Pacers Free Agent Almost Signed With Knicks: Report

An Indiana free agent almost agreed to a new deal with a loathed playoff nemesis.

May 31, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23), forward Pascal Siakam (43) and center Thomas Bryant (3) react after a play against the New York Knicks in the third quarter during game six of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers have a bevy of backup centers already rostered heading into the 2025-26 season, as they plan to replace departed longtime starter Myles Turner piecemeal.

New trade acquisition Jay Huff will compete with returning incumbents Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman and Tony Bradley in training camp for what are likely to be three center spots on the team's standard roster.

So free agent center Thomas Bryant, who had some big playoff moments for Indiana this past spring, has been left wanting.

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Per Jake Fischer of Substack's The Stein Line, the 6-foot-10 big man almost signed with a surprise nemesis: the New York Knicks.

Restricted free agency updates, roster rumbles and a tale of international intrigue ... all via the latest around-the-league notebook from @JakeLFischer: https://t.co/I2DbVkyrHd pic.twitter.com/LyCdw0ShUs

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 12, 2025

"League sources say that the Knicks weighed bringing in Thomas Bryant after team officials visited with the veteran big man," Fischer writes. "New York ultimately decided to prioritize wing and backcourt depth; Bryant is fresh off contributing to Indiana's unexpected run to the NBA Finals."

The Knicks ultimately inked free agent guards Malcolm Brogdon, Garrison Mathews and Landry Shamet to non-guaranteed training camp deals instead.

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Bryant, 28, was traded by the Miami Heat to the Pacers in December 2024, for second-round pick-swap rights in 2031. Indiana at that point had lost both Jackson and Wiseman to season-ending Achilles tendon tears early into the season, and its Moses Brown experiment hadn't taken.

Bryant was brought in as a floor-spacing, downhill big who could sort of replace starter Turner in a pinch or when he sat. In 56 contests for the Pacers during the 2024-25 season (eight starts), Bryant averaged 6.9 points on a .515/.321/.830 slash line, 3.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.5 steals a night.

Bryant's Reduced Playoff Role

Closer to the playoffs, with head coach Rick Carlisle clearly concerned about the Pacers' defense when Bryant played, the team opted to bring in another journeyman free agent, Bradley.

Both players saw their minutes significantly reduced during the Pacers' run to the NBA Finals this spring and summer, playing spot minutes with Carlisle's rotation tightening.

Bryant saw action in 20 games for Indiana, averaging 2.6 points on .485/.500/786 shooting splits and 1.4 rebounds in 8.4 minutes. Bradley, 27, saw action in just 11 playoff games, averaging 1.5 points and 1.9 rebounds in 7.1 minutes per.

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