Few teams have had as bad of injury luck as the Indiana Pacers have, especially pertaining to their big men. During the team's first game of the season, James Wiseman, who the team signed in the offseason, suffered an Achilles injury, likely ending his season. Then, just over a week later, Isaiah Jackson, the Pacers' only other backup center, suffered an Achilles injury of his own.
For the past few weeks, the Pacers have only had one healthy center on the roster--Myles Turner. Though they had yet to officially bring in another big man to provide some depth behind the Pacers veteran, the team floated by.
There were rumors about who the Pacers could sign to provide center depth, with JaVale McGee being the most popular name, but those rumors can be put to rest as the team has finally added another center to back up Turner.
Indiana Pacers sign center Moses Brown
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Pacers have signed 7'2" big man Moses Brown to their main roster. The 25-year-old most recently spent time with the New York Knicks' G League affiliate in Westchester. In four games in Westchester, Brown averaged 18.5 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2 blocks. Additionally, he shot 69.6% from the field.
The Indiana Pacers are signing 7-foot-2 Moses Brown, sources tell ESPN. Pacers add a center in the wake of Myles Turner’s injury and Achilles tears to James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson. Brown enters his sixth NBA season after averaging 19 points and 14 rebounds in G League. pic.twitter.com/sKk5mEnHU9
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 18, 2024
Brown played for six NBA teams since joining the league in 2019--the Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Brooklyn Nets. His best season was the 2020-21 campaign with the Thunder. Brown appeared in 43 games for the team, starting 32 of them. With the Thunder, he averaged 8.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game.
The New York native possesses a lot of tools, and at 7'2", is usually the tallest player on the court. However, he has generally struggled in the NBA since his career began. Regardless, this has the potential to be a solid pickup for the Pacers. The most important thing to remember is that the Pacers desperately needed center depth. While he is not as polished as some other players on the market are, Brown has an opportunity to continue to develop and make an impact on the team for the long haul as well as immediately.
Indiana did not sign Brown to take over Turner's starting spot. However, his size and youth are valuable to the team. This is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Pacers that can pay dividends in the future.