Pacers round out 20-man camp roster with seven signings
The Indiana Pacers rounded out the roster they’ll take to training camp on Sunday, announcing the signings of seven players.
The team signed forward JaKarr Sampson, who spent the 2019-20 season with the Pacers, and free agent swingman Kelan Martin, a former Butler star, to standard player contracts. Forward Brian Bowen II was re-signed to a two-way deal, while guard Cassius Stanley, the team’s lone pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, also agreed to a two-way contract. The Pacers also signed three players to Exhibit 10 contracts: guard Naz Mitrou-Long, who was with the team last season on a two-way deal; center Amida Brimah, who attended training camp with the Pacers last year; and forward Rayshaun Hammonds, an undrafted rookie out of the University of Georgia.
Sampson, 27, provided the Pacers with plus defense and an energetic presence when pressed into duty last season, averaging 4.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 34 games (12 starts). He was part of the rotation during the playoffs, averaging 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds over 12.5 minutes per game.
Martin, 25, starred at Butler from 2014-18 before embarking on a professional career. He spent the 2018-19 season with Germany’s MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg before returning stateside last season, signing a two-way deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He averaged 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds over 31 NBA games (four starts) with Minnesota.
Bowen, 22, joined the Pacers as an undrafted rookie prior to last season and spent most of his time with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the G League. He suited up in six NBA games, though, averaging a point and 1.2 rebounds per contest.
Stanley, 21, was selected out of Duke with the No. 54 overall pick the draft. He had 12.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game during his lone season with the Blue Devils.
Mitrou-Long, 27, appeared in five NBA games for the Pacers last season, finishing with 2.8 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest. He starred in the Pacers’ Nov. 18 win over the Nets, scoring 12 points with three rebounds and three assists over 25:33.
Brimah, 26, provided a physical presence over four seasons at UConn and has since spent time with the G League’s Austin Spurs and Serbia’s KK Partizan.
Hammonds, 22, spent three seasons at Georgia, averaging 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.