The Indiana Pacers have reportedly added a two-year NBA pro to the roster a little over a month before the start of training camp. According to Tony East of Sports Illustrated, the Pacers have signed shooting guard Dakota Mathias to an Exhibit 10 contract.
Mathias recently played for the Pacers during the 2024 Summer League. In the showcase, the 29-year-old averaged 6.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in five games. Additionally, he shot an impressive 42.9% from beyond the arc in those games.
Before his appearance with the Pacers Summer League team, Mathias played for Lenovo Tenerife of the Liga ACB and ratiopharm Ulm of the Basketball Bundesliga. He also had a couple of minor stints in the NBA as well.
During the 2020-21 season, Mathias appeared in eight games for the Philadelphia 76ers and started two of them. On the year, he averaged 6 points and 1.6 assists. He also shot 39.6% from the field and 30.8% from the three-point line.
Mathias also played in six games for the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2021-22 campaign, averaging 1 point a game.
While his NBA stats are forgettable, Mathias has played well in three separate stints in the G League with the Texas Legends and the Memphis Hustle. In 77 total games in the G League, the Ohio native has averaged 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Mathias also shot 43.5% from the floor and 40.1% from behind the line.
Due to the nature of an Exhibit 10 contract, it is highly likely that Mathias will play the majority, if not the entirety, of the 2024-25 season in the G League with the Indiana Mad Ants.
Next steps for the Indiana Pacers after signing Dakota Mathias
With their most recent move, the Pacers now have a full roster of 21 players ahead of training camp. Of course, they could shuffle the roster around a little bit, but the bulk of the team is likely set in stone.
The Pacers are looking to follow up their impressive postseason run last season with another solid campaign in 2024-25. They may make some additional moves by the start of next season, but for now, it is fair to assume the Pacers will not make any major moves the rest of the offseason and will just prepare for training camp.