INDIANAPOLIS- When the Pacers signed James Johnson before the start of the 2022-23 season, it was about adding a strong locker room leader for a young team with untapped potential.
Indiana believed it was on the right path after trading for Tyrese Haliburton the season prior, but Carlisle felt the young group needed another veteran leader who would help set the standard for each and every night.
Four years later, Carlisle was spot-on in his evaluation: Johnson was the guy for the job.
The former Wake Forest standout played in just 21 games under Carlisle with the Dallas Mavericks , but that brief stint left a lasting impression that would eventually reunite the two in Indiana.
Jun 19, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward James Johnson (16) reacts after being ejected from the game during the second half of game six of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Over the last four years, Johnson has signed eight contracts with the Pacers: five standard deals, two ten-day deals, and now an Exhibit 9 contract .
After being a member of Indiana's 2025 NBA Finals team, Johnson was not brought back for the 2025-26 season. With limited roster flexibility, the Pacers simply didn't have room for the veteran.
It appeared the final chapter had closed on Johnson's time in Indiana, but there was more to the story.
A week before the Pacers begin training camp, Johnson signed an Exhibit 9 deal to rejoin the organization.
Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan and assistant general manager Ted Wu met with the media Thursday afternoon to discuss the upcoming season, including the reasoning behind bringing the veteran back.
"You guys all know what James means to our locker room, our culture." Buchanan said. "He's a guy that we have a real fondness for, obviously."
Because the Pacers are hard-capped at the first apron, they cannot sign Johnson to a veteran's minimum contract until November. That doesn't mean, however, that he can't serve a purpose for this group over the next month on a training camp deal.
"There's value in having him in our training camp situation because training camp is a really big chance to set the table for your year," Buchanan said. "Both as how you play as a player, but also what you're about."
Nov 10, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward James Johnson (16) and guard T.J. McConnell (9) in the second half against the New York Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
"Coach Carlisle is a big believer in evaluating how guys play in training camp," Buchanan said. "Having a veteran like James who understands what the coaches want, and he understands the team and the system, to help establish what you're going to be for the year, is gonna be very viable for us."
This is all Indiana can ask from Johnson at this point in the season: come in, serve as a connecting point between the players and the coaches, and help this group rediscover the traits of a winning team after a 19-63 season.
Johnson is someone that the Pacers "love having around", but there's no guarantee his role on the team will extend beyond training camp.
"We do have an open roster spot that becomes more flexible as the season goes on," Buchanan said. "We'll evaluate where the team's at, and if it's right to have somebody like James back, we'll look at it."
Whether Johnson finishes the season with the Pacers remains to be seen, but there's no denying the lasting impact he's made on this core group.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/pacers/onsi as Why the Pacers Keep Coming Back to James Johnson .
