​INDIANAPOLIS — Free agent forward Kobe Brown is set to return to the Pacers after benefiting from extended playing time late in the season, though his agreement is not a standard fully guaranteed contract. According to a league source cited by the IndyStar on Thursday, Brown has signed a two-way contract with the Pacers, keeping him connected to both the NBA club and its G League affiliate. Brown joined Indiana in the February trade that sent Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson and three draft picks—including the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick—to the Clippers, along with center Ivica Zubac.
A two-way contract means a player is bound to both the NBA team and its G League affiliate. Across a full season, Brown could participate in up to 50 NBA games but would not be eligible for the postseason under this arrangement. The deal places Brown on a salary at roughly half of the rookie minimum, which this year will be just under $700,000. Importantly, his salary does not count against the Pacers’ salary cap figure.
Brown, who was the No. 30 pick in the 2023 draft, averaged 2.3 points per game over 2 1/2 seasons with the Clippers and had limited playing time before joining Indiana. By the time he arrived in Indiana, the Pacers were already largely out of playoff contention, but he received more minutes in 27 games with the Pacers than he had in a full season with the Clippers. He posted averages of 9.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, and he shot an efficient 50.3 percent from the floor and an impressive 43.3 percent from three-point range, hitting 39 of 90 attempts. By contrast, during his entire tenure with the Clippers, Brown connected on just 33 of 123 three-pointers (26.8%).
Brown could still be waived at any time, and his presence further tightens the competition for the Pacers’ trio of two-way slots. Presently, Brown and guards Taelon Peter and Ethan Thompson are under contract, but any of them can be released as needed. Purdue product Braden Smith, recently drafted, has not yet signed a deal but sources told the IndyStar after the draft that he intends to pursue a two-way contract with the Pacers. Forward Jalen Slawson concluded the season on a two-way deal and remains a restricted free agent; however, he has participated in NBA Summer League with the Pacers, and Indiana has extended a qualifying offer to keep matching rights if he receives other offers.
This article originally appeared on the Indianapolis Star, and the Pacers’ decision to keep Kobe Brown on a two-way contract aims to provide added depth while preserving flexibility as the franchise continues shaping its roster.