Indiana Pacers cut Tony Bradley; what's next?

The team is moving on from its backup center.

Indiana Pacers center Tony Bradley works against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers are making a roster move to save a bit of money from the team's cap space.

According to NBA insider Jake Fisher, the Pacers are waiving center Tony Bradley.

The Pacers have waived veteran center Tony Bradley, according to league sources.

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) January 5, 2026

Tony Bradley waived by Pacers

The move comes just days before Bradley's contract would have become guaranteed. So Indiana is looking to make sure it doesn't have to pay too much to its backup center.

Bradley, who turns 28 this week, appeared in 29 games for the Pacers, averaging 3.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game for the team. Bradley was with the Pacers last season, playing in 14 regular season contests and 11 playoff games in a small role.

Before joining the Pacers, Bradley was the number 28 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers and was traded to the Utah Jazz on draft night.

He spent his first three seasons in the NBA with the Jazz, before heading over to the city of Brotherly Love to join the Philadelphia 76ers. He played 20 games for the Sixers before moving on to the Oklahoma City Thunder where he made 22 appearances in the 2020-2021 campaign.

Following his stint in Oklahoma City, Bradley moved to the Windy City to join the Chicago Bulls where he played two seasons with the team making 67 appearances. In the 2023-24 campaign, Bradley played overseas but his return to the NBA has been up and down.

It remains to be seen if Bradley has a future in the NBA, but he is a veteran center that should look to sign with a contender before the end of the season.

How will Pacers replace Bradley?

In the meantime, the Pacers will need to replace Bradley's production, but they will likely do so by giving more minutes to Micah Potter, who has been playing very well for the team in his six appearances.

Potter is averaging 8.2 points per game so far for the Pacers, and he's even made two starts. He had a double-double in the team's last game against the Orlando Magic, so there is reason to believe he could be valuable for Indiana in the long run.

Potter earned praise from Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle in a recent press conference.

"He's a very good, solid player," Carlisle said of Potter. "And he's very good at the basics. You know, he runs, he communicates well. He puts a body on people. He's been in different places, and picked up systems quickly. So he's picked up our stuff quickly. And, you know, he just does a lot of very solid things, and he's earned trust."

Potter and the Pacers are back in action tomorrow against Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.