​INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers are poised to sign center Larry Nance Jr. to a contract that values at roughly $4 million, described as a minimum-salary deal between Nance and the Pacers. Because Nance is an 11-year veteran, he is eligible for the largest possible NBA minimum salary, which stands at $3.88 million for the upcoming season. If the Pacers sign him to a one-year pact, the cap hit would be $2.45 million, with the difference between those figures covered by the NBA as a reimbursement.
Nance, 33, spent last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He served as a depth big man for the Eastern Conference Finalists, averaging 3.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game across 35 appearances, and he also played in two playoff games for Cleveland. While his peak production days are behind him—he averaged more than 10 points per game for Cleveland in the 2019-20 season—Nance remains a seasoned veteran capable of contributing in short bursts. The Wyoming product has recently been a rotation option for other NBA teams, including a stint with the New Orleans Pelicans as recently as two seasons ago, and he averaged 8.5 points per game for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2024-25 season.
Now, he joins a Pacers frontcourt that already features Pascal Siakam, Obi Toppin, Ivica Zubac, Jay Huff, Johnny Furphy, Kelly Oubre, Jarace Walker, and Micah Potter. Nance is undersized for a traditional center but has spent most of his career operating near the basket, so he is expected to fit in as a backup five behind Huff and Potter. That trio brings a wide range of skills to the table. Nance is perhaps the strongest rebounder among them, Potter offers more mobility and shot-making from three-point range, and Huff has been one of the league’s better shot blockers in recent seasons while also providing some perimeter shooting in the past. Indiana will need to weigh which specific skills it values most from this group as it continues to shape its frontline.
Beyond the on-court fit, Nance is valued for his leadership and locker-room presence. He has long been regarded as a strong, steady presence behind the scenes, a quality that has appealed to several franchises over the course of his lengthy career. Cavaliers veteran Jaylon Tyson publicly praised Nance last season, calling him “a great dude, a great leader, a great basketball player, a great overall guy,” and adding that he gained a deeper respect for players who sustain long careers in the league, describing the NBA as “a monster.”
If signed by Indiana, Nance would become the Pacers’ 15th player under a standard contract for the regular season, which is the maximum number permitted. (The offseason roster limit sits at 21, but Indiana appears to be nearing a complete roster.) The next steps for the Pacers involve integrating Nance into the team’s salary framework. Indiana previously signed Kelly Oubre Jr. using the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, which hard-caps the team at the first apron; the Pacers currently sit roughly $1.8 million below that cap threshold. Nance’s anticipated salary exceeds that $1.8 million cushion, so the organization will have to navigate the remaining budget and cap constraints as it completes the signing and arrangements for the rest of its roster.