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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)<\/p>\n
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INDIANAPOLIS \u2013 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<\/a> on Monday, there are a few needs they have in free agency.<\/p>\n The Pacers currently have 13 players under contract and sit about $2.4 million below the latest luxury tax projections. That\u2019s hardly enough for a minimum contract \u2013 if Indiana wants to add a significant piece, they\u2019ll have to cross into the tax or trade away a player.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWe like our core, we like our starting five,\u201d Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said last week. Then, he discussed what his team still needs.<\/p>\n \u201cWe like some pieces off our bench. But I think the reason we had successful playoff runs was because of the depth of the team,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd we feel like we want to get back to that depth that we had on those runs.\u201d<\/p>\n Buchanan called adding depth a priority in free agency. Indiana has a group of seven core players \u2013 the aforementioned starting five plus Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell \u2013 that are proven contributors from multiple deep playoff runs. Behind them, though, are some less established bench pieces.<\/p>\n 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 \u2013 Buchanan noted that Sheppard and Walker are young and have earned the belief of the franchise, but they were not named in the team\u2019s group of core players.<\/p>\n The team\u2019s reserve centers, Micah Potter and Jay Huff, have barely any playoff experience between them. That\u2019s another area of note for the Pacers.<\/p>\n Armed with some free agency resources<\/a>, what do the Pacers actually need to add in the offseason?<\/p>\n Could the Pacers add a wing in free agency?<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Kobe Brown, a wing that finished the 2025-26 season with Indiana, is a free agent<\/a>. Johnny Furphy is injured with a torn ACL. Suddenly, the Pacers are light on the wing with their second unit.<\/p>\n