Are the Indiana Pacers preparing for a street fight with the Milwaukee Bucks? After what occurred during and after Wednesday night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that the Pacers have re-signed James Johnson. On Thursday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report that the Pacers have come to terms on a one-year deal with Johnson, an experienced big man who has always been known for his toughness and grit.
Johnson played in 18 games a season ago with the Pacers, instantly becoming a leading voice in their locker room. Indiana has a roster led by a handful of youthful players, one of the reasons why bringing back the 36-year-old makes sense from a mentoring standpoint. On the flip side of things, the Pacers need some muscles and extra security for Tyrese Haliburton after their run-in with the Bucks.
It can't be a coincidence that the Pacers are bringing Johnson back the day after their 14-point loss on the road to the Bucks. On a night where Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a career-high and franchise-record 64 points, the headlines and story surrounded Bucks players charging down the tunnel towards the Pacers' locker room in order to attempt to retrieve the game ball.
What happened between the Pacers and Bucks?
Indiana had allegedly taken the game ball from Wednesday night's loss in order to give it to rookie Oscar Tshiebwe, a custom the Pacers have done for their rookies through the years. When Giannis and the Bucks found out about the Pacers taking the game ball, that's when things got out of hand. Antetokounmpo went sprinting past security and Milwaukee personnel down the Pacers' tunnel in order to try and retrieve the ball, leading to a scuffle near the visiting team's locker room.
Further video and audio of the situation revealed that several Pacers players were unwilling to give up the game ball, yelling “keep the ball” and “don't give him the ball.” Antetokounmpo was seen on the court, viciously telling Haliburton to “go get the f*****g ball.”
If James Johnson was present, there is no chance that any Bucks player would have gone into the Pacers' tunnel. Everyone knows about Johnson and his strength, which is why he would have been the ultimate security guard in this situation. Aside from his leadership, perhaps the reason the Pacers re-signed Johnson was to add him to Haliburton's security detail!
In 765 career games with 10 different franchises, Johnson has averaged 7.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game for his 14-year NBA career. Similar to how Udonis Haslem was a veteran voice at the end of the bench for the Miami Heat through the years, Johnson will hold a similar role for the Pacers the remainder of the 2023-24 season.
Hey, sometimes you need a little bit more muscle in a fight. The Pacers certainly have this with Johnson back on their roster.
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