Former Purdue legend Braden Smithâs wait to learn where he fits with the Indiana Pacers appears to have a favorable ending.
IndyStar Pacers reporter Dustin Dopirak reported on August 13, citing a league source, that Smith âwill be part of the roster one way or the other.â Dopirak added that Indiana has both a standard contract and a two-way contract available for the rookie guard.
That is significant reassurance for Smith after the No. 38 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft remained unsigned deep into the offseason.
The development came as Eurohoops reported that Pacers two-way guard Ethan Thompson had agreed to terms with Serbian club Partizan and was expected to join the club once his departure from Indiana was finalized. Thompsonâs exit would create another avenue for Indiana to settle Smithâs contract situation.
Braden Smith Now Has 2 Paths Onto Pacers Roster
Dopirak explained that Indianaâs proximity to the first apron affects what the Pacers can spend on their final standard roster spot.
According to Dopirak, the Pacers can afford a standard contract paying the rookie minimum, but not the veteran minimum. Smith, as a rookie, fits that possibility. Indiana could alternatively put Smith on a two-way contract.
The latter had been the expectation shortly after the draft. Forbesâ Tony East reported June 27 that Indiana planned to sign Smith to a two-way deal, though Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said at the time that nothing had been finalized. A two-way contract does not occupy one of a teamâs 15 standard roster spots.
That uncertainty lingered through Summer League and into August.
The important distinction now is that Smithâs place with the organization itself no longer appears to be the question. Based on Dopirakâs reporting, Indiana still has to determine how to roster him, not whether it will.
For Purdue fans who watched Smith develop from a lightly recruited in-state guard into one of the most accomplished players in program history, that is meaningful news.
Smith Built a Historic Purdue Resume Before NBA Jump
Smith left West Lafayette with credentials few college point guards have ever matched.
He finished his Purdue career with an NCAA-record 1,103 assists while totaling 1,932 points and 673 rebounds. Purdue says Smith became the first player in NCAA history to record at least 1,500 points, 1,000 assists and 500 rebounds. He was also a two-time consensus first-team All-American.
Smith averaged 14.3 points, 8.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals as a senior, leading the country with 345 assists.
The Chicago Bulls selected him with the No. 38 pick in June before trading his draft rights to Indiana, making Smith Purdueâs first point guard selected in the NBA Draft since Everette Stephens in 1988.
He then showed some of the same playmaking ability during Summer League. Smith produced 16 points, five assists and two steals against the Philadelphia 76ers, turning the ball over only once. Two days later, he went scoreless against Toronto but handed out nine assists.
Those performances illustrated the question Smith has faced throughout the transition to the NBA. At 6-foot, his size creates a significant challenge, but his passing, command of an offense and extensive college production give Indiana plenty to develop.
Now it appears he will get that opportunity with the Pacers.
Whether Indiana ultimately chooses a standard deal or the two-way route will determine Smithâs immediate role and flexibility between the NBA and G League. But for the Purdue legend, the larger question about his NBA future appears to have received the answer he wanted: Smith is expected to have a place on Indianaâs roster.
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