The Pacers have been granted a disabled player exception worth $14,104,000, general manager Chad Buchanan stated during an appearance on the Setting The Pace podcast (YouTube link).
Indiana was eligible for that exception as a result of Tyrese Haliburton‘s Achilles tear, which will sideline him for the entire 2025/26 season.
“We’ve applied for that and been granted that exception, so I don’t know if I’m breaking news there for you guys,” Buchanan said when asked by co-host Alex Golden about the possibility of the team applying for a DPE. “Whether we use it or not depends. Using the full exception would put us into the luxury tax, which we’re not opposed to if it’s the right player.”
A disabled player exception gives an over-the-cap team some extra spending power – but not an additional 15-man roster spot – when it loses a player to an injury deemed likely to sideline him through at least June 15. As we explain in our glossary entry, the exception can be used to sign a free agent, to claim a player off waivers, or to acquire a player in a trade.
The disabled player exception can only be used on a single player and can only accommodate a player on a one-year deal. A free agent signee can’t get a multiyear contract, and any trade or waiver target must be in the final year of his contract.
The exception is worth either half the injured player’s salary or the value of the mid-level exception, whichever is lesser. Since Haliburton is earning over $45MM this season, the Pacers’ DPE is worth the amount of the non-taxpayer MLE.
Buchanan, who was asked about the possibility of adding more backcourt depth with Haliburton out for the year, acknowledged that if the front office were to target a specific position, it would likely be a point guard. However, he added that the Pacers haven’t pursued that possibility “super hard” and mentioned RayJ Dennis, Kam Jones, and Quenton Jackson as young guards the team likes and will continue to develop behind Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell.
Indiana is currently operating about $6MM below the luxury tax line. If the club doesn’t use its disabled player exception on a free agent before or during the season, it also could come in handy at the trade deadline. For example, if the Pacers were to trade Obi Toppin and his $14MM salary for a player on an expiring $14MM contract, they could use the DPE to take on that player, creating a new trade exception worth Toppin’s outgoing salary.
It’s worth noting that the Pacers also still have their full $14.1MM mid-level exception available — it can be used to sign free agents and/or acquire players via trade too, and it can be split among multiple players, unlike the DPE.
The deadline to use a disabled player exception is March 10. The mid-level exception can be used until the final day of the regular season.
Brogdon would not require the full mid-level and could provide some competent bench minutes at PG and is strong enough to defend multiple positions. If I were the Pacers, I’d start kicking the tires there.
They could give them a $100m exception they won’t use it. Ownership there never wants to go into the tax.
Agreed but I think they will use this at the trade deadline when they can still be below the tax and can better assess if adding a guy this season is even worth it.
Oh hali
Why man
Why’d this happen
40mins away from the title
Now they have money to spend. Could they have waited to bring back Turner, or was he determined to leave Indiana??
Whats the point of bringing back myles when hali is out likely til late 2026-early 2027? Myles saw a chance for more $ and better chance at competing next couple of yrs. Gonna miss him.
He was also likely sick of the way the Pacers handled his tenure there. Constantly on the trade block and then they were penny pinching during negotiations. No wonder he signed with the Bucks and the Pacers found out about it the same way we all did.
@yo
In indy’s defense, turner was always good but never managed to reach an elite level. He spent 10 seasons with pacers, they stayed committed to him for a long time & would have signed him to a 4 yr deal to preserve the core. Once hali went down, everything changed. Both sides did what was best for them
Why the Celtics have not taken this route already is beyond me.
What’s the rush or the point? They’re going to suck and clearly don’t want to have the tax/apron implications of signing a player who isn’t going to make a difference.
I know he signed a while ago. Haliburton is not worth 45 mill. I get most players are getting paid on potential today. And it starts with paying 18-19 yr olds #1 picks. Then having to pay them again at 22 on potential again. Haliburton is a top PG. To me he hasn’t done enough to earn that money. NBA money lols …..
Pacers have to sign Brogdon. It’s the only move for them. Show that you still want to compete next year. Has to be ..