Last Updated on September 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Indiana Pacers > Roster & Statistics
The 1996–97 Indiana Pacers relied on Reggie Miller as their primary offensive weapon, with Rik Smits supplying efficient interior scoring and Mark Jackson controlling the offense through his playmaking. Dale Davis provided rebounding and defensive presence in the frontcourt, while the roster received balanced support throughout the rotation. The statistical profile reflects a team built on efficient offense, strong ball movement, and solid interior play rather than overwhelming scoring from a single source.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Vincent Askew | SG | 6-6 | 210 | February 28, 1966 | Memphis |
| 3 | Haywoode Workman | PG | 6-2 | 180 | January 23, 1966 | Winston-Salem State, Oral Roberts |
| 4 | Travis Best | PG | 5-11 | 182 | July 12, 1972 | Georgia Tech |
| 5 | Jalen Rose | SF | 6-8 | 210 | January 30, 1973 | Michigan |
| 7 | Reggie Williams | SF | 6-7 | 190 | March 5, 1964 | Georgetown |
| 8 | Eddie Johnson | SF | 6-7 | 215 | May 1, 1959 | Illinois |
| 9 | Derrick McKey | SF | 6-10 | 241 | October 10, 1966 | Alabama |
| 13 | Mark Jackson | PG | 6-3 | 192 | April 1, 1965 | St. John’s |
| 20 | Fred Hoiberg | SG | 6-4 | 203 | October 15, 1972 | Iowa State |
| 24 | Darvin Ham | SF | 6-7 | 220 | July 23, 1973 | Texas Tech |
| 25 | Erick Dampier | C | 6-11 | 265 | July 14, 1975 | Mississippi State |
| 27 | Duane Ferrell | SF | 6-7 | 209 | February 28, 1965 | Georgia Tech |
| 31 | Reggie Miller | SG | 6-7 | 185 | August 24, 1965 | UCLA |
| 32 | Dale Davis | PF | 6-11 | 230 | March 25, 1969 | Clemson |
| 33 | Antonio Davis | PF | 6-9 | 215 | October 31, 1968 | Texas-El Paso |
| 41 | LaSalle Thompson | C | 6-10 | 245 | June 23, 1961 | Texas |
| 45 | Rik Smits | C | 7-4 | 250 | August 23, 1966 | Marist College |
| 53 | Jerome Allen | SG | 6-4 | 184 | January 28, 1973 | Penn |
| 55 | Brent Scott | PF | 6-10 | 250 | June 15, 1971 | Rice University |
Regular Season Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TPG | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reggie Miller | SG | 31 | 81 | 81 | 36.6 | 21.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 15.4 | 6.8 | .444 | 6.6 | 2.8 | .427 | 5.9 | 5.2 | .880 |
| Rik Smits | C | 30 | 52 | 52 | 29.2 | 17.1 | 6.9 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 14.1 | 6.8 | .486 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .250 | 4.2 | 3.3 | .797 |
| Antonio Davis | PF | 28 | 82 | 28 | 28.5 | 10.5 | 7.3 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 7.8 | 3.8 | .480 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .071 | 4.4 | 2.9 | .666 |
| Dale Davis | PF | 27 | 80 | 76 | 32.4 | 10.4 | 9.7 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 8.6 | 4.6 | .538 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 1.2 | .428 | |
| Travis Best | PG | 24 | 76 | 46 | 27.2 | 9.9 | 2.2 | 4.2 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 8.2 | 3.6 | .442 | 2.0 | 0.8 | .368 | 2.6 | 2.0 | .756 |
| Jalen Rose | SF | 24 | 66 | 6 | 18.0 | 7.3 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 5.7 | 2.6 | .456 | 1.1 | 0.3 | .292 | 2.4 | 1.8 | .750 |
| Derrick McKey | SF | 30 | 50 | 49 | 29.0 | 8.0 | 4.8 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 7.6 | 3.0 | .391 | 1.2 | 0.3 | .259 | 2.5 | 1.8 | .724 |
| Duane Ferrell | SF | 31 | 62 | 18 | 18.0 | 6.4 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 5.4 | 2.6 | .472 | 0.7 | 0.3 | .409 | 1.5 | 0.9 | .617 |
| Erick Dampier | C | 21 | 72 | 21 | 14.6 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 4.7 | 1.8 | .390 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.000 | 2.3 | 1.5 | .637 |
| Mark Jackson | PG | 31 | 30 | 30 | 35.1 | 9.0 | 4.1 | 9.8 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 3.4 | 7.6 | 3.2 | .427 | 1.9 | 0.6 | .316 | 2.6 | 2.0 | .766 |
| Vincent Askew | SG | 30 | 41 | 0 | 20.0 | 5.7 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 4.5 | 1.9 | .432 | 0.6 | 0.2 | .292 | 2.1 | 1.7 | .791 |
| Fred Hoiberg | SG | 24 | 47 | 0 | 12.2 | 4.8 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 3.3 | 1.4 | .429 | 1.5 | 0.6 | .414 | 1.6 | 1.3 | .792 |
