The Indiana Pacers made their final roster moves ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season on Saturday, waiving veteran forward James Johnson and undrafted rookies Rienk Mast and Keba Keita. This decision leaves the team with 14 players on standard contracts, one below the league maximum, as they handle a tight salary cap situation. The move comes after a close 127-128 preseason loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on October 16, part of a 1-3 exhibition slate that also saw losses to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Atlanta Hawks and a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The primary driver is the NBA's hard salary cap, known as the first apron. For the 2026-27 campaign, the Pacers cannot exceed a total team salary of $209.015 million. With 14 players already on guaranteed deals worth a combined $206.3 million, plus potential bonuses for forward Obi Toppin, the team is operating with roughly $2.23 million in space below that hard limit. A minimum salary for a veteran with two or more years of service starts at $2.45 million, making it financially impossible for Indiana to add a 15th player at that level right now. Johnson, a 16-year veteran, was on a training camp deal and both sides understood this outcome was likely from the start given the math.
Indiana will enter the regular season with 14 players on standard NBA contracts. They will supplement this group with three players on two-way deals: Braden Smith, Kobe Brown, and Jalen Slawson. These two-way players can split time between the NBA club and its G League affiliate, providing depth without impacting the hard cap. The Pacers' financial positioning is so precise that they cannot afford to sign another veteran to a standard deal until salaries pro-rate lower later in the season. This makes every dollar count for a team looking to build on its recent playoff appearances.
The focus now shifts to the regular season opener. The Pacers will travel to face the New Orleans Pelicans on October 21 to tip off their 2026-27 schedule. The preseason provided mixed results, with a 123-112 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 7 followed by three consecutive narrow losses. The final exhibition, a 127-128 defeat to Milwaukee, highlighted both offensive firepower and late-game execution the team will want to tighten up. With the roster finalized, head coach Rick Carlisle can establish rotations and playing time for his core group, which is built around All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton. The team's immediate challenge is to translate its high-octane regular season style into more consistent results, especially in close games. Fans can follow the upcoming schedule on our schedule page.
James Johnson's departure ends a multi-year stint with the franchise where he was a respected locker room presence. For Mast and Keita, the waivers mean they will likely seek opportunities elsewhere, potentially in the G League or overseas. The Pacers' decision shows the modern NBA's harsh financial realities, where roster flexibility can be as important as player talent. Indiana is betting that its current 14-man group, combined with its two-way players, has enough depth and skill to compete in the Eastern Conference.
