Pacers Linked to Three Free Agents Ahead of Free Agency

Free agency officially kicks off tonight at 6:00 PM EST and the Indiana Pacers are looking to find ways to get better.

Chad Buchanan recently told reporters that they’re going to be looking at players to help them improve their wing depth and that they’d also look at the center spot.

Indiana created an open roster spot on Wednesday night last week during the second day of the NBA Draft when they traded Kam Jones to the Chicago Bulls.

Now, the Pacers can add more than one player to the roster in the offseason, if they don’t want to move off of anyone else under contract.

In a late night article written by insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of the Stein Line Substack, the Indiana Pacers have finally been linked to a few names after not being linked to any free agents this offseason.

Per Fischer, the Indiana Pacers are showing interest in these three players: Josh Okogie (6-4 guard who last played for Houston), Gary Trent Jr. (6-5 guard who last played for Milwaukee), and Kelly Oubre (6-8 wing who last played for Philadelphia).

“In other Pacers developments: Sources say Josh Okogie is among a group of swingmen they are looking at to support the soon-to-be-back-from-injury Tyrese Haliburton. Indiana can pay part of the non-taxpayer midlevel to compete against other teams' prospective offers at the veteran's minimum and is also said to have Gary Trent Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr. on its list.”
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line

Kelly Oubre Jr.

KOJ — Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (9) dribbles up court in front of Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Out of these three names, Oubre Jr. would be the best option for the Pacers. He’s a solid defender, has good size and length at 6-foot-8 and a 7-foot-2 wingspan, and averaged 14 points per game last season. He would most likely cost the Pacers the most from a salary standpoint, but Indiana can still make moves to create more cap space if needed.

Gary Trent Jr.

GTJ — Nov 3, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) dribbles against Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (5) in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Gary Trent Jr. would be my second choice of this group. He’s a terrific shooter and an average defender. His recent contract history indicates that it won’t cost too much to acquire him, and that could be enticing to the Pacers’ franchise who hasn’t paid the luxury tax in over 20 years.

Josh Okogie

Josh Okogie is known for his tenacious defense thanks to his sturdy frame and 7-foot wingspan. Offensively, he is not one that puts up a lot of points, but he’s an average three-point shooter that plays with a high-motor. He will look to create opportunities by crashing the offensive glass, and is good cutter.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Oubre Jr. and Trent Jr. would make me feel much better about the Pacers depth. Okogie would be a decent addition, but I don’t see him above Sheppard or Walker in the pecking order. He would likely push them for playing time because of his motor and defense, but his lackluster offensive abilities don’t move the needle enough for me.

We will see how aggressive the Pacers are in the next few days as teams can began to agree to terms on Tuesday evening.

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