The Pacers Post Up

LeBron James has made his move, and the Eastern Conference has officially become a gauntlet. In Part 1 of our Eastern Conference Power Rankings, Brad and Ryan break down the bottom half of the conference after one of the wildest offseasons in recent memory. Which teams took the biggest leap? Who’s being overrated? And has the East quietly become the NBA’s deepest conference? The guys debate the league’s biggest offseason moves—including LeBron joining Philadelphia—and reveal where the conference starts to separate into contenders, playoff teams, and rebuilding franchises.

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Summer League is officially in the books, and we’re putting a bow on the Pacers week in Las Vegas. Jalen Slawson earns the second two-way contract, but one spot remains—which direction will Indiana go? We debate whether Ethan Thompson or Braden Smith has the inside track after Taelon Peter’s release. Plus, we react to Lu Dort landing in Atlanta, the former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher heading to Dallas, Tyrese Haliburton making the rounds in New York with WWE and The Pat McAfee Show back in Indy, and we share our biggest takeaways from Chad Buchanan’s interview with Alex and Facci on Setting The Pace. Lots to unpack in a midweek offseason update!

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Despite a rather non-competitive game from the Pacers on Wednesday afternoon, Jalen Slawson just keeps shining in Summer League. Following Indiana’s fourth Summer League game, we break down why Slawson has evolved from a two-way candidate into someone making a legitimate case for one of the Pacers’ 15 roster spots. Is he simply playing too well to ignore and will another team make a run at him? We also discuss Braden Smith’s latest performance, the progress we’ve seen through four games, and what still needs to improve as he adjusts to the NBA game. Plus, Quenton Jackson earns a fully guaranteed contract, and Tyrese Haliburton joins LeBron James on Mind the Game, where the speculation around LeBron’s next destination continues without any real answers. We explain why Indiana shouldn’t be waiting around for a “Decision 2.0” and why the Pacers are better off focusing on the team they’ve built.

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Jalen Slawson is making it harder and harder for the Pacers to ignore him. After three Summer League games, we discuss whether Slawson has gone from competing for a two-way contract to making a legitimate case for one of Indiana’s 15 roster spots. We also break down another impressive showing from Yuki Kawamura, whose playmaking and feel for the game continue to win people over in Las Vegas. On the flip side, we discuss why Braden Smith has been underwhelming through three games, what’s been missing from his offensive game, and why it’s far too early to panic—but fair to evaluate what we’ve seen. From there, we zoom out to the bigger picture: is the Pacers’ point guard depth good enough heading into the season and should Indiana explore a veteran addition through free agency or the trade market? And of course, we wrap things up with the latest round of LeBron-to-Indiana speculation… and why we’re ready for the rumors to end.

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Ryan is back! After two Summer League games, we’re breaking down everything we’ve seen from the Pacers in Las Vegas. Jalen Slawson continues to make his case as one of the biggest standouts, Braden Smith settles into his first action in a Pacers uniform, and Yuki Kawamura has everyone talking. Then, we unveil our Two-Way Power Rankings, counting down the five players we believe are most deserving of Indiana’s two-way contracts heading into the season. Plenty of debate, disagreements, and overreactions as we sort through the Summer League roster.

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The Pacers are officially back on the floor, and we’ve got plenty of first impressions from their Las Vegas Summer League opener. We break down Braden Smith’s long-awaited Pacers debut, Rienk Mast’s eye-opening performance, and Jalen Slawson’s defensive block party. Plus, Rick Carlisle joined the broadcast and gave fans some interesting insight into the team’s offseason plans and player development. We also react to the latest roster news, including Kobe Brown’s contract and Micah Potter reportedly heading to Portland.What should Pacers fans actually take away from Game 1? We’re breaking down the good, the bad, and the ugly of Summer League.

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The Pacers have made another offseason move, signing veteran forward/center Larry Nance Jr., and Brad and Ryan jump on X/Twitter LIVE for an instant reaction. While Nance may no longer be the high-flying athlete he was earlier in his career, he still brings plenty to a Pacers team firmly in its championship window. We break down how his defensive versatility, basketball IQ, passing ability, and corner three-point shooting fit into Rick Carlisle’s system, and why this feels like another savvy, win-now addition by the front office. We also discuss Indiana’s decision to waive Micah Potter, what Nance’s arrival means for the backup center rotation, and how the move positions the Pacers just under the first apron as they continue to maximize every dollar of their roster construction. Is Larry Nance Jr. the final piece of the offseason puzzle, or could another move still be on the horizon? We break it all down in this live reaction episode.

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The offseason is heating up, and so is the latest installment of Sunday State of the Pacers. Brad and Ryan revisit the NBA free agency landscape and take a fresh look at how the Eastern Conference is shaping up after another week of blockbuster moves, including the stunning Jaylen Brown trade and several major roster upgrades by Indiana’s top competitors. With the Pacers firmly in a two-year championship window, where do they stack up in the new-look East? We also turn our attention to Las Vegas and break down the Pacers’ Summer League roster, identifying the biggest storylines to watch over the coming weeks. Which young players have the most to prove? Who could force their way into the regular season rotation? And what should fans realistically expect from this year’s group? Finally, we go around the world with a round-robin update on Pacers players participating in international competition and FIBA World Cup qualifiers, including Jay Huff, Andrew Nembhard, Ivica Zubac, Ethan Thompson, and others representing their countries this summer.

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In this live Twitter/X reaction episode, Brad and Ryan break down Indiana’s signing of Kelly Oubre Jr. and why this move could prove to be another masterstroke by Kevin Pritchard, Chad Buchanan, and the Pacers front office. At just $8.25 million annually, Indiana adds the versatile two-way wing they’ve been searching for while fully embracing what now appears to be a clear two-year championship window. We discuss how Oubre fits alongside Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and the newly acquired Ivica Zubac, what he brings defensively, and why his cutting, transition play, and positional versatility make him such a seamless fit in Rick Carlisle’s system. From there, we zoom out and evaluate the new-look Eastern Conference after an aggressive start to free agency. Miami, Toronto, Boston, and Philadelphia have all made significant moves to strengthen their rosters—but where do the Pacers now stack up in the race to represent the East? We also touch on the latest rumors surrounding LeBron James, Walker Kessler and the Lakers, discuss what other moves Indiana could still have up its sleeve, and close by talking about the NBA Cup heading to Indianapolis and what another historic event means for Hinkle Fieldhouse.

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NBA free agency is officially underway, and there's already plenty to discuss.

In this episode of Pacers Post Up, we react to the biggest moves from Day 1 of free agency, break down the most impactful trades around the league, and discuss what they mean for the Eastern Conference. We also dive into the latest Indiana Pacers rumors, including the free agents the team has been linked to, and debate which targets would be the best fit alongside the current roster.

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