Pacers Fan Favorite Breaks Silence Amid Retirement Rumors, Uncertain Future

Indiana Pacers fans appreciate grit and hard work from their team. It's part of the reason why they love T.J. McConnell so much. He puts his full effort into every moment he's on the court.

They also appreciate guys who protect their own, and that's what James Johnson did for the Pacers for the last couple of years. He is one of the toughest guys in the league.

Indiana employed him to make sure that no one would mess with Tyrese Haliburton or the rest of the team. Now, he's a free agent without a home.

Pacers fan favorite James Johnson speaks out about his future

Right now, Johnson doesn't have a team. He recently talked while he was at Haliburton's basketball camp in Westfield.

“I haven’t made that decision to retire yet. I still want to play, help an organization, help bring culture. “Like I said, I want to play. I know [Buchanan] and (President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard) are one of the best at what they do in the NBA and in our organization. They’re going to make the decision they feel is best for the Pacers. I also have to do that for myself."

Johnson is 38 years old, but he still feels like he can play in the league. He knows he won't play very much, but he thinks he can bring some much-needed guidance in the locker room as a veteran guy.

The Indiana Pacers probably won't bring back James Johnson

Johnson has done a good job helping a young team navigate success over the last couple of years, but he likely won't be back with the Pacers next season.

Indiana already has four centers on the roster, so they don't need to bring another one in. They also already have all 15 roster spots accounted for, unless they move some things around with two-way deals or waive someone.

At this point, it doesn't make much sense to bring Johnson back to Indiana. If he wants to continue his career, it will likely be with some other team.

This past season, Johnson averaged 0.7 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game in just 12 games of action.