The Indiana Pacers are navigating what's shaping up to be a boring offseason. Without a draft pick, facing salary cap constraints, and possessing a roster that is more or less settled, you can't blame them if they ultimately decided that there's not much to do. Nevertheless, the front office is surely exploring multiple avenues to upgrade the roster and here are a few things to keep an eye on.

The Trey Murphy III Sweepstakes

We'll start with what I think is a rather unlikely trade. Reporting from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer indicates the Pacers have expressed serious interest in acquiring Murphy.

The problem: The Pelicans are asking for a Desmond Bane-level package.

To recap what that looks like, the Magic sent New Orleans four unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2026, 2028, 2030) and a top-two protected pick swap in 2029 to land Bane. The Pacers, meanwhile, could offer:

  • 2027 first-round pick (unprotected)
  • 2031 first-round pick (unprotected)
  • 2033 first-round pick (unprotected)
  • First-round pick swaps in 2028, 2030, and 2032

Indiana also possesses trade chips on the roster, though they'd need to be careful not to cripple the immediate core.

The bigger question to me is where he fits. Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard have been warriors and major contributors to our recent success. What the team really needs is bench scoring. Is Murphy a big enough upgrade over either of the Ne's to justify giving up a Bane-esque package for him? Could they all co-exist together?

The asking price is steep, but Chad Buchanan has already shown willingness to sacrifice future assets for present-day help (the Zubac trade). If the Pacers believe Murphy gives them a legitimate shot to compete with the Knicks in the East, they might make it happen... but I'm not holding my breath.

Kobe Brown's Uncertain Future

Brown was acquired alongside Ivica Zubac in February but played sparingly down the stretch. Now he's an unrestricted free agent—with a catch.

Because the Clippers declined his team option before the trade deadline, the Pacers are capped at $4.79 million in what they can offer Brown for next season. Brown won't command that anyway but will almost certainly test the free agent market in search of a team willing to offer more.

The Pacers won't prioritize retaining Brown, as you have to imagine they are eyeing bigger targets with their limited cap space.

Micah Potter's Team Option Decision

Micah Potter's contract carries a team option for 2026-27, with the deal being non-guaranteed until early January. This gives the Pacers a built-in escape hatch.

Potter played sparingly this season due to injuries but showed some promise when healthy. His shooting, for one, was surprisingly reliable from deep. However, with Ivica Zubac and Jay Huff in the mix at center, there's no pressing need to retain Potter.

Jalen Slawson, 26 Year Old Two-Way?

The other free agent is Slawson, who represents an interesting case for Indiana's roster construction. The 26-year-old wing showed promise on a two-way contract this season. Still, he's at an age where two-way players are typically either moving toward NBA roster spots or transitioning out of the league, making his status precarious. The two-way spots are always competitive so he'll have to win a roster battle to stay with the team.

Draft Strategy Without a Pick

Indiana is actively holding pre-draft workouts—their fifth one took place Monday with a typically overlooked group of prospects. While some of these are local ties (see below), the Pacers could theoretically trade assets to move into the draft if they identify a prospect they love.

Additionally, even without a pick, the Pacers will be active in the Summer League and could add players on Exhibit 10 deals or two-way contracts.

Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn: Homegrown Talent

The Pacers' fifth pre-draft workout on Monday featured a pair of Purdue Boilermakers—and two players with significant Indiana connections.

Braden Smith (Westfield, Indiana native):

  • NCAA all-time assists leader (1,103 career assists, breaking the record in this year's Tournament)
  • Two-time All-American
  • Big Ten Player of the Year (2024-25)
  • Career stats: 13.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 7.4 APG
  • Rated No. 38 in the draft by ESPN and The Athletic

Trey Kaufman-Renn (Silver Creek, Indiana):

  • Career stats: 11.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG
  • All-Big Ten First Team (2024-25)

Smith called his workout with the Pacers "awesome," noting the 30-minute proximity to his hometown. "Obviously being 30 minutes from home and being here, obviously I'm well connected with a lot of people here and kind of feels like a family," he said after the workout.

Kaufman-Renn praised his former college teammate saying, "He can do everything on the basketball floor. There's not a hole in his game. He shoots well at three levels. He scores. Plays hard on the defensive end."

Smith is one of the highest-rated players the Pacers have had in for a workout and would fit the Indiana culture in more ways than one.

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