RealGM Basketball Wiretap

10 October 2025

• Pacers Sign Cam Payne, Waive Delon Wright

  The Indiana Pacers have signed guard Cam Payne to a training camp contract.

  In a subsequent move, the team waived guard Delon Wright. Wright suffered a significant head injury during Tuesday's preseason game.

  Last season, Payne averaged 6.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 15.1 minutes with the New York Knicks.

• T.J. McConnell Out At Least One Month With Left Hamstring Injury

  T.J McConnell will be out at least one month due to a left hamstring injury.

  McConnell has been expected to become an even more critical part of the Indiana Pacers' rotation with Tyrese Haliburton out for the season with his torn Achilles.

  In 79 games last season, McConnell averaged 9.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 17.9 minutes.

  The Pacers have a team option on McConnell ahead of the 2028-29 season.

• Pacers, Kyle Guy Agree To Camp Deal

  The Indiana Pacers and guard Kyle Guy have agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract. Guy is expected to join Pacers affiliate the Noblesville Boom for the G League season.

  Guy appeared in 53 NBA games from 2019 through 2022 with the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers. The 6-foot-1 guard also spent time in the G League, as well as playing in Spain and Greece.

  Last season, Guy was an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Virginia. He left the Cavaliers for an assistant coach spot with the University of Nevada. That will apparently go on hold, as Guy pursues this opportunity with the Pacers.

• Pacers Waive Samson Johnson

  The Indiana Pacers waived big man Samson Johnson. The Pacers had signed Johnson to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract earlier in the week.

  The 6-foot-10 center/forward is expected to join the Noblesville Boom (formerly the Indiana Mad Ants) of the G League for the upcoming season. Johnson went undrafted out of UConn at the 2025 NBA Draft.

• Pacers Pass On Signing Monte Morris To Sign Delon Wright

  The Indiana Pacers are making a changeup in their plan for point guard depth for training camp. Indiana was set to sign veteran Monte Morris. However, Pacers GM Chad Buchanan said the team won't add Morris after he recently suffered a calf injury.

  Indiana is pivoting to signing point guard Delon Wright instead. Wright split last season between the Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks after being traded to New York at the trade deadline. In 40 total games, the 10-year veteran averaged 3.1 points and 1.9 assists in 15.9 minutes per game.

• Pacers Sign Monte Morris To One-Year, Non-Guaranteed Contract

  The Indiana Pacers signed Monte Morris to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

  Morris averaged 5.2 points and 1.6 assists in 45 games for the Suns last year.

  The Pacers currently have 13 guaranteed contracts on the roster heading into training camp.

• Pacers Sign Steven Ashworth, R.J. Felton To Exhibit 10 Contracts

  The Indiana Pacers signed Steven Ashworth and R.J. Felton to Exhibit 10 deals on Monday.

  Both players, who played for the Pacers during Summer League, are set to join the G League's Noblesville Boom.

  Ashworth averaged 16.4 points and 4.1 rebounds for Creighton last year.

  Felton averaged 18.8 points and 6.4 rebounds for East Carolina last season.

  The Pacers currently have all 21 roster spots filled for training camp.

• Pacers Sign Jalen Slawson To Exhibit 10 Training Camp Deal

  The Indiana Pacers signed Jalen Slawson to an Exhibit 10 training camp contract, the team announced on Tuesday.

  The 25-year-old played in 12 games for the Kings during the 2023-24 season.

  Slawson was with the Osceola Magic last season.

• RealGM Radio: Danny Cunningham, Haize On The Central Division

  The NBA's Central Division is one of the most competitive in the NBA. Wes Goldberg and guests Danny Cunningham and Haize dissect offseason moves, potential lineups, and bold predictions for the Cavaliers, Pacers, Bucks, Bulls and Pistons.

  From Tyrese Haliburton's season-ending Achilles injury and the Cavaliers battling their playoff demons, the guys break down every angle. They also discuss Giannis Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee, the Bulls' longview and why the Pistons could win 50 games.

  Time Stamps
  0:00 Intro: Central Division preview
  5:21 Debate on teams' offseason improvements
  10:39 Most intriguing offseason move: Lonzo Ball trade
  16:52 Myles Turner's impact on Bucks' future
  23:05 Josh Giddey contract situation with Bulls
  29:49 Predictions for Central Division standings
  35:56 Central teams making playoffs
  40:10 Players with changing perceptions next year
  46:51 Bold predictions for the division

  Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or via the RSS feed. Watch on YouTube.

• Tyrese Haliburton Says 'It'll Be 15 Months' Before Playing Again

  Tyrese Haliburton was a recent guest on Impaulsive, hosted by Logan Paul. Haliburton touched on a lot of topics, including when he might suit up again in an NBA game.

  When asked how when he might play again, Haliburton indicated it would be ahead of 2026 training camp.

  "I think it'll be 15 months until I play my next game," the Pacers star said.

  That timeline from injury to return would put Haliburton in line to be ready for training camp ahead of the 2026-27 season. That would be roughly 15 months from tearing his Achilles' tendon in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals on June 22.

  It's been expected that Haliburton would miss the entire 2025-26 NBA season. Recovery from a torn Achilles' is usual a year-long process. Because the injury occurred at the latest possible point last season, it was always likely Indiana will be without their star guard this season.

  Haliburton also detailed the process he went through leading up to the Game 7 injury.

  "I've had calf strains before, and I met with the doctor. He said, 'In the regular season, I would tell you to sit two to three weeks', but it's the Finals," Haliburton said about the diagnosis. "And I'm like, 'What the (expletive)? You think I'm going to sit down?' I'm not going to say who, but I had some close friends, family, and mentors in my life call me after Game 5 and say: 'Hey, shut it down.'"

  Haliburton was clear that he has no regrets about playing in Game 7, despite the strained calf diagnosis.

  "No. Hell no. Hell no. I'll be honest: I called KD after I got my MRI after Game 5. I said, 'Bro, do you regret playing in the game you tore (your Achilles')?' He said, 'No, not at all.' I was like, 'Alright.'," Haliburton said of talking to Kevin Durant. "Yeah, I wasn't going to switch anyway, so I'm glad he said that. It made me feel a little bit better. But no, I don't regret it, bro."