Quenton Jackson Inks Two-Way Deal With Pacers, Immediately Shows Value

LAS VEGAS – Indiana Pacers guard Quenton Jackson is fast with the ball, crafty around the rim, and passionate on every play. It’s a fun style, and Jackson has refined it in each of his three seasons in the NBA.

It originally landed him a two-way contract with the Washington Wizards in 2022-23. Now, with the 2025-26 offseason underway, Jackson has signed his fourth two-way deal. This time, it’s with the Pacers – he will return to the blue and gold for the third-straight season. The Pacers announced the signing earlier this week.

Jackson received a qualifying offer and was a restricted free agent. He spent the entirety of last season on a two-way agreement as well, but he did more than the typical player signed to one of those deals. With Indiana banged up early in the campaign, Jackson became a needed rotation player on several occasions, appearing in 28 games in 2024-25. He started seven times.

The California native averaged 5.8 points and 1.9 assists per game and scored in double figures six times. “I rock with his passion and his energy, man. I think he does things the right way,” former Pacers center Myles Turner said of Jackson. “He was able to come to this league and really make a difference. He worked his way up.”

Indiana went 3-4 with Jackson as a starter last season, and he often took on challenging defensive assignments. His foot speed and fiery nature allowed him to hold up well in those matchups.

“What we’ve asked him to do is to play his game within our system. And the first thing you notice about him is just how hard he goes,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of Jackson. “He’s a combative defender. He’s a rim attacker. He’s going to bring intensity and competitiveness to the game.”

Why did the Pacers want to keep Quenton Jackson?

Based on his play last season, it’s not hard to figure out why the Pacers wanted to keep Jackson. It’s his last season of two-way eligibility, so it’s a one-year contract. And just two days after putting pen to paper, Jackson got to hit the floor for summer league play. He proved why Indiana was right to re-sign him while showing more about what makes him valuable to the team.

The blue and gold were taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers to open summer league play, and they were down big in the first half. With 7:30 to go in the second quarter, Cleveland’s lead was 16. Indiana needed Jackson, their most experienced player, to get them back into the game.

Despite trailing by 13 at halftime, the two-way signee did exactly that. He had eight points with five minutes on the clock in the third quarter before driving for a dunk, hitting a free throw, and canning a three all within about 100 seconds. He finished two more times at the cup and pulled in a steal before the period ended.

Indiana trimmed their deficit to two. In just 5:26 of third-quarter play, Jackson had 12 points, an assist, and that steal. The Pacers won those minutes by nine and were right back in the game.

“I think we just turned up the intensity,” Jackson said. “Coming out of halftime, the message was [to] match their energy. Play with that attitude we know we have.”

Jackson and the Pacers kept pushing in the fourth quarter, taking the lead for the first time since the opening frame with 5:48 to go. Cleveland responded with 11 unanswered points, but that was nothing for Jackson and company. The final 3:35 of play favored the Pacers 17-6 as they held on for a 116-115 win, and Jackson had a crucial assist and steal during that final push.

The three-year pro finished the win with 24 points on 8/10 shooting. He lived at the foul line (7/7) while adding three assists and two steals. Jackson was excellent and proved why he deserved a contract with his play.

“One thing I always talk about is [Jackson’s] going to play hard. He’s going to put in the effort, and that’s a skill nowadays. That got him onto the court with the NBA team,” Pacers summer league head coach Isaac Yacob said after the win. “I never can doubt his heart. He’s always going to compete, and he did that tonight.”

What else does Jackson bring to the Pacers?

It was more than Jackson’s performance that guided the Pacers. It was his attitude and aforementioned passion. Indiana proved to be a resilient team throughout the recent playoffs, and Jackson brought that to the summer league court.

After getting a stop in the post in the third quarter, Jackson flexed in place during the action, proud of his defensive work. After a steal and layup a few minutes later, he let out a roar under the basket. He was pushing his team back into the game mentally.

On a team full of strong-willed players, Jackson’s vibe and attitude are contagious. “He’s a vibe leader… pushed and got the guys together and rallied dudes together off the court when he’s not playing,” Yacob said. “Coach (Lloyd Pierce) always says he’s just a classic LA dude, just a good vibe dude that brings people together.”

Jackson was in college when he realized he had a gift connecting people. He wants to bring his positive energy everywhere he goes – and that’s often a basketball game. He came off the bench in the summer league opener and was able to be uplifting from the sidelines and on the court.

That spirit is contagious, and it’s something that fellow Pacers two-way contract player RayJ Dennis realized early by being Jackson’s teammate. “His personality is bigger than life. You just naturally are going to have a ton of energy,” Dennis said of learning from Jackson. “He’s going to bring energy to practice, games, everything like that. And then just being a dog, y’all see the way he plays, and when you’re around that type of stuff it’s contagious.”

His competitive nature was certainly contagious on Thursday as he ignited another Pacers comeback, this time on the summer league stage. The performance drew the eye of Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who was quick to compliment his teammates on social media after the win.

Jackson’s abilities on and off the court were the guiding factors in the victory, and he showed all of the traits that made the Pacers want to retain him on another two-way deal. “Oh, man, that’s nothing short of a blessing,” Jackson said of his new contract. “A lot of work has gone into it, but I can’t just put all of it on me. A lot comes from the trust of my teammates, the coaching staff, front office, all of that. So I’m forever grateful.”