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Ethan Thompson Nears EuroLeague Switch
Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson has agreed to terms with Partizan Belgrade on a one-plus-one deal, according to Sportando, citing Nova.rs. The move cannot become official until Indiana parts ways with Thompson, who remains on a two-way contract. The 27-year-old Puerto Rico national team guard went undrafted out of Oregon State and joined the Pacers last December after previous stops in the G-League. He appeared in 32 games as a rookie, making 13 starts for a 19-63 Indiana team while averaging 7.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 threes in 20.4 minutes. Thompson had no NBA fantasy value, and a move to Partizan would take him off the board entirely.
Source: Sportando
Source: Sportando
Tyrese Haliburton Hopes to Play in 2028 Olympics
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton hopes to play for Team USA in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, according to Evan Sidery. The long-term goal is another positive checkpoint in his recovery after he tore his right Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals and missed all of last season. Haliburton has resumed 5-on-5 work, and Indiana is reportedly optimistic he will be ready for the season opener. The 26-year-old averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 2024-25, so the fantasy ceiling remains high. The risk is the layoff, while Andrew Nembhard's assist volume should take the biggest hit once Haliburton reclaims the offense.
Source: Evan Sidery
Source: Evan Sidery
Ivica Zubac Becomes Eligible for $95 Million Pacers Extension
Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac is eligible for a three-year, roughly $95 million extension, per Evan Sidery, and he looks like a strong candidate after Indiana paid a steep price to install him at the five. The Pacers sent what became the No. 5 pick and an unprotected 2029 first-rounder to the Clippers for Zubac, who remains on a team-friendly deal paying just over $20 million annually through 2028. For fantasy, Zubac is a rock-solid center after averaging 14.1 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists on 59.8 percent shooting last season. The upside case gets cleaner when Tyrese Haliburton returns, as Zubac fits as a strong pick-and-roll and lob partner. Draft him as a reliable early-to-mid-round center with field-goal percentage and rebounding as the anchors.
Source: Evan Sidery
Source: Evan Sidery
Pacers Sign Jalen Slawson to a Two-Way Deal
Indiana Pacers forward Jalen Slawson has agreed to a new two-way contract, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, claiming the slot the Pacers cleared a day earlier by waiving Taelon Peter. Slawson earned it with a loud Summer League, blocking 3.2 shots per game, and with a well-rounded 13-game NBA cameo last season: 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 23.9 minutes. That defensive stat-stuffing is the intrigue, but the reality tempers it. As a two-way, the 26-year-old projects to spend most of 2026-27 with the G League's Noblesville Boom, and shaky outside shooting caps the upside. He is a deep-dynasty monitor for steals and blocks, nothing more for now.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Pacers Waive Two-Way Guard Taelon Peter
The Indiana Pacers are waiving two-way guard Taelon Peter, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, opening one of their three two-way slots. The 54th pick in the 2025 draft averaged 4.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 12.9 minutes over 38 games as a rookie, production that came largely because Indiana leaned on backcourt depth during Tyrese Haliburton's season-long absence. Peter carries no standard-league fantasy value, and this is a procedural depth move rather than a needle-mover. The open two-way spot is worth a passing glance for dynasty managers tracking Indiana's G League pipeline, but the Pacers' real backcourt story remains Haliburton ramping back up for 2026-27.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Trail Blazers Claim Micah Potter Off Waivers
The Portland Trail Blazers have claimed forward/center Micah Potter off waivers from the Indiana Pacers on Friday. The Pacers recently cut Potter to make room for the newly signed Larry Nance Jr. on the roster. Potter has moved around in the league since joining the Detroit Pistons in 2021. He averaged 9.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists across 19.3 minutes per game in 47 contests with the Pacers this past season. He figures to mix in somewhere on the bench in Portland, but is unlikely to see consistent enough playing time to warrant adding in fantasy basketball.
Source: Sean Highkin
Source: Sean Highkin
Micah Potter to be Waived by Pacers
Indiana Pacers center Micah Potter will be waived to complete the team's signing of Larry Nance Jr., according to Alex Golden of Setting The Pace. Potter's $2.8 million contract was non-guaranteed, and the move creates a small cap savings for Indiana after adding Nance on a veteran-minimum deal. The 28-year-old had a useful run last season, averaging 9.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists across 47 games while shooting 42.3 percent from three-point range. Potter's stretch-big skill set could draw interest elsewhere, but he falls off the fantasy radar until he lands another NBA role.
