Indiana

Kendall Brown leaves questions to be answered about Indiana Pacers roster after summer league

Published

2 years ago

July 25, 2024

Kendall Brown leaves questions to be answered about Indiana Pacers roster after summer league

LAS VEGAS — Kendall Brown was one of the more important players for the Indiana Pacers to monitor during summer league play, but his performances left more questions than answers.

The 21-year old wing is entering his third NBA season after being drafted by the Pacers in 2022. Back in March, he signed a new three-year contract with the blue and gold, though it is non-guaranteed for the upcoming season (many of the details were reported here in Pacers On SI). If Brown is still on the roster come opening night, $250k of his agreement becomes guaranteed.

That’s why summer league was important for Brown — he had a chance to prove that he should stick with Indiana into the regular season. Given the team’s proximity to the luxury tax for the 2024-25 league year, any wasted roster space or contracts are a hindrance. The front office needs to be certain in their moves.

“Just that I can do everything. Just my ability to pass, score, play defense,” Brown said when discussing what he hoped to show during summer league play. “Just run. My athleticism.”

Brown’s play in summer sessions did little to provide clarity about his future. The Baylor product averaged 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while making 41.5% of his shots. At his best, he showed growth with his slashing ability. During his first summer league outing, he lived at the foul line and was efficient.

But when there were multiple bodies in the lane or there was less space to operate, Brown struggled. He coughed up more turnovers than he had assists, a disappointing outcome for a player who hoped to show passing improvement. He didn’t finish plays well despite being able to jump out of the gym. After his first outing, things were rough.

Across his last four performances, Brown averaged 7.3 points per game and knocked down just 36.7% of his shot attempts. He made one three in total during that stretch. His first outing can’t be overlooked — it was impressive and contained vital skills. But the young wing needed to be better and more consistent throughout summer league than he actually was.

“Just being able to attack, and then them cutting me off, and me being able to change direction and spin or get down hill. Just being able to finish,” Brown said after that first game of how he was hoping to combine his athleticism with ball skills. “I feel like that’s what I’m really good at. I can finish a lot of different ways.”

That never all clicked. The Minnesota native was solid in the second half of a win over the Phoenix Suns, but he didn’t put together another complete performance. Despite having unbelievable athletic tools, Brown didn’t stand out as much as other third-year players.

“Just still showing my athleticism, my ability to pass, make my teammates better,” Brown said of his summer league hopes. He wanted to show that he’s still getting better.

Brown wasn’t appreciably better than he was in summer league back in 2023, where he scored slightly less but was far more efficient and pulled in more rebounds. He was coming off of any injury last year, though, so he was asked to do less. His assists numbers and free throw rate did climb significantly from year to year.

All together, Brown’s play during the five games in Las Vegas leaves questions about his contract status heading into training camp. He isn’t owed any money until opening night, so there is little reason for the Pacers to rush into any decision. But a strong summer league could have given Indiana proof that the young wing was still ascending heading into 2024-25.

Instead, the front office now has to decide if it is worth using a roster spot, and financial resources, on a forward with athleticism that may not be ready to contribute for another year. Brown would be behind Jarace Walker and Johnny Furphy in any hypothetical rotation, so minutes could be hard to come by anyway.

The Pacers don’t have to decide on Brown’s future right now. Waiving him today would be an early choice. Instead, they get to training camp and see how Brown looks before the season begins. In that setting, he will be playing in his role instead of a more challenging one on a summer squad with limited shot creation.

Preseason games could matter, too, and Brown will have to produce. He may have had some wiggle room to struggle or look stagnant in those outings if he had a dominant summer league. But instead, the young forward came up short and still needs to show he has added skill.

Indiana could opt to move Brown’s contract guarantee date and pay him on a prorated basis when the season starts, but his guaranteed money number is so low that such a move has little benefit. There is no advantage to moving on from the young forward now, either, so Brown’s unimpressive summer league has left the blue and gold in their current reality where the best option is to wait.

Financial flexibility could matter for Indiana this season. Brown has to prove he is more valuable than that, and after a down summer league, he is running out of time to do it.

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Indiana

Is ‘The Bachelorette’ happening? This Carmel contestant weighs in

Published

2 hours ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

Is ‘The Bachelorette’ happening? This Carmel contestant weighs in

Should ABC air the canceled-for-now season of “The Bachelorette”? A Carmel man who was set to compete on it seems to think so.

Matt Carroll, a 43-year-old Purdue basketball alum and Carmel resident, took to social media over the weekend to address the cancelation of season 22 of “The Bachelorette,” on which he appeared. Public opinion on whether the show should see the light of day is split, but the former Boilermaker forward and industrial real estate broker hopes the footage makes it to air.

