After one season with the Indiana Pacers, the No. 54 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is being waived, according to insider Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. Tae
Feb 19, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Taelon Peter dribbles as Washington Wizards guard Sharife Cooper defends during the second half at Capital One Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect After one season with the Indiana Pacers, the No. 54 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is being waived, according to insiderTaelon Peter played 38 games for the Pacers last season, and spent two Summer League stints with the organization before this decision was made. During his rookie season, Peter averaged 4.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.7 turnovers per game..
Peter averaged 4.5 points in 38 games played for Indiana last season after being the 54th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. , he was a starter in all five games and played in the shooting guard and small forward positions. His overall play in Summer League was okay, but for already having one year of experience the hope was that he would showcase more.
This was an unique roster that was extremely small and didn't have a natural rim protector in the starting lineup next to him. Peter struggled to stand out, as he was used mostly as the 3rd or 4th option on the floor. Sep 29, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Taelon Peter poses for a photo during media day.
Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect-18-36 shooting -11 turnovers Mar 15, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo takes a shot against Indiana Pacers center Jay Huff , forward Kobe Brown and forward Jalen Slawson in the second quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Peter was signed to one of Indiana's three two-way contracts with Ethan Thompson -- and in a surprising offseason move, Kobe Brown -- who was brought back after becoming an unrestricted free agent.
Dustin Dopirak, of the Indy Star, reported after the NBA Draft that theIn order for the Pacers to add Smith to a two-way contract, someone had to be waived. This makes sense on why Indiana moved on from Peter, but there are still questions to be answered. The Pacers also extended a two-way qualifying offer to Jalen Slawson in late June, making him a restricted free agent.
He was the most impressive player on the Pacers' Summer League squad, making his case stronger to be retained by the team on one of the three two-way contracts. Apr 5, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Jalen Slawson dunks during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Speculation has been that the Pacers would keep Slawson on a two-way deal with Brown and Smith, meaning the team would have to move on from Thompson who did not play with the Summer League Pacers' squad because he was playing for the Puerto Rican national team. However, Thompson was one of the best players for Puerto Rico and is a talented guard-forward.
If the Pacers wanted to make this decision easier, they could use their open roster spot and sign Smith to a veteran's minimum contract for a player with zero years of experience for $1.35 million -- instead of a two-way deal. This would allow them to keep all four players on the roster, and Smith is the only one of the four that the team could sign to a standard contract and be under the first apron threshold.
There are still more questions to be answered with how the Pacers navigate these tough decisions, and unfortunately Peter did not do enough to stick with the organiziation for more than one season.and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts. Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendationsI was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and I am the host and creator of Setting The Pace: A Pacers Podcast.
I have been covering the team since 2015, and talking about them on the podcast since 2018. I have been a credentialed media member since 2023.
Please follow us on Google to support usUnited States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Shredded Lettuce Linked to Cyclospora Outbreak in IndianaThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that shredded lettuce, not part of a recall, has tested positive for Cyclospora, a parasitic illness causing severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Indiana is among five states affected in an outbreak tied to shredded iceberg lettuce. Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily recalled iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on July 17. The FDA later confirmed that a sample of lettuce outside the recall also tested positive. Health officials urge consumers to discard or return recalled lettuce, sanitize surfaces that contacted it, and avoid consumption. Symptoms include diarrhea, stomach pain, bloating, nausea, and fatigue, typically appearing one week post infection. Indiana has recorded at least 366 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis. Additional updates are expected from federal authorities.
Read more »
Pacers defeat Pelicans in summer league finaleThe Indiana Pacers wrapped up their summer league schedule on Saturday night, squaring off against the New Orleans Pelicans in Las Vegas. They put together a s
Read more »
Pacers Summer League Wrap Up: Evaluating Every Player on Indiana's Summer RosterThe Indiana Pacers finished NBA Summer League with a 2-3 record, but the standings were never the point. Summer League is about evaluating prospects, identifyi
Read more »
Pacers Get Respect from Analyst, Ranked Fourth OverallThe Indiana Pacers have been overlooked by the national conversation for years, but one analyst is giving them the respect they deserve. CBS Sports' Brad Botkin ranked the Pacers fourth overall and second in the Eastern Conference in his preseason rankings.
Read more »