Pacers add Kam Jones, Taelon Peter in second round of 2025 NBA Draft
After trading out of the first round, Indiana lands two high-efficiency guards — including a late-round sleeper — to bolster its backcourt depth.
The Indiana Pacers used their second-round selections on Day 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft to add two scoring guards to the mix.
First, they selected versatile combo guard Kam Jones out of Marquette University at No. 38 — a pick acquired Wednesday from the Spurs. That move came one week after they traded out of pick No. 23 in order to re-acquire their own 2026 first-rounder.
By selecting a player 15 spots later — near the top of the second round — the Pacers still landed a potential backcourt contributor in Jones, especially with Tyrese Haliburton likely to miss all of next season after tearing his Achilles tendon.
And Jones will be significantly more cost-effective than a first-rounder. The 38th pick’s contract comes in at about one-third the cost of pick No. 23, which is slotted to earn $3.2 million in 2025-26. With the Pacers projected to be a tax team for the first time in 20 years, financial flexibility matters. Still, they have until June 30, 2026 to potentially reduce their payroll to avoid the luxury tax.
Later in the night, the Pacers used their own second-round pick — No. 54 — to select Taelon Peter, a 6-foot-4 guard from Liberty University. He finished his career there after transferring from Division II Arkansas Tech.