Pacers Forward Undergoes Major Body Transformation in Push for New Role

The Indiana Pacers have most of their guys back from the team that made the 2025 NBA Finals. Two starters are gone, but almost everyone else in the rotation is returning.

Tyrese Haliburton won't play this season, and Myles Turner is now in Milwaukee. Bennedict Mathurin has moved up into the starting lineup, opening up a spot in the rotation.

Johnny Furphy is trying to take that open spot. He is now in his second year with the Pacers, and he underwent a transformation with his body in the offseason to help him win that spot.

In the offseason, Furphy made sure to get in the gym to put on some muscle. While speaking with Dustin Dopirak of the Indy Star, he revealed that he's put on a ton of muscle.

Furphy has already shown in Summer League and practice that he is a ferocious dunker. He showed that again on Tuesday night against the Timberwolves in the preseason opener.

Furphy actually played pretty well in the preseason opener, scoring 12 points on 3/6 shooting. He's playing with noticeably more confidence than he did as a rookie a year ago.

The Pacers could certainly use Furphy's shooting ability on the perimeter. With Ben Sheppard nursing a back injury, Furphy is going to get a chance to play more preseason minutes.

If Furphy can show that he can be a solid defender, he will likely be in the rotation this season, perhaps even at the expense of Sheppard.

The Pacers Believe Furphy Will Eventually Be a Rotational Piece

At some point, the Pacers believe that Furphy will be able to contribute to the team. He was a first-round talent who slipped into the second round of last year's draft.

Rick Carlisle has some checkpoints that Furphy has to hit if he's going to break into the rotation. Playing well in the first preseason game is a good first step for him to achieve that goal.

As a rookie last season, Furphy averaged 2.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game. He shot 38 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.