Disney and ABC pulled season 22 of “The Bachelorette” because its lead, “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Taylor Frankie Paul, faces an ongoing domestic violence investigations. The network announced the decision March 19 after TMZ leaked a video from a 2023 domestic violence incident involving Paul and her ex Dakota Mortensen.

Neither Carroll nor the show have officially commented on the cancelation, but that doesn’t mean he and other contestants haven’t hinted at their feelings on social media.

Carroll’s Instagram reel — in which he struts through the streets of Carmel, rose in hand, RAYE’s “Where the Hell is My Husband” soundtracking it all — breaks the ice. “So…about that,” he joked, tagging both “The Bachelorette” and Bachelor Nation, the franchise’s official hub for news and content.

The reel has garnered comments from fellow Carmel residents wishing Carroll well, even offering to set him up with local singles. Notably, though, some of Carroll’s followers have called for the season to air — and he agrees.

“Trying to manifest that they still air this,” one comment from model Brittany Mason reads. “America wants it the world wants it!”

“From your lips to God’s ears,” Carroll replied.

Another response from him put it more plainly:

“I’m still hoping they decide to air it.”

Whether “The Bachelorette” will air is unclear. Disney Entertainment Television’s official statement only indicated that it was halting the season “for now,” so it’s possible the network could dust off the footage and air it after all.

Contact IndyStar Pop Culture Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@indystar.com. Follow her on X @hmb_1013.

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Indiana

Game times announced for Saturday’s Final Four in Indianapolis

Published

14 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Game times announced for Saturday’s Final Four in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament’s Final Four is set.

Four teams have advanced to the Final Four and will compete for the national championship this upcoming weekend in Indianapolis.

The two national semifinal matchups will take place on Saturday. Tip times for the two games have been announced:

6:09 p.m. EDT – No. 3 seed Illinois vs. No. 2 seed UConn
8:49 p.m. EDT – No. 1 seed Michigan vs. No. 1 seed Arizona

The winners of Saturday’s games will then play in the National Championship Game on Monday, April 6.

Each game will take place inside Lucas Oil Stadium.

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Hundreds gather at Indiana State Capitol for ‘No Kings’ protest

Published

1 day ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Hundreds gather at Indiana State Capitol for ‘No Kings’ protest

INDIANAPOLIS — Hundreds of Hoosiers gathered at the Indiana Statehouse Saturday morning as part of nationwide ‘No Kings’ events to voice their concerns about the current administration.

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Hundreds gather at Indiana State Capitol for ‘No Kings’ protest

“I’m out here today because what’s happening in our government is completely trash,” Donna Sipes told WRTV. “It’s wrong. We need to do something about it.”

“I’m tired of every single day when the TV comes on to see what stupid thing he’s done next,” Lindi Marti said.

WRTV

Attendees noted the growing popularity of the demonstrations.

“This is my fourth one to come to. I didn’t come to all of them when it was really cold, but I’m glad to see that they are getting a lot more people out here every time,” Marti added. “It seems like there’s more and more coming.”

Demonstrators highlighted specific foreign policy concerns, including the administration’s handling of the war in Iran.

“We’re bombing the heck out of them. We’re killing civilians,” Marti’s husband said. “We’re getting ready to send our Marines.”

Others focused on the administration’s handling of immigration.

“That’s what I’m concerned about,” Reverend Kenny Little told WRTV. “Little kids, they’re taking them away from their family. And I’m just one of those people, I think everyone got rights.”

Indiana medical students also attended the rally to speak out against changes to the healthcare system.

“We’re really worried about the attacks on the health care system in general, but with Medicaid… current estimates range from anywhere from 325,000 to 450,000 Hoosiers will lose coverage by 2032,” Wade Catt said with concern.

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With midterm elections approaching later this year, attendees emphasized the importance of now taking action at the ballot box.

“If we don’t vote, then things are gonna not, they’re gonna stay the same,” a protester said.

Meanwhile, Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith says he’s happy to see Hoosiers exercise their First Amendment right to protest.

However, he takes issue with the idea that President Trump is acting like a king. Beckwith says the fact that people have the freedom to protest is proof that the president is not acting like a tyrant.

He acknowledges that bridging the gap between the sides is probably an uphill battle, but believes communication is key.

“I think when you sit down with people face to face, you’re confronted with humanity. There’s another human sitting across that table from you and talking to you. And so, all I have to say, I think that’s probably the thing I would encourage all Hoosiers to do is say, ‘Hey, if you don’t agree with somebody or if you don’t like somebody, why don’t you try grabbing coffee with them? And give it 30 minutes, and just see what happens.’ I bet most of the time people will walk away with a much softer heart and spirit towards that person before they came in,” Beckwith said.

Beckwith is currently on a 92-county tour of the state. He says all sides are welcome to attend his events.

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