Jan 14, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Indiana Pacers forward James Johnson (16) reacts in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Indiana Pacers forward James Johnson (16) reacts in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
The Indiana Pacers announced a slew of training camp deals this Wednesday afternoon. While there are players who will likely not see any encore time in the NBA this season, Indiana still has their final roster spot open and is likely looking for someone to fill it.
While that addition may come later in the season – typically, teams will wait until after buyouts and save money by making the deal pro-rated by days left – it's still cool to see players come in with big, maybe unrealistic dreams of being a difference-maker at the league level.
However, one of those players to come in is Pacers mainstay James Johnson. Johnson has been a mentor to many of the Pacers' young players and is known to be one of the best veteran presences in the NBA.
He spent last year out of the league entirely, after stepping away from the game. That absence led to the Pacers prioritizing Larry Nance Jr. this offseason to take his role as an elder statesman in the locker room. However, with the return of Johnson, it seems like the Pacers still do not have enough veteran leadership by their own standards.
Johnson is no longer a playable option. He hasn't been for a great many years. However, what he doesn't bring on the court, he provides in spades off of it.
With how difficult this next season will be, and how much depends on the morale of players that Johnson has had a historical connection with, such as Tyrese Haliburton, this seems like a good move, even if it only lasts the duration of training camp.
Maybe Johnson will end up joining the coaching staff as well, just to stick around without costing the Pacers that important final roster spot.
From karate to coaching
Johnson has long since been a great candidate for an assistant coaching gig. While he likely doesn't have the offensive or defensive schemes to assist an organization, his personal connections and leadership qualities are more than enough to make him valuable enough to bring onto a staff.
In the past, there have been head coaches who have failed to connect with their players, and despite their organizational prowess, they have failed anyway.
Rick Carlisle can likely speak to this, considering that was a huge part of why he failed to succeed as Detroit Pistons head coach. As he rapidly learned when he was hired in Detroit after the retirement of Larry Bird as Pacers head coach, keeping a locker room happy is a massive role and a hard one to manage.
The Pistons would go on to win a title with the same core that Carlisle coached, largely because Larry Brown, Carlisle's replacement, was able to connect with the roster much better.
We hear the phrase "players' coach" often, but fail to consider what it might mean. Johnson would be the advocate to the coaches of the players, and of the coaches to the players.
For a season that depends on everyone hitting the ground running, both emotionally and physically, it's nice to have someone who takes the stakes out of everything entirely.
Johnson does that, and it's what makes his return so exciting.
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