Sources: Pacers waive two-way guard Tristen Newton, replace him quickly with RayJ Dennis
23-year-old guard Tristen Newton was the 49th pick in the 2024 draft. He's spent most of the season with the Indiana Mad Ants. The Pacers have an open two-way slot after this transaction.
The Indiana Pacers have waived two-way guard Tristen Newton, a league source told Fieldhouse Files. Tony East was first with the news, and the team has now made it official.
Newton was drafted by the Pacers at No. 49 in June and the 23-year-old guard has spent most of the season in the G League with the Mad Ants — averaging 15.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game.
The timing is interesting because the Mad Ants are in the middle of a three-game road trip. The transaction happened just over an hour after the team suffered an overtime loss to the Westchester Knicks, which snapped a six-game win streak.
Newton had two very different games against the Knicks over the last three days.
On Monday, he was 0 for 7 and finished without a point in a 127-124 Mad Ants win. Three of his teammates scored 21 points or more. Then on New Year's Day, he finished with 22 points, four rebounds and a team-high eight assists in a 117-114 OT loss.
My understanding is that this transaction was the preference of Newton.
It now opens up one of the Pacers’ three two-way roster spots and they’re expected to move quickly to fill the hole.
The Pacers intend to sign rookie guard RayJ Dennis, per league sources. He was brought in for the Pacers’ sixth official pre-draft workout, back on June 20.
The move brings Dennis, an Illinois native, back to the midwest. He’s a player who is impactful in running the show as a point guard.
“Great kid, great teammate, super hard worker, smart,” said a league source who’s watched him closely. “The playing fast, advancing the ball and pass happy kind, similar to Ty (Haliburton).”
Dennis has played 18 games for the San Diego Clippers and averaged 16.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. The Clippers are 12-6 this season, arguably the best team in the west. He has not yet appeared in an NBA game.
Dennis did travel with the Clippers to Portland for tonight’s game against the Rip City Remix but will not play, per league source.
He’s a hard-playing guard, a trait every team values. Dennis should thrive playing with pace and in the pick-and-roll. He’s a good passer, has a reliable floater and instincts, and he’s shooting 46.6% from the floor this season, including 34% from deep.
Meanwhile, the Pacers (16-18) landed in Miami on Wednesday to begin 2025 on the road against the Heat (16-14). Aaron Nesmith remains out, but neither Andrew Nembhard nor Obi Toppin are on the injury report.
The Heat — who are one spot ahead of them in the standings, in seventh — will be on the second night of a back-to-back because they host the New Orleans Pelicans tonight (7:30 p.m. ET).
In Case You Missed It — notebook on the Pacers, including an injury update on Nesmith.
Newton did not impress me in the summer league! is Dennis going to be the new 2 way?