| Jerome Allen | SG | 24 | 51 | 1 | 13.6 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 1.1 | .388 | 1.2 | 0.5 | .390 | 0.9 | 0.5 | .574 |
| Eddie Johnson | SF | 37 | 28 | 0 | 10.9 | 5.3 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 4.9 | 2.1 | .434 | 1.0 | 0.3 | .321 | 1.0 | 0.7 | .741 |
| Haywoode Workman | PG | 31 | 4 | 2 | 20.3 | 5.5 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 5.0 | 2.8 | .550 | 0.8 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 |
| Brent Scott | PF | 25 | 16 | 0 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 0.5 | .471 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | .500 | |
| Reggie Williams | SF | 32 | 2 | 0 | 16.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 4.5 | 1.0 | .222 | 0.5 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.0 | 0.5 | .500 |
| Darvin Ham | SF | 23 | 1 | 0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .500 | |
| LaSalle Thompson | C | 35 | 9 | 0 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.3 | .750 | |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 243.0 | 95.4 | 41.7 | 21.3 | 7.1 | 4.8 | 16.3 | 76.3 | 34.8 | .456 | 13.8 | 5.2 | .381 | 28.5 | 20.6 | .722 |
Regular Season Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reggie Miller | SG | 31 | 81 | 81 | 2966 | 21.3 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 15.1 | 6.7 | .444 | 6.5 | 2.8 | .427 | 5.8 | 5.1 | .880 |
| Rik Smits | C | 30 | 52 | 52 | 1518 | 21.0 | 8.6 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 17.4 | 8.4 | .486 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .250 | 5.1 | 4.1 | .797 |
| Eddie Johnson | SF | 37 | 28 | 0 | 306 | 17.3 | 4.7 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 16.0 | 6.9 | .434 | 3.3 | 1.1 | .321 | 3.2 | 2.4 | .741 |
| Jalen Rose | SF | 24 | 66 | 6 | 1188 | 14.6 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 11.4 | 5.2 | .456 | 2.2 | 0.6 | .292 | 4.7 | 3.5 | .750 |
| Fred Hoiberg | SG | 24 | 47 | 0 | 572 | 14.1 | 5.1 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 9.8 | 4.2 | .429 | 4.4 | 1.8 | .414 | 4.8 | 3.8 | .792 |
| Antonio Davis | PF | 28 | 82 | 28 | 2335 | 13.2 | 9.2 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 9.9 | 4.7 | .480 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .071 | 5.6 | 3.7 | .666 |
| Travis Best | PG | 24 | 76 | 46 | 2064 | 13.2 | 2.9 | 5.5 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 2.7 | 10.8 | 4.8 | .442 | 2.7 | 1.0 | .368 | 3.4 | 2.6 | .756 |
| Duane Ferrell | SF | 31 | 62 | 18 | 1115 | 12.7 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 10.9 | 5.1 | .472 | 1.4 | 0.6 | .409 | 3.0 | 1.9 | .617 |
| Erick Dampier | C | 21 | 72 | 21 | 1052 | 12.7 | 10.1 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 11.5 | 4.5 | .390 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.000 | 5.7 | 3.7 | .637 |
| Brent Scott | PF | 25 | 16 | 0 | 55 | 12.4 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 11.1 | 5.2 | .471 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 2.0 | .500 | |
| Dale Davis | PF | 27 | 80 | 76 | 2589 | 11.6 | 10.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 9.6 | 5.1 | .538 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 1.3 | .428 | |
| Vincent Askew | SG | 30 | 41 | 0 | 822 | 10.2 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 8.0 | 3.5 | .432 | 1.1 | 0.3 | .292 | 3.8 | 3.0 | .791 |
| Derrick McKey | SF | 30 | 50 | 49 | 1449 | 9.9 | 6.0 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 9.4 | 3.7 | .391 | 1.4 | 0.4 | .259 | 3.1 | 2.2 | .724 |
| Haywoode Workman | PG | 31 | 4 | 2 | 81 | 9.8 | 3.1 | 4.9 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 8.9 | 4.9 | .550 | 1.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.4 | 0.0 | .000 |
| Mark Jackson | PG | 31 | 30 | 30 | 1053 | 9.3 | 4.2 | 10.1 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 3.5 | 7.8 | 3.3 | .427 | 1.9 | 0.6 | .316 | 2.6 | 2.0 | .766 |
| Jerome Allen | SG | 24 | 51 | 1 | 692 | 8.5 | 3.4 | 5.7 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 2.9 | 7.6 | 3.0 | .388 | 3.1 | 1.2 | .390 | 2.4 | 1.4 | .574 |
| Darvin Ham | SF | 23 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 21.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.2 | 0.0 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14.4 | 7.2 | .500 | |
