The Indiana Pacers have signed 7-foot-2 big man Moses Brown to a free agent deal in the aftermath of injuries to all three of their centers, sources informed ESPN’s Shams Charania on Monday.
Indiana Pacers signed Moses Brown amid Myles Turner’s sore calf and James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson’s Achilles injuries
Pacers center Myles Turner sat out Monday’s 130-119 loss to the Toronto Raptors because of a calf injury, and Indiana lost James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson for the season to torn Achilles tendons.
Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Brown will earn $13,939 each day he’s on the roster with a non-guaranteed contract.
Brown, 25, went undrafted in 2019 out of UCLA and signed with the Portland Trail Blazers. He appeared in only nine games off the bench during his rookie season, averaging 1.2 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 3.7 minutes per contest.
The Brown contract is non-guaranteed.
He will earn $13,939 for every day he is on the roster.
Indiana was $2.52M below the luxury tax before the signing. https://t.co/DRmLFLDKrf
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) November 19, 2024
In addition to playing for Portland (2019-20 season, 2023-24 campaign), he also spent time with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2020-21 season), Dallas Mavericks (2021-22 campaign), Cleveland Cavaliers (2021-22 season), Los Angeles Clippers (2022-23 season), and Brooklyn Nets (2022-23 campaign).
Furthermore, in 43 games (32 starts) with the Thunder in 2020-21, he averaged career highs of 8.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 21.4 minutes while shooting 54.5% from the field and a career-best 61.9% at the foul line.
In his second consecutive start on March 16, 2021, against the Chicago Bulls, he had 20 points and 16 rebounds for his first career double-double, which he already posted by halftime with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
It was his fourth straight game setting a career high in points, which set a Thunder team record. He also became just the second player in franchise history to record at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks in a game.
Brown averaged 3.4 points, 3.9 rebounds in 22 games with Trail Blazers last season
Then in the season finale against the Los Angeles Clippers, he recorded career highs of 24 points and seven blocks. He finished 19th in offensive rebounds (154) that season.
Now the UCLA product enters his sixth NBA season after averaging 18.5 points and 13.5 rebounds with the Westchester Knicks, the New York Knicks’ G League affiliate.
Additionally, with the Trail Blazers last season, Brown averaged 3.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 9.1 minutes across 22 games (five starts). He logged a career-high assist percentage of 5.4% as well.
Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups praised Brown last season for exceeding expectations in the second unit.
In Portland’s 132-127 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 11, 2023, Brown played one of his best games as a Blazer, grabbing a team-high 12 rebounds in 16 minutes.
“I thought Moses Brown came in and gave us some incredible, incredible minutes,” coach Chauncey Billups said. “I thought we just needed some size at the time and some rebounds and somebody that can kind of defend the rim and he did that. He did it beautifully. … I thought his minutes were great.”
The Pacers visit the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
