Indiana Pacers Plan To Sign RayJ Dennis To Two-Way Contract
The Indiana Pacers plan to sign guard RayJ Dennis to a two-way contract, per multiple reports. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first noted the upcoming transaction.
Dennis, 23, has been with the Los Angeles Clippers G League affiliate team, the San Diego Clippers, during the ongoing season. He’s played in 18 games for San Diego and has averaged 16.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. So far, he’s started every game and has been an effective floor general for a good G League group.
His only NBA experience came during the preseason with Los Angeles. He had two assists and three rebounds against the Golden State Warriors in his only appearance for the pro Clippers, and he was waived prior to the regular season. The Washington Wizards then signed Dennis to a two-way deal, but he was waived a few days later.
That’s a winding journey, but it led to no team having Dennis’ NBA rights over two months into the 2024-25 league year. That is no longer the case as the Pacers will sign the rookie guard, who was not selected during the 2024 NBA Draft.
Dennis was born in Illinois and played his high school basketball there before a five-year college career that took place at Boise State, Toledo, and Baylor. With the Bears in his final college season, Dennis averaged 13.6 points and 6.7 assists per game — the latter number ranking ninth in the country. That passing ability has been evident in the G League so far.
Indiana had an open two-way contract slot after moving on from guard Tristen Newton on Wednesday. He occupied one of the Pacers three two-way deals, with the others going to Enrique Freeman and Quenton Jackson. Jackson and Freeman have been needed in the NBA this year thanks to many Pacers injuries, but Newton spent almost his entire season in the G League with the Indiana Mad Ants.
What can RayJ Dennis bring to the Pacers?
With Newton gone, the Pacers/Mad Ants needed another guard. Dennis fills that void. He is more of a setup man than a scorer, which is valuable on G League rosters that often have players with mismatched goals.
