Pacers quietly take shocking stance on Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

The Indiana Pacers signed Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to a 10-day contract at the beginning of November, but this was more so because the team was desperate for depth amid all the injuries they had dealt with.

Robinson-Earl only logged 13 combined minutes in his first two games with the Pacers, recording just two points and two rebounds. However, seemingly overnight, the Kansas City native put the team and fanbase on notice with a fantastic performance.

In a loss to the Brooklyn Nets (who still haven't beaten anybody else, by the way), Robinson-Earl recorded eight points on 3-for-9 shooting and a game-high 15 rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench.

This game clearly made a solid impression on Rick Carlisle as the 25-year-old played in at least 18 minutes in each of his next three games. And on Tuesday, the Robinson-Earl story in Indiana just took an interesting turn that could shape his and the team's outlook for the rest of the season.

The Pacers seem to believe in Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

Robinson-Earl isn't going to be an MVP candidate anytime soon, but that doesn't mean he can't be a valuable part of Indiana's roster. And, apparently, the team feels the exact same way as they signed him to a second 10-day contract on Tuesday.

The thing is, though, this isn't even the most notable thing that happened to Robinson-Earl and the Pacers on Tuesday.

For that night's game against the Utah Jazz, the Pacers gave the Villanova alum his first start with the team, which relegated Jarace Walker to the bench (which, unfortunately for him, is probably what's best for him and the team right now).

In the loss, Robinson-Earl recorded six points on 2-for-4 shooting, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal in 22 minutes of play. He didn't set the world on fire against Utah, but he certainly made an impact.

There is a lot to like about Robinson-Earl's game. He is a good rebounder who is already averaging a career-high 6.3 rebounds per game with the Pacers so far. Is this a small sample size? Sure, but that doesn't mean it's not worthy. Plus, for the Pacers, 6.3 rebounds is usually a ton anyway.

Beyond his ability to clean the glass, Robinson-Earl is incredibly athletic and plays with great energy. Furthermore, he is an efficient passer who can make quick reads and is very versatile, being able to guard multiple positions.

He certainly has his flaws as well (he is a career 33.9% shooter from deep and has shot just 34.3% from the field so far this season, for starters). But it's clear that he has talent and that the organization likes him.

What was initially just a 10-day contract flier may turn out to be a sneaky good addition for the Pacers. It remains to be seen what's to come for Robinson-Earl in Indiana, but if what he has shown so far is any indication, then he will most likely stick around for the foreseeable future.