On Monday, the Indiana Pacers made multiple roster moves. First, converting second-year wing Kendall Brown’s two-way contract to a standard NBA deal. Then, signing Windy City Bulls guard Quenton Jackson to a two-way contract to fill the vacancy.
Pacers Make Pair of Pre-Playoff Roster Moves
On Monday morning, the Indiana Pacers officially signed Kendall Brown to a multiyear contract. An athletic and versatile wing at 6-foot-8 and 205 pounds, Brown is now eligible for playoff games
Acquired by the Pacers in a draft night trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Brown was selected 48th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Baylor. Initially signing to a one-year two-way contract, he re-upped on the deal last offseason. As is customary, he played sparingly with the Pacers his rookie season (40 minutes). However, he’s had a solid showing in a handful of games with the Fort Wayne/Indiana Mad Ants, their G League affiliate.
Brown certainly isn’t in line for a rotation spot. Nonetheless, if his number is called, he can be a transition threat offensively. That makes him fit in well with the Pacers’ breakneck pace. Thus, alleviating concerns about how his inexperience and inefficiency from beyond the arc will prevent him from making an observable impact. Defensively, Brown utilizes his length, athleticism, and hustle mentality to be a constant threat in the passing lanes.
A similar scouting report can be made for Quenton Jackson.
Jackson, 25 years old, played 135 minutes with the Washington Wizards as an undrafted rookie last season. A springy guard who can make highlight plays when he’s headed toward the rim, his weakness is also 3-point shooting. On a two-way contract, Jackson is restricted to regular season games. Nonetheless, averaging 16.3 points per game across two G League seasons, Jackson is an intriguing depth piece for a team without many guards that get above the rim.
All But Guaranteed
The Indiana Pacers (34-28) are eighth in the Eastern Conference standings.
With 20 games remaining on their schedule, they’re 5.0 games ahead of the ninth-place Chicago Bulls and 7.0 games ahead of the 10th-place Atlanta Hawks. To that point, both the Bulls and Hawks have star players sidelined with injuries. Subsequently, while far from a shoo-in, the Pacers are projected to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
While not necessarily Tyrese Haliburton’s magnum opus, his ability to transform Indiana into a postseason contender is impressive. Particularly for a player that just turned 24 years old. A true floor general, he’s already helped Obi Toppin experience a career resurgence simply by way of his passing. One wonders if he can even breathe life into unheralded players like Kendall Brown and Quenton Jackson with his playmaking ability.
