For any Indiana Pacers fans who are hoping the team re-signs James Johnson, an exciting update has come out.
The Indiana Pacers still have one roster spot open as the 2026-27 NBA season continues to draw closer. While some believe that Kevin Pritchard and company could leave that spot open for future flexibility, others have been talking about which players the team could sign.
One name that has come up quite often is fan favorite veteran forward James Johnson.
Johnson did not play with the Pacers last season. However, he was a key part of the team's leadership group in the two previous seasons. He was well-loved by his teammates and the fans loved watching him play when he get time on the court as well.
For any fan still hoping to see Johnson brought back, an exciting new update has been revealed.
As the team gets together down in Nashville to build chemistry and play with each other, Johnson was present. That could signal a potential return to Indiana at some point in the near future.
Sports Illustrated's Alex Golden was the first to share the news of Johnson's presence.
During his time with the Pacers, Johnson was not an impact player on the floor. When called upon, he could still eat up some minutes. But, his role came off of the court.
Later on in his career, Johnson has become a mentor and a leader. He is also still one of the best "enforcers" in the NBA and is one of the players in the league that no one wants to fight with.
Throughout his long NBA career, the 39-year-old veteran has played in 786 total games and made 243 starts. He holds career averages of 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and two assists per game, while shooting 47.3 percent from the floor.
Heading into the 2026-27 season, Indiana has just one goal. It wants to win the franchises first ever NBA championship. Johnson's leadership and locker room presence could help towards that goal this season just like it did during his previous stint with the Pacers.
Only time will tell whether or not Indiana chooses to re-sign Johnson for the upcoming season. The players would love to see it and the fans would as well.
At the very least, the sighting of Johnson during the team's players-only mini camp suggests that he's still sticking around with the Pacers' players. It will be interesting to see if anything comes from this situation.
