NBA free agency: After signing Bruce Brown, what's next for Pacers?

The Pacers made a significant splash on the first evening of free agency, landing NBA Finals hero Bruce Brown with a two-year $45 million deal that includes a team option for the second year.

That's a massive raise for Brown, who made $6.5 million with the Nuggets last season. However, if he's making $22 million next season, that should still leave the Pacers with more than $12 million in cap room and more money beyond that before they have to worry about the first luxury tax apron. Also, the Pacers were reportedly nearing a trade that would send guard Chris Duarte to the Sacramento Kings for draft compensation, leaving another roster spot for the moment.

So that raises the obvious question. What's next?

The Pacers entered free agency with power forward being their most obvious need, and Brown doesn't exactly fill that void. He has played power forward at times, but it's not the natural position of the 6-4, 202-pound, 26-year-old. He was a point guard at Miami and has played point guard, shooting guard and small forward as a professional and taken on power forward duties in times of necessity. However, if the Pacers were hoping to land somebody who could help No. 8 overall pick Jarace Walker ease into the NBA without having to start right away, that would be the position they would still be looking to add.

However, many of the unrestricted free agents who appeared to the Pacers' primary power forward targets heading into free agency mostly found other homes Friday, with several deciding to re-sign with their current teams. Harrison Barnes re-signed with the Kings on Thursday. Jerami Grant re-signed with Portland and Kyle Kuzma with Washington within the first hour. Georges Niang seemed to be a possible backup plan, and he did leave the 76ers, but signed with Cleveland on a 3-year, $26 million deal. Also, Brooklyn re-signed restricted free agent Cameron Johnson to a four-year, $108 million deal rather than chance letting other teams send them an offer sheet, and the Lakers signed Rui Hachimura to a three-year, $51 million deal.

NBA free agency reaction: 'Pacers are paying Bruce Brown how much???'

There are still a few unrestricted free agent power forwards available, including Philadelphia's Jalen McDaniels, who could be had for a relatively low cost. The Pacers could try to make a bigger splash by pursuing a few restricted free agents, including Charlotte's P.J. Washington and Boston's Grant Williams. However, those teams would have until July 7 — 24 hours after the free agent moratorium — to match any offer sheet. The Pacers tried to acquire DeAndre Ayton that way last year and the Suns matched their offer sheet, which served as a complication when the Pacers re-negotiated Myles Turner's contract, but pursuing any free agents at power forward wouldn't create nearly the same kind of conflict trying to lure Ayton did.

The Pacers could also pursue forwards through trades and they have some cap room and assets to make that happen. They were reported this week to be again showing interest in a deal with Knicks forward Obi Toppin. The 6-9, 220-pound Toppin would seem to be a good fit with a powerful frame, freakish leaping ability and a better-than-adequate outside shot. The former consensus All-American at Dayton has been stuck behind Julius Randle with the Knicks and hasn't averaged more than 17.1 minutes per game in any of his three professional seasons, so the Pacers would give him an opportunity he wouldn't have in New York.

Indiana was also linked to several long-armed wings who could play small or power forward in the days leading up to the draft, including Toronto's OG Anunoby, Atlanta's DeAndre Hunter and Dallas' Dorian Finney-Smith, so they could obviously return to those pursuits.

The Pacers also have to make final decisions on two of their three free agents — guard George Hill and forward James Johnson Jr.. The 37-year-old Hill and 36-year-old Johnson both provide veteran leadership, and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle and the Pacers younger stars clearly enjoyed having both on the team. Their third free agent, Oshae Brissett, signed with the Celtics on Friday night. and Brissett had been a depth option at small and power forward after finding a spot through a series of 10-day contracts in April of 2021.

The Pacers also completed perhaps the least surprising and most important move, agreeing to a five-year deal worth up to $260 million with Tyrese Haliburton, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal will take effect beginning with the 2024-25 season. Haliburton's average annual salary of $52 million should put him at about 25% of the salary cap. The deal makes him the highest-paid player in Pacers history.

Haliburton will spend this season on the fourth year of his rookie scale contract and earn $5.81 million. The extension does not cut into the Pacers' $12 million in cap room.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Bruce Brown signs with Pacers, what trades, deals could be next?