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Pacers Make Difficult Roster Decision Following Summer League
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- Pacers Make Difficult Roster Decision Following Summer League
(Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images)
Entering NBA Summer League action, the Indiana Pacers had a clear competition going on for their three two-way contracts.
Among those competing for the spots were rookie point guard Braden Smith , Jalen Slawson , Kobe Brown , Taelon Peter , and Ethan Thompson . One player has already lost out on his spot.
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On Monday, the Pacers made a difficult roster cut.
According to a report from HoopsHype NBA insider Michael Scotto, Indiana has decided to waive Peter, who was a second-round pick last year.
"The Indiana Pacers are waiving two-way guard Taelon Peter, league sources told @hoopshype," Scotto reported on X. "Peter averaged 4.5 points in 38 games played for Indiana last season after being the 54th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft."
Peter did play a role for the Pacers last season as a rookie. In the middle of a brutal year due to the Achilles tear suffered by Tyrese Haliburton , he ended up playing in 38 games.
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Along with the 4.5 points per game that Scotto mentioned, Peter also chipped in 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists, while also shooting 38 percent from the floor and 32.8 percent from the three-point line.
Indiana decided to take Peter with the No. 54 overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft. He was drafted mainly for his shooting potential, but was unable to be a consistent threat from beyond the arc during his rookie year.
Now, the Pacers will need to make another decision. There are still four players vying for the three spots. It seems likely that Smith, Brown, and Slawson will end up earning those spots.
Heading into the 2026-27 NBA season, Indiana will be all about competing for a championship run. At the end of the day, the three players mentioned above seem to be the best fits for that goal.
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Expect to hear more news about how the Pacers will round out their roster in the near future. For now, they have made the decision to move on from Peter, who will now be searching around the NBA for another opportunity to earn a roster spot.
