Reggie Miller. Paul George. Rik Smits. The Indiana Pacers have been home to some great players throughout the years, all of whom have logged serious minutes with the franchise.
Now, Tyrese Haliburton is set up to be the next Pacer great. But what about the players who never got a chance to show what they could do in an Indiana uniform?
Whether it be through a trade on draft day or getting waived toward the end of their career, a large number of players passed through the Pacers organization without logging a single minute.
Let’s take a look at the 10 best players in Pacers history who never stepped foot on the court for the organization.
10 Indiana Pacers who never played a single minute for the team: 1. Ricky Rubio
Ricky Rubio has enjoyed a long NBA career, and the Indiana Pacers were part of it for a brief, fleeting moment in time during the 2021-2022 NBA season by way of a trade.
The veteran point guard was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Pacers in the deal that saw Indiana ship Caris LeVert to the Cavaliers. However, at the time, Rubio was dealing with a torn ACL that would keep him out for the entire season.
So, while Rubio was technically on the Pacers roster, he never got the chance to play for the organization. And on top of that, he ultimately re-signed with the Cavaliers the very next offseason.
At first glance, this deal could be considered a loss for the Pacers, but the picks they got in the deal turned into solid players. They got three picks back from the Cavaliers – a 2022 second-rounder that turned into Andrew Nembhard, a 2023 first-rounder that turned into Ben Sheppard, and a 2027 second-rounder.