Indiana

Pacers

The Pacers were in danger of being run out of Cox Pavilion on Saturday, but the play of their point guards helped force overtime. Smith, the NBA’s all-time assist leader, racked up five while also scoring 16 points. However, it was Yuki Kawamura who provided the initial spark, and he finished with 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and one three-pointer. All three of the Pacers’ two-way contract slots have been filled, so Smith and Kawamura may be competing for one training camp invite in Las Vegas. Being the draft pick may give the latter an edge in the competition.

Slawson’s energy and production were two reasons why the Pacers were able to rally from 24 points down to force overtime on Saturday. And that’s likely what the front office wants to see after deciding to tender a two-way qualifying offer to the forward. While Slawson did not shoot the ball well on Friday, his activity may force some other teams with available two-way slots to keep an eye on him. Just in case the Pacers don’t look to hold onto the 2023 second-round pick.

Slawson, who remains a restricted free agent after spending last season on a two-way contract, made up for his poor shooting with elite defense. The Pacers forward blocked five shots and recorded a steal, and he was also effective on the glass alongside undrafted rookie Rienk Mast (16/11/3/1 with one three-pointer). Slawson shot 2-of-9 from beyond the arc, but that isn’t something the Pacers will ask him to do much of next season if the team remains healthy.

Nance Jr. logged a career-low 12.8 minutes per game across 35 appearances for the Cavs last season, and his role isn’t expected to expand with the Pacers. He’ll fight for backup minutes in the frontcourt with Jay Huff and Micah Potter, and Nance Jr. isn’t on the fantasy radar in most leagues.

Oubre, 30, is an 11-year NBA veteran set to join his sixth team in the Pacers. The small forward most recently completed a three-year tenure with the 76ers where he averaged 14.9 points. He shot a career-high 36 percent from behind the three-point line last year. Oubre still doesn’t have much of a fantasy ceiling, but should be a reliable late round option once again next year.

Haliburton, who ruptured his Achilles tendon during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, did not play at all last season. In addition to recovering from that injury, he had to deal with a case of shingles in February. The good news for the Pacers is that their star point guard is back to full strength and should be good to go for the start of next season. “I feel like I’m operating like I’m a healthy NBA player for the first time in a long time, which is exciting,” Haliburton said on Saturday. “The fact that I’m able to come here without having to answer questions from anybody in our organization about my health, that I’m just able to jump in and do some things with the kids, that means the world to me. It’s something I don’t take for granted after the last 12 months.” While he may need some time to shake off the rust, a healthy Haliburton is one of the most valuable players in fantasy basketball.

The 5-foot-10 Smith finished his Purdue career as the NCAA’s all-time assist leader, and he was also a consensus All-American in each of his final two seasons. As a senior, he averaged 14.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.6 three-pointers, shooting 44.0 percent from the field and 82.5 percent from the foul line. While his size is not an asset, Smith’s ability to run a team and get scorers the ball in spots where they can be successful cannot be overlooked. Chicago will send Smith to Indiana in exchange for Kam Jones. Arguably the best playmaker in the draft will be a backup option behind one of the best playmakers in the league.

Jackson finished the season strong with 12.7 points per game and 5.3 assists per game in seven games in April. While the 27-year-old guard certainly showed some promise, it still remains to be seen if he’ll factor into the Pacers’ rotation next year when the team is healthy.

Walker started and had 17 points against the 76ers on Friday, but is set to miss Sunday’s game against the Pistons with a left foot sprain. The 22-year-old small forward saw a major playing time increase due to injuries ahead of him, but shot just 41.9 percent from the field. It remains to be seen if he can crack the Pacers’ rotation when the team is fully healthy.

Sheppard will miss a fifth straight game to wrap up the regular season. Kam Jones, Quenton Jackson and Jalen Slawson should all take on extra minutes with Sheppard out. Sheppard is in the final year of his rookie contract in 2026-27 and profiles as their fourth guard behind a healthy Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard.