Indiana Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan has explained why the franchise brought back veteran forward James Johnson despite not having the cap space to keep him on the opening-night roster.
Indiana Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan explained that the team signed veteran forward James Johnson to an Exhibit 9 training camp contract to help establish the team's culture and system. The 39-year-old forward previously played parts of three seasons with Indiana between 2022 and 2025 before sitting out the 2025-26 season.
Due to salary-cap constraints, Indiana cannot keep Johnson on the opening-night roster, but Buchanan noted his presence assists head coach Rick Carlisle and younger players during camp. The franchise will evaluate health, roster needs, and performance to decide if they will sign him later in the season.
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