Pacers personnel notebook: Johnny Carpenter departs, joins Kam Jones | Mathurin, Oubre, more
The Pacers coaching staff is changing, and Kelly Oubre is officially a Pacer.
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers just wrapped up mini camp ahead of summer league play, but the head coach that guided them through those practices is leaving the team. Johnny Carpenter is headed to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Carpenter joined the Pacers coaching staff last summer as an assistant, filling an opening created by the departure of Mike Weinar. Just one year later, he's heading to a different central division team and reuniting with Taylor Jenkins, the new Bucks head coach that Carpenter worked under in Memphis during the 2024-25 season.
Tony East
"Johnny Carpenter has accepted a position with the Milwaukee Bucks as assistant coach and head of player development," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said in a statement. "The Bucks offer to Johnny was a clear step up in responsibility, and therefore received the organization's blessing. We thank Johnny and his family for a great year with the Pacers and wish them the very best."
Carlisle added two important points of detail. One is that new Noblesville Boom head coach Bryce Taylor, who has been on the summer league coaching staff, will take over immediately as the summer league head coach in Las Vegas. Taylor was announced as the Boom head coach in early June.
A second key detail Carlisle included is that the Pacers will adjust and promote from within to cover Johnny's departure. Summer league already provides an opportunity for other Pacers staffers to take on a bigger role, and that will continue to be the case.
The Pacers now have a hire to make. Carpenter previously worked under Carlisle in Dallas back in 2014-15.
And speaking of the Bucks, Jenkins isn't the only familiar face Carpenter will see in Milwaukee.
Kam Jones signs with Milwaukee
Jones, after being traded by the Pacers on draft night to the Chicago Bulls, has a new home. Chicago waived Jones just before his contract for 2026-27 was set to become fully guaranteed, making him a free agent.
Now, Jones will continue his tour of the Central Division as he's signed a two-way contract with Milwaukee. His career got off to a challenging start with Indiana, but Jones needed to show more for the Pacers than he ultimately did. A two-way deal with a rebuilding team makes much more sense for the 24-year old.
Jones played his college basketball at Marquette, who shares Fiserv Forum with the Bucks in downtown Milwaukee. So Jones will have a ton of familiarity in his new home. Carpenter will only add to that. The 38th pick in 2025 averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 assists per game in 37 appearances for the Pacers.
Bennedict Mathurin gets a qualifying offer from the Los Angeles Clippers
Just before free agency opened up, the LA Clippers tendered a qualifying offer to former Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin. Doing so made Mathurin a restricted free agent.
Mathurin spent the first 3.5 years of his career with the Pacers before being moved as a part of the Ivica Zubac trade back in February. He's a free agent for the first time right now, and LA has the right of first refusal, meaning they can match any offer Mathurin signs with another team.
As I reported just ahead of the trade deadline earlier this year, there is little consensus about Mathurin's value leaguewide. The most common estimate was something in the $20 million per year range, but given the state of free agency and the lowered salary cap projections, that feels a bit high.
Mathurin averaged 16.1 points per game during his time with the Pacers, then 17.4 with the Clippers. But his efficiency, especially on three-point shots, dipped quite a bit with LA. He's one of the five most talented free agents still on the board.
Kelly Oubre officially signs with the Pacers | Some contract details
The Pacers officially announced the signing of forward Kelly Oubre on Wednesday. He will wear jersey number 10 for the franchise, a new look for the 11-year veteran.
The NBA's transaction log lists the deal as being signed on July 7. Oubre, 30, joins the Pacers as a key bench piece on the wing, and his size will be a boon for the franchise. He averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Philadelphia 76ers last season.
Oubre's contract is now official, and there are more details on the signing. The original reporting listed his deal as a two-year, about $17 million pact. My own phrasing was "nearly" $17 million.
I'm told the now-signed deal is worth exactly $16.5 million over the two seasons. The first-year value of the contract is $8.05 million. The Pacers signed Oubre using the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, so they are hard capped at the first apron.
The Pacers are, as of this writing, about $1.88 below the first apron with 14 players under contract. They are about $6.2 million over the luxury tax line.
Thank you for reading. Another notebook to come soon, plus a dispatch from more summer league practices. Then, I'll be in Vegas for Pacers and Fever action. Sign up to have those stories sent straight to your email inbox.
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