The NBA Draft has officially come and gone, and the Indiana Pacers walked away with two guards: Kam Jones and Taelon Peter. Both players provide different skillsets and value, but they will each be names to monitor the rest of the way as Indiana looks to remain in title contention following their NBA Finals loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Though the draft has already concluded, the Pacers are not done making moves. As is the case for most teams around the league, the Pacers added a few undrafted free agents to the mix (signing all of them to Exhibit 10 contracts). While it is unlikely they will make an immediate impact, all three players the team signed provide some level of intrigue and will be worth keeping an eye on through the Summer League and into training camp and the preseason.
Indiana Pacers 2025 Undrafted Free Agent Signings
- Samson Johnson, PF/C, UConn
- RJ Felton, G, East Carolina
- Steven Ashworth, PG, Creighton
Some projected that Samson Johnson could go late in the second round of the draft, but he ultimately went undrafted before the Pacers picked him up. The UConn product, who won two NCAA Championships during his collegiate career, brings a lot of athleticism and a high motor to the team. Johnson has solid defensive talent and has the potential to develop into a legitimate defensive big man in the league. Though his offensive game is limited, Johnson led the NCAA in 2FG% in each of his last two seasons.
The Pacers have a lot of uncertainty at the center position, even beyond unrestricted free agent Myles Turner. It is unlikely that Johnson will have much of an opportunity next season, but he is intriguing and could be an asset in the future.
Guard RJ Felton is fresh off a four-year collegiate career at East Carolina, where he started 100 of his 124 career games. Across his last two seasons in college, Felton averaged 18 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 42.2% from the field and 36.6% from beyond the arc.
Felton is an agile point guard with solid size at 6'3". He gradually improved as a three-point shooter during his time in college and can do a little bit of everything. However, the 23-year-old does not excel at anything and likely does not have a high ceiling due to his age. Still, he has talent and is a low-risk pickup for Indiana.
Creighton guard Steven Ashworth is already 25 years old after a five-year collegiate career. However, he still brings a lot of intrigue to Indiana. Last season, he averaged 16.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.8 assists (Big East leader) while shooting 37.4% from beyond the arc on 8.4 attempts. Ashworth, however, shot 39.% from the field, which is far from ideal.
The Utah native is 6'0" tall and has a lot of offensive talent. He is a good shooter and playmaker, which could bode well for his long-term chances with the Pacers. He is a bit streaky and does not provide much defensive value, however, which are two other big reasons he went undrafted.
While none of these players are expected to play a big role right away, the Pacers have built a reputation as a team always able to find diamonds in the rough. Only time will tell if any of these three players will fall under that label in the future.