INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers are signing forward Kendall Brown to a multi-year contract, two league sources confirmed to AllPacers. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN was the first to share the news.
According to league sources, Brown's deal is for three years in total. The final two seasons of the contract are non-guaranteed, and the third season contains a team option. This season, Brown's salary will be above his minimum.
To sign Brown to a three-year contract, the Pacers had to use some of the room exception, a salary cap exception they have held on to all season as a team that had cap room to open the league year. Because that exception was used, Brown's deal could start at any amount from the minimum up to about $7.7 million. His minimum salary for the rest of the campaign is just under $450k.
Brown is in his second season with the Pacers. He was drafted 48th overall in the 2022 NBA draft, and he has been on a two-way deal for the last two years with Indiana. Injuries have limited his total appearances, but he has 12 NBA outings under his belt, including on Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans.
"We try to get them as many games suited up as possible because it's just great experience even if they don't play," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of his two-way contract players recently.
Brown has shown noticeable growth in the G League. The 20-year old wing is averaging 16.6 points per game for the Indiana Mad Ants in 33 outings this season, including nearly 50% shooting from the field. His athleticism and defense have been valuable.
His maturation from year one to two of his career has been obvious. "Just being more assertive on both ends. Getting to the hoop. Making plays for others," Brown said late last year of his improvements so far this season. "Just playing defense, getting myself going. Getting out on the fast break and run," he added.
In 12 NBA games, the Baylor product is averaging 1.6 points and 0.7 rebounds per game. He will now be with the Pacers permanently going forward, so he could appear more often.
Indiana gave up assets to get Brown in the 2022 draft, and they wanted to develop him for more than one season. "We still really feel good about Kendall Brown. He had a bad injury... but we really like him," Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard said last year.
With the buyout market forming in full on Friday and the deadline for teams to sign players to two-way contracts coming on Monday, the timing of his deal makes a ton of sense. The Pacers had an open roster spot, and now Brown is eligible to play in postseason games if Indiana needs him. Two-way players aren't playoff eligible. Additionally, the blue and gold can fill their now-open two-way slot ahead of tomorrow's deadline.
Indiana's roster is now full, and they are over the salary cap. Expect them to make a two-way signing either today or tomorrow.
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