Former KU forward Kelly Oubre Jr. of 76ers agrees to deal with Indiana Pacers
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kelly Oubre Jr. agreed to a two-year contract with the Pacers worth about $17 million.
- The two-year deal is fully guaranteed with no player or team option in year two.
- Oubre averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the 2025–26 Sixers.
Former Kansas basketball small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. has agreed to a two-year contract with the Indiana Pacers worth approximately $17 million, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday.
Oubre, a 6-foot-8, 30-year-old New Orleans native was an unrestricted free agent after playing the past three seasons of an 11-year career with Philadelphia. He’s also played for Washington, Phoenix, Golden State and Charlotte.
His new two-year deal is fully guaranteed with no player or team option in year two.
Oubre averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in 2025-26 with the Sixers. He hit a career-high 36% of his 3s. In 2024, Oubre signed a two year, $16,365,150 contract with Philly. All of it was guaranteed with an average annual salary of $8,182,575 per season.
Several teams expressed interest in Oubre, including Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis, Milwaukee and Utah.
“Oubre isn’t a star, but he continues to prove he’s a useful player, particularly at the offensive end of the floor,” wrote Bobby Marks of ESPN.
“Oubre signed a one-year, $2.9 million contract with Philadelphia in 2023 and then a two-year, $16 million deal the following year,” Marks wrote. “In those three seasons, Oubre started 80% of the games he played, averaging at least 14 points in each season. After shooting 29.3% on 3-pointers in 2024-25, Oubre shot 36% from deep this season.”
The Pacers went 19-63 a year ago, playing without Tyrese Haliburton, who tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. He is expected to be back this season.
Alex Golden of SI.com wrote: “Indiana will bring Oubre Jr. off the bench and he will essentially replace the role of Bennedict Mathurin last season. They are totally different players, but it was a much-needed addition that gives the Pacers depth. While this move is not a blockbuster deal, it is a significant depth piece addition and someone who has a ton of experience. Oubre has played in 35 playoff games averaging 9.5 points per game, and is a capable starter that can fill in if Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard or Aaron Nesmith are to miss any time with an injury.”
Oubre was selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft after averaging 9.3 points and 5.0 rebounds in 2014-15, his senior year at Kansas.
