. And for the Indiana Pacers, who finished their pre-July roster business on Monday, there are a few needs they have in free agency.
The Pacers currently have 13 players under contract and sit about $2.4 million below the latest luxury tax projections. That’s hardly enough for a minimum contract – if Indiana wants to add a significant piece, they’ll have to cross into the tax or trade away a player.
During the year since the Pacers journey to the 2025 NBA Finals, they have spoken and acted like they believe in their ability to contend during the 2026-27 season. Star guard Tyrese Haliburton will return from injury, and center Ivica Zubac was acquired via trade back in February. The blue and gold project to have a very strong starting five with Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, and Andrew Nembhard between Haliburton and Zubac.
“We like our core, we like our starting five,” Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said last week. Then, he discussed what his team still needs.
“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,” he added. “And we feel like we want to get back to that depth that we had on those runs.”
Buchanan called adding depth a priority in free agency. Indiana has a group of seven core players – the aforementioned starting five plus Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell – that are proven contributors from multiple deep playoff runs. Behind them, though, are some less established bench pieces.
Ben Sheppard and Jarace Walker, two first-round picks from 2023, both have succeeded in the postseason for Indiana and have grown across the last three seasons. But they are certainly less consistent than the talents above them in the Pacers rotation – Buchanan noted that Sheppard and Walker are young and have earned the belief of the franchise, but they were not named in the team’s group of core players.
The team’s reserve centers, Micah Potter and Jay Huff, have barely any playoff experience between them. That’s another area of note for the Pacers.
Armed with some free agency resources, what do the Pacers actually need to add in the offseason?
Could the Pacers add a wing in free agency?
Across the last few seasons, the Pacers have lost or traded the likes of Bennedict Mathurin, Doug McDermott, Jordan Nwora, Buddy Hield, and Bruce Brown. All of those names were traded away to help the team improve with the exception of McDermott, who left in free agency. But over time, many off-ball guards and wings have gone elsewhere from the Pacers franchise.
Kobe Brown, a wing that finished the 2025-26 season with Indiana, is a free agent. Johnny Furphy is injured with a torn ACL. Suddenly, the Pacers are light on the wing with their second unit.
And in particular, they need some shot creation and shooting. If the Pacers could add a wing shot creator – preferably a scorer – who can play small forward, that would be a boon for the second unit. Even more so if that player is more impactful than Walker or Sheppard since those two currently project to be the Pacers backup shooting guard and small forward.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – APRIL 27: Gary Trent Jr. #5 of the Milwaukee Bucks defends Aaron Nesmith #23 of the Indiana Pacers during the first quarter in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum on April 27, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
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“The wing position would probably be one where, if we can add some wing depth, that would help,” Buchanan said last week.
Ace three-point shooters could help the Pacers, too. Anyone who has more of their specialty skills come on the offensive side of the ball would be valuable for the team.
Some good fits: Kelly Oubre, Gary Trent, Khris Middleton, De’Anthony Melton, Quentin Grimes.
Do the Pacers need better center depth?
Most of the Pacers rotation has a ton of playoff experience. But not all of it. Currently, the team’s backup center rotation projects to be Huff and Potter – they have a combined 18 minutes of postseason play under their belts (and that’s all from two games for Huff).
Both players had their moments for the Pacers last year, but they are unproven. Huff’s three-point shot faded away after a strong season in Memphis. Potter was very efficient but lacked defensively. Some matchups were better for one player or the other.
The Pacers have found success with Toppin playing some five in the past, and even Furphy got some playing time at the position last season. But with Furphy hurt, it’s hard to rely on small-ball for extended stretches. If the Pacers want to improve at the five, they may need to add a free agent.
“We’ll see where we’re at with the center spot,” Buchanan said. The team needs to feel comfortable with what they have on the interior behind Zubac.
Given that Potter and Huff and Toppin are already under contract, this is less of a need for the Pacers than the one they have on the wing. Indiana has centers, they just may prefer better ones. But that distinction is why it would be wise for the Pacers to avoid sinking heavy resources into their center needs.
The Pacers have had success with the likes of Tony Bradley, Thomas Bryant, Jalen Smith, and Isaiah Jackson in this role during their playoff runs. If they look for upgrades, finding someone to match the defensive mobility or shooting prowess of those players would make sense. Otherwise, they should look for effective rebounders. Some good targets include Nick Richards, Mo Wagner, and Marvin Bagley.
The Pacers currently have 13 players under contract, so they’ll have to add at least one player, if not more, in free agency. They’ll have the chance to soon.
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