Indiana Pacers eye free agency targets amid trade and salary cap challenges
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 22, 2026, 4:27 PM
Last updated Jun 22, 2026
The Indiana Pacers are strategically preparing for free agency despite lacking draft picks. After trading Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson along with three first-round picks for center Ivica Zubac, they now focus on maximizing their existing core of seven key players while addressing depth issues, particularly in scoring and two-way wings. President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard acknowledges the team's financial restraints as their core players occupy significant salary cap space. Recent player movements, including C.J. McCollum's contract, indicate potential price points for acquiring shooting guards. The Pacers may explore options like Isaiah Joe from the Thunder, who could fit well into their second unit.
- •Pacers traded key players and three first-round picks for Ivica Zubac.
- •Kevin Pritchard believes current core can compete for a championship.
- •C.J. McCollum's recent contract sets a potential market for shooting guards.
- •Pacers need to improve scoring, especially in their second unit.
- •Isaiah Joe from the Thunder could be a target for the Pacers.
- 11:26 AMYahoo Sports — Indiana Pacers free agency targets, trade rumors and NBA draft intel
- 4:27 PMYahoo Sports — Indiana Pacers free agency targets, trade rumors and top targets
"The Indiana Pacers don't have any draft picks but that doesn't mean they can't make moves this week. A look at the possibilities
"Keep up with how all the trade, free agency and draft rumors affects the Pacers
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsJun 23, 2026, 11:26 AMIndiana Pacers free agency targets, trade rumors and NBA draft intel
Keep up with how all the trade, free agency and draft rumors affects the Pacers
- Yahoo SportsJun 22, 2026, 4:27 PMIndiana Pacers free agency targets, trade rumors and top targets
The Indiana Pacers don't have any draft picks but that doesn't mean they can't make moves this week. A look at the possibilities
Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
NBA•Oct 4, 2026, 1:11 PMStephen Curry Stares at Potential Goodbye as Warriors Remain Unmoved About Free Agent Seth Curry
NBA•Oct 4, 2026, 1:02 PMHornets launch ‘The Pull-Up,’ a month-long activation series leading up to season opener
NBA•Oct 4, 2026, 12:47 PMAnthony Davis believes ‘people forgot’ who he is due to the past few NBA seasons- NBA•Oct 4, 2026, 12:39 PMA Year 2 breakout could cement Diawara as a Knicks …
NBA•Oct 4, 2026, 12:01 PMSuns lookahead. Phoenix opens preseason schedule on the road
NBA•Oct 4, 2026, 11:38 AMJoel Embiid announces what he’ll never do again in his NBA career ahead of new season