Source: Alex Golden
Source: Alex Golden
Larry Nance Jr. Lands One-Year Deal With Pacers
Free-agent forward/center Larry Nance Jr. agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal with the Indiana Pacers, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The 33-year-old spent last season with Cleveland, averaging 3.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while playing a limited role. Nance gives Indiana another veteran frontcourt piece who can rebound, pass, and defend multiple spots, but his fantasy ceiling remains low without a clear path to steady minutes. He would need injuries or a larger-than-expected bench role to become more than a situational fantasy option.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Jay Huff Blocks Four Shots in USA's Qualifier Win
Indiana Pacers center Jay Huff finished with 12 points, four rebounds, and four blocks as USA Basketball edged the Dominican Republic 82-81 in FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. The 7-foot-1 big man is coming off a useful season in Indiana, where he averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while giving the Pacers a stretch-center element. The blocks are still the fantasy hook, but his regular-season value depends on minutes. With Ivica Zubac ahead of him and Micah Potter also in the frontcourt mix, Huff profiles more as a specialist than a locked-in fantasy option.
Source: FIBA
Source: FIBA
Andrew Nembhard Backs Up SGA With 23 Points for Canada
Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard backed up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 23 points, four rebounds, and four assists in Canada's 110-84 rout of Puerto Rico in the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. It capped a strong showing for a player coming off the best season of his career. With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined all of 2025-26, Nembhard slid into the lead-guard role and posted career highs of 16.9 points and 7.7 assists over 57 games. Here's the fantasy catch, though: that breakout was largely a product of opportunity. Haliburton is expected back next season, which reclaims the primary ball-handling duties and shrinks Nembhard toward the secondary role he filled before, when he averaged closer to 10.0 points and 5.0 assists. There may be an early-season window while Haliburton ramps up from the Achilles, but don't pay 2025-26 prices. His value fades the moment the offense runs back through Haliburton.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Ivica Zubac Dominates in 18 Minutes as Croatia Routs Cyprus
Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac needed just 18 minutes to post 24 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks, powering Croatia to a record 123-50 rout of Cyprus and into the second round of the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. For fantasy, the number that matters most is the minutes: Zubac looked fully healthy and dominant, an encouraging sign after a lost season. His 2025-26 season was wrecked by the February trade from the Clippers to Indiana, a delayed debut, and a fractured rib that ended his year after just five Pacers games. Remember what he is at full strength, though. In 2024-25, he broke out for 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks while earning All-Defensive honors, and he steps into 2026-27 as Indiana's clear starting center, with pick-and-roll upside once Tyrese Haliburton is back. This is a buy-the-bounce-back center: reliable boards, blocks, and field-goal percentage at a likely discount.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Kelly Oubre Jr. Picks the Pacers
Free-agent forward Kelly Oubre Jr. is joining the Pacers on a two-year, $17 million contract, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. It was reported yesterday that Oubre had plenty of potential suitors, but ultimately chose to join Indiana. The 30-year-old shot a career-high 36% from distance last season with the 76ers, averaging 14.1 points, five rebounds, and 1.4 steals. Mostly a starter in Philadelphia, he'll be competing with incumbents Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard for minutes on the perimeter. The 76ers, meanwhile, have lost both Oubre and Quentin Grimes in free agency this offseason.
Source: Shams Charania - ESPN
Source: Shams Charania - ESPN
Tyrese Haliburton Says he Feels Healthy After Achilles Rehab
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) stated that he feels great and is "operating like a healthy NBA player." The 26-year-old missed the entire 2025-26 campaign after tearing his right Achilles tendon during the 2025 NBA Finals. He has been participating in 5-on-5 work since April and expects to be unrestricted for training camp. Andrew Nembhard absorbed the primary playmaking duties last season, averaging 16.9 points and 7.7 assists per game. While Nembhard's usage will drastically decrease, Haliburton's return restores a premier offensive engine to the starting lineup. Although the organization could manage his preseason workload, the two-time All-Star should be ready for Opening Night and remains a high-end draft target.
Source: Scott Agness
Source: Scott Agness
Bulls Draft Braden Smith, Trade him to Indiana
The Chicago Bulls have selected Purdue guard Braden Smith with the 38th overall pick on Wednesday in the 2026 NBA draft. He'll immediately be on the move to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Kam Jones and future draft swaps. The Purdue product finished his career as the NCAA's all-time assist leader. As a senior, Smith averaged 14.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 8.8 assists at Purdue. His best attribute is his ability to run an offense and find open players. He won't start in Indiana, but Smith could end up as a quality backup guard. The Pacers do have depth at the guard spot, so we'll see where Smith lands on the depth chart.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Kobe Brown Won't Play on Thursday
Indiana Pacers forward Kobe Brown (back) is ruled out ahead of Thursday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. Brown was forced to exit early during Tuesday's game due to a back issue. He's not feeling 100 percent yet, but fantasy managers should check back for another update ahead of Friday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. His absence should mean larger roles for Jarace Walker, Obi Toppin, and Jalen Slawson. Walker likely has the highest upside among the three players ahead of Thursday's slate.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
