Indiana Pacers To Sign Center Tony Bradley To Rest-Of-Season Contract

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers plan to sign center Tony Bradley to a contract for the rest of the season. Bradley, 27, just wrapped up consecutive 10-day contracts with the blue and gold.

Indiana has prioritized the center position with their available roster spots for most of the ongoing campaign. After losing James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson to Achilles injuries early in the season, the Pacers have made moves to add Moses Brown, Thomas Bryant, and Jahlil Okafor before Bradley. They’ve needed center depth all year.

Bradley is the team’s latest choice for additional resources at the five spot, and he has been effective when given chances. The North Carolina product has averaged 3.0 points and 1.9 rebounds per game in seven appearances for the Pacers so far, and he’s knocked down 10 of his 12 shot attempts.

“He does the simple things very, very well. He knows where to be on the court. He plays to his strengths,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of Bradley. “And a great thing for us is he rebounds, his rebounding – he’s very productive.”

Bradley came to the Pacers after not playing in the NBA during the 2023-24 season. He had been in the G League and played for the College Park Skyhawks this year before Indiana came calling with an NBA offer. In the G League, Bradley was averaging 14 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

“Happy to be here. Enjoying the moment… staying ready,” Bradley said of joining the Pacers.

What Tony Bradley brings to the Indiana Pacers

Rebounding has long been Bradley’s best NBA skill. It was the first stat he logged for Indiana, too, when he pulled one in during a win over the Houston Rockets. His first points this season came six days later against the Chicago Bulls, his former team.

That night in Chicago, Bradley logged 7.5 minutes of action in a blowout. He made all three of his shot attempts on his way to a six-point, two-rebound, one-assist outing. It was his best game yet for the Pacers at the time, and it was a sign he could fit with the team.

Fit was a question for someone like Bradley, who isn’t thought of as an up-tempo player. The Pacers play fast – their pace is top-seven in the NBA. But the big man has executed that style well, both by moving the ball quickly when asked to and by running the floor after stops. He rarely looked overwhelmed, which can be challenging for newcomers in the Pacers system.

Bradley hit the ground running, literally. “I think Tony is a really good position guy,” Pacers starting center Myles Turner said. “He’s someone that’s going to do a lot of the little stuff right… someone who can come in here and help us.”

Bradley may have earned his latest contract with the Pacers early last week. His team was in Minnesota for a battle with the Timberwolves, and Turner was out. So was starting four man Pascal Siakam, meaning the Pacers were light in the frontcourt.

They needed Bradley for rotation minutes, and he was excellent. The Florida native had 12 points and nine rebounds in a win over the Wolves, one that represented a turnaround from the team’s second unit. Bradley was a big part of that. He made sound decisions against a zone defense, scooped up boards, and had a defensive impact in the win. Two days later, Bradley received rotation minutes once again during a victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

“He’s played very well and very solidly when he’s been in,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of the reserve center.

Now, after multiple strong appearances during which he proved to be a good fit, Bradley landed a deal for the rest of the season. He fills out the Pacers roster, which will now be full with 15 players and three two-way contract members. There is also a team option on Bradley’s new contract covering the 2025-26 season.

Indiana could have theoretically considered converting one of their two-way players to a standard deal or signing another center, but those moves would have had less utility than adding Bradley via a new agreement. The Pacers need center depth, particularly for the playoffs, and signing Bradley gives them that. The big man’s new contract will make him eligible to play in the postseason, which Indiana requires in case Turner or Bryant deal with foul trouble or get hurt.

The Pacers are about $2 million shy of the luxury tax line. A two-year, minimum salary deal for Bradley signed soon would be worth about $300k, so Indiana would be in the clear to keep the big man and avoid paying the tax. Being able to fill out their roster with little financial downside is important for the Pacers given their season-long dance with the tax threshold.

Bradley was a first-round draft pick in 2017. He has nine career playoff appearances and could earn more this season with the Pacers.