INDIANAPOLIS -- More than halfway through his fourth professional season including nearly two full calendar years with the Pacers, guard Quenton Jackson will finally be on a standard contract.
League sources confirmed to the IndyStar on Friday that Jackson's two-way contract will be converted and that he has been signed to a three-year deal. He fills the 15th and final standard contract roster spot left open when center Tony Bradley's second 10-day contract expired. According to league sources, the deal is the for league minimum salary and is guaranteed for the rest of this season, partially guaranteed in 2026-27 and non-guaranteed in 2027-28. ESPN's Shams Charania reported the news first.
Jackson -- a Los Angeles native who spent a year in prep school, two years in junior college and three at Texas A&M before entering the NBA as an undrafted free agent -- has spent his entire professional career on G League deals, Exhibit 10 contracts and two-way contracts, which require players to play for both an NBA team and its G League affiliate with a limit of 50 NBA games in which they can be active. After spending time with the Wizards and Bulls, Jackson has been on a two-way contract with the Pacers since March 4, 2024. Injuries have forced the Pacers to use him in critical roles, including as a starter, both this season and last season.
In 2024-25, Jackson appeared in 28 games with the Pacers and started seven, averaging 5.8 points per game. This season, he's appeared 30 games this season, starting 10 and averaging 17.3 minutes per appearance. He's averaging 9.2 points per game on 48.9% shooting including 40.5% from 3-point range. He's also averaging 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He's scored in double figures in 11 of his 30 games this season including each of his last four games and six of his seven appearances this month. In February, he's averaging 16.0 points per game on 58.5% shooting including 48.1% from 3-point range to go with 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
Jackson has played in just two G League games for the Noblesville Boom this season, averaging 18.5 points per game in those contests. Last year, when they were still the Indiana Mad Ants, he averaged 22.5 points, 5.7 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game in 16 G League games. In 2023-24 he averaged 22.3 points in nine Mad Ants appearances.
Jackson was asked after Thursday's loss to the Hornets if he had thought about the possibility of having a standard contract.
"It's hard not to think about it," Jackson said. "But at the same time I wouldn't say I wrap my head around it too much. In this game it's best to think about the things you can control. I think all the things that go as far as two way and conversions and extension are things that are out of my control in a sense. I'm really just trying to focus on playing basketball, putting the best product of myself out there that I can for not just me but my team. By the grace of God, what's meant for me will be meant for me."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Quenton Jackson signs 3-year deal with Pacers; what we know