The Indiana Pacers must decide by June 29 whether to exercise the team option on Micah Potter’s contract for the 2026-27 season. The option sits on a two-year deal that was completely non-guaranteed when it was signed in December, but the remainder of the 2025-26 season was fully guaranteed after a January amendment. Because the option is non-guaranteed, the Pacers could waive Potter before the season starts without incurring a cap hit.
Potter’s statistical profile is unusual for a traditional big man. He hit 42.3 % of his 168 three-point attempts this season, placing him among the few centers to breach the 40 % mark from deep. He also posted nearly 10 points and five rebounds per game, providing a floor-spacing element the Pacers lacked when injuries opened a hole at center. Defensively, he struggled to protect the rim, but his shooting kept him on the floor and earned him a rotation role that many two-way players never achieve.
The option fits the Pacers’ roster construction. With Ivica Zubac projected as the starter, the backup role will be a battle between Jay Huff and Potter, both of whom can stretch the paint. Keeping the option gives Indiana a cheap, non-guaranteed asset and the flexibility to waive him before training camp if the roster shape changes. The lack of guaranteed salary means the cap impact is negligible, allowing the front office to allocate resources elsewhere.
“Jay [Huff] and Micah [Potter] will fight for that backup five,” Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard said after the draft lottery. The comment underscores the franchise’s offseason strategy of using non-guaranteed contracts to plug holes without tying up cap space. Potter’s path, from two-way deals in Utah to a standard contract in Indiana, mirrors that pattern, and exercising the option would preserve a versatile piece on the books while keeping the door open to move on should a more traditional interior defender become available.
If the option is exercised on June 29, the next step will come in July when the Pacers finalize the training-camp roster. Potter could be waived before the season starts, freeing a roster spot without financial penalty, or he could be retained as the primary backup to Huff if the coaching staff values his shooting. Either outcome will influence Indiana’s free-agent strategy, as a non-guaranteed contract leaves room to sign a higher-priced big man if the market shifts. The June 29 deadline therefore marks the first concrete decision shaping the Pacers’ post-draft roster.
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