Pacers Trade Kam Jones for No. 38 Pick, Select Braden Smith

The Indiana Pacers entered the NBA Draft with zero picks, but they couldn't sit this one out entirely.

Pacers general manager, Chad Buchanan, said in an interview during the offseason that you can never have enough point guard depth and Indiana takes care of that with a draft day trade.

According to multiple reports, the Indiana Pacers are trading Kam Jones, futures pick swaps, and cash to the Chicago Bulls to select Purdue standout, Braden Smith, with the No. 38 pick.

Smith worked out for the Pacers in their last pre-draft workout, impressing Indiana's front office enough to make a significant move to acquire another depth point guard with college experience.

Braden Smith

At 5-foot-11 and 166 pounds, Braden Smith is small in stature, but the way he plays the game is big in heart. Purdue fans have seen his relentless work ethic payoff, as he led the Boilermakers to win the 2025-26 Big Ten Tournament, where he won the MVP honors, and he was also named the 2024-25 Big Ten Player of the Year his junior season.

Smith has often been compared to 'the next T.J. McConnell' with his size, playstyle and work ethic and now he will get to learn from the Pacers beloved guard. McConnell is 34 years old and only has two more years on his contract. This could be the perfect passing of the mantle moment.

Indiana needed a true point guard to roster behind Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell and did not have that on their roster with Quenton Jackson and Kam Jones. Now, with the selection of Smith, they have a true point guard who was the emotional and vocal leader of the Purdue Boilermakers, and was a career 38.5% three-point shooter in his four seasons.

Pacers fans who don't know much about Smith's game will love him instantly. He is an Indiana kid who will embrace the blue collar style of play that this fan base loves to rally behind.

Player Information
Height: 5-11
Weight: 166
Position: Guard
College: Purdue
Age: 22

2025-26 Season Stats
PPG: 14.3
RPG: 3.5
APG: 8.8
BLK : 0.2
STL: 1.7

Pacers Trade Kam Jones After One Season

Last season the Pacers traded into the second round and acquired pick No. 38 from the San Antonio Spurs. With this selection, they drafted Kameron Jones of Marquette. Jones had a rough rookie season that started off with a back injury that held him out all of training camp.

During his injury rehab, he was arrested for excessive speeding. Jones apologized to the fans in a post-practice media setting with Rick Carlisle, and the incident was put behind him.

Apr 1, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Kam Jones (7) shoots against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Once Jones was healthy enough to play, his performance on the court did not live up to expectations and he found himself receiving 'Did-Not-Play Coach's Decisions' as the season winded down. The left-handed guard struggled to connect from outside, only making 29% of his threes, and he wasn't a true point guard.

Jone's contract would have become fully guaranteed this season had he played in a total of 50 games, but he did not reach that mark and his contract became partially guaranteed. He now will get a new opportunity with more playing time for the rebuilding Chicago Bulls.

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