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Despite coming off one of their best seasons in franchise history, the Indiana Pacers had a lot to evaluate at the 2025 NBA Draft. While dealing with the unfortunate injury to star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers ended up leaving the draft with a pair of second-round picks: Kam Jones and Taelon Peter.
Indiana entered the process with just one second-round pick, but acquired another through a trade with the San Antonio Spurs. The pick turned out to be Jones, whom Pacers fans are already high on. The move did not send shockwaves through the league, but it was a savvy deal for a team currently in a state of limbo. General manager Chad Buchananan then used his original second-rounder on Peter at No. 54.
The Pacers' magical 2024-2025 season just ended on Sunday, giving them only three days to turn around and prepare for the NBA Draft. They originally held the No. 23 pick, but traded it to the New Orleans Pelicans during their 2025 NBA Finals run to recover their 2026 first-rounder, which they used in the 2023 Pascal Siakam deal. With Haliburton likely out for the entire 2025-2026 season, their first-round selection next summer will almost certainly be more valuable than the No. 23 pick was.
After a chaotic week, the Pacers now have less than a month before they get an initial look at Jones and Peter at the 2025 NBA Summer League showcase. Despite going without a first-round pick, Indiana already has reasonably high expectations for its two rookies.
Round 2, Pick 38: PG Kam Jones (Marquette)
At 23, Kam Jones was one of the older prospects of the class, causing him to fall into the second round. However, aside from many doubting his shooting — he hit just 31.1 percent of his threes as a senior — there is not much to dislike about his game. Jones is a proven floor general with good size for a guard whose scoring increased each year at Marquette.
As a natural-born leader, Jones' age might actually work to his benefit as he transitions to the NBA. Similar players might not rank highly on pre-draft boards, but tend to settle into the next level quicker than their younger counterparts.
Jones, a do-it-all point guard, has a style much like a bigger, more athletic version of 2025 playoff hero T.J. McConnell. After what the scrappy veteran did for the team once Haliburton was compromised in the Finals, it would be an arduous mission to find a Pacers fan who would not want more of McConnell on their team. The comparison is not perfect, but Jones, who has been Marquette's engine for the past three years, brings the same nightly intensity.
With Haliburton going down, the Pacers need the rest of their guards to step up in 2025-2026. Andrew Nembhard will get the first look, with Indiana also asking for more out of McConnell, Bennedict Mathurin and Aaron Nesmith. Unlike 2024 second-round pick Johnny Furphy, Jones will likely be looked at for immediate contribution off the bench.
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Given their undesirable situation, trading up to add an experienced point guard like Jones early in the second round was a brilliant move. In the best-case scenario, Indiana has a Jalen Brunson-like gem or an early-career Ben Simmons on their hands. Worst-case scenario, the pick flops, and the Pacers get another chance to find their next star in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Grade: A
Round 2, Pick 54: SG/SF Taelon Peter (Liberty)
There are not many players who generate buzz within the final 10 picks of the draft, but the Pacers selecting Taelon Peter certainly did so. After a breakout season with Liberty in 2024-2025, Peter became one of the biggest surprises of the draft when his name was called late.
Fans who watched Peter play at Liberty were likely impressed by what they saw from him as a senior. They just likely did not expect him to become a future draft pick. Peter, who spent most of his career with Arkansas Tech in Division II, only played two years at the Division I level. That includes a pedestrian six-game freshman year at Tennessee Tech. Like Jones, the 23-year-old Peter is also one of the oldest prospects of the class.
Yet, despite the obvious questions, Peter is a worthy investment at No. 54. While fairly undersized, the 6-foot-4 guard was one of the best shooters in Division I in 2024-2025, nailing 45.3 percent of his three-point attempts. Peter started just two games but averaged 13.7 points in just 22.7 minutes per game to run away with the 2025 Conference USA Sixth Man of the Year award. Peter was also the nation's leading guard with a true shooting percentage of 73.1 percent.
Scouts also criticized Peter's paltry assist numbers, but that was not his role at Liberty, nor will it ever be in the NBA. Peter's game is limited, but he has obvious Duncan Robinson-like potential on a team that lacked a true sharpshooting threat in 2024-2025.
Late second-round picks tend to begin their careers in the G-League, which is where Peter will likely get his start. He could potentially net a two-way deal with an impressive outing at the 2025 NBA Summer League. Either way, Peter is a low-risk, high-reward prospect, which is exactly what teams want in the final few picks of the NBA Draft.
Grade: B-
