On Monday, the Indiana Pacers announced that they waived big man Tony Bradley, who would have had his contract guaranteed if the team kept him around past Jan. 10.
This move doesn't come as much of a surprise. Indiana took a flier on Bradley last season as it desperately needed center depth, and all things considered, he delivered. He had many solid moments, including a 14-point, 14-rebound performance in the Pacers' 2024-25 regular season finale, and he earned an opportunity for himself heading into this season.
Ultimately, Bradley's role with the Pacers was never going to be major, and it got to the point where he was just there for depth at the most. Since the start of December, the Florida native averaged 2.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 7.8 minutes across 11 games. He had also been dealing with a thumb injury in recent games that limited his value.
Indiana's decision to waive Bradley also comes right as Micah Potter, who signed with the team right after Christmas, is leaving a positive impression on the court. The Pacers were likely going to move on from Bradley anyway, but Potter's emergence made their decision much easier.
What's next in store for Tony Bradley?
Just because the Pacers waived Bradley doesn't mean they're done with him entirely.
As Forbes' Tony East mentioned on X, the Pacers could still decide to sign the North Carolina alum to a 10-day contract. And given that Isaiah Jackson remains sidelined with a concussion, this could be a smart decision for the team to make.
Now official from the Pacers. Naturally wonder now, especially with Isaiah Jackson being concussed, if Bradley will get a 10-day with the Pacers. Would also assume Micah Potter’s chances of having his deal fully guaranteed have gone WAY up. https://t.co/hQJGNOg1s6
— Tony East (@TonyREast) January 5, 2026
This wouldn't be too far-fetched of an idea, especially since Indiana already did something similar earlier this season with James Wiseman. The Pacers waived Wiseman in October before bringing him back on a 10-day contract on Dec. 20. He played three more games for the team (and averaged 13 minutes in those games) before they waived him again.
Regardless of whether Bradley ends up playing for the Pacers again at some point, he will still be a name fans should monitor moving forward. He was out of the league for two years before the Pacers signed him, and he ended up playing some real minutes for the team, including Games 5-7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
Bradley was never going to be Indiana's answer at center, but that doesn't mean he didn't belong. He's a solid big man who can provide some value defensively and on the boards, and it wouldn't be much of a shock to see him get another opportunity at some point down the line.