| Reggie Williams | SF | 32 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 5.5 | 7.6 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 9.8 | 2.2 | .222 | 1.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.2 | 1.1 | .500 |
| LaSalle Thompson | C | 35 | 9 | 0 | 35 | 3.1 | 8.2 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.1 | 3.1 | .750 |
Regular Season Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reggie Miller | SG | 31 | 81 | 81 | 2966 | 1751 | 286 | 273 | 75 | 25 | 166 | 1244 | 552 | .444 | 536 | 229 | .427 | 475 | 418 | .880 |
| Rik Smits | C | 30 | 52 | 52 | 1518 | 887 | 361 | 67 | 22 | 59 | 126 | 733 | 356 | .486 | 8 | 2 | .250 | 217 | 173 | .797 |
| Antonio Davis | PF | 28 | 82 | 28 | 2335 | 858 | 598 | 65 | 42 | 84 | 141 | 641 | 308 | .480 | 14 | 1 | .071 | 362 | 241 | .666 |
| Dale Davis | PF | 27 | 80 | 76 | 2589 | 832 | 772 | 59 | 60 | 77 | 108 | 688 | 370 | .538 | 0 | 0 | 215 | 92 | .428 | |
| Travis Best | PG | 24 | 76 | 46 | 2064 | 754 | 166 | 318 | 98 | 5 | 153 | 620 | 274 | .442 | 155 | 57 | .368 | 197 | 149 | .756 |
| Jalen Rose | SF | 24 | 66 | 6 | 1188 | 482 | 121 | 155 | 57 | 18 | 107 | 377 | 172 | .456 | 72 | 21 | .292 | 156 | 117 | .750 |
| Derrick McKey | SF | 30 | 50 | 49 | 1449 | 400 | 241 | 135 | 47 | 30 | 83 | 379 | 148 | .391 | 58 | 15 | .259 | 123 | 89 | .724 |
| Duane Ferrell | SF | 31 | 62 | 18 | 1115 | 394 | 141 | 66 | 38 | 6 | 55 | 337 | 159 | .472 | 44 | 18 | .409 | 94 | 58 | .617 |
| Erick Dampier | C | 21 | 72 | 21 | 1052 | 370 | 294 | 43 | 19 | 73 | 84 | 336 | 131 | .390 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 168 | 107 | .637 |
| Mark Jackson | PG | 31 | 30 | 30 | 1053 | 271 | 124 | 294 | 46 | 3 | 102 | 227 | 97 | .427 | 57 | 18 | .316 | 77 | 59 | .766 |
| Vincent Askew | SG | 30 | 41 | 0 | 822 | 233 | 98 | 90 | 17 | 6 | 42 | 183 | 79 | .432 | 24 | 7 | .292 | 86 | 68 | .791 |
| Fred Hoiberg | SG | 24 | 47 | 0 | 572 | 224 | 81 | 41 | 27 | 6 | 22 | 156 | 67 | .429 | 70 | 29 | .414 | 77 | 61 | .792 |
| Jerome Allen | SG | 24 | 51 | 1 | 692 | 164 | 65 | 109 | 27 | 0 | 56 | 147 | 57 | .388 | 59 | 23 | .390 | 47 | 27 | .574 |
| Eddie Johnson | SF | 37 | 28 | 0 | 306 | 147 | 40 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 136 | 59 | .434 | 28 | 9 | .321 | 27 | 20 | .741 |
| Haywoode Workman | PG | 31 | 4 | 2 | 81 | 22 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 20 | 11 | .550 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Brent Scott | PF | 25 | 16 | 0 | 55 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 8 | .471 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | .500 | |
| Reggie Williams | SF | 32 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 2 | .222 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 2 | 1 | .500 |
| LaSalle Thompson | C | 35 | 9 | 0 | 35 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | .750 | |
| Darvin Ham | SF | 23 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .500 | |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 19930 | 7819 | 3419 | 1750 | 585 | 394 | 1276 | 6254 | 2851 | .456 | 1130 | 430 | .381 | 2336 | 1687 | .722 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reggie Miller | Primary Scoring Engine (1.1) | 36.6 | High (1.2) | 21.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 78.41 | Perimeter scoring engine and movement shooter, Miller carried Indiana’s half-court offense while stretching defenses with a then-unusual 6.6 three-point attempts per game. His 229 made threes led the NBA, and contemporary-era analysis has singled out the combination of volume and 42.7% accuracy as one of the league’s most advanced shooting profiles of the period. Sports Illustrated | — |
| Rik Smits | Starting Low-Post Scoring Hub (1.05) | 29.2 | High (1.1) | 17.1 | 6.9 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 61.91 | Interior scoring anchor when available, Smits gave Indiana a dependable half-court target whose size and touch complemented Miller’s perimeter game. Foot problems limited him to 52 games, and retrospective reporting notes that he underwent surgery on both feet in 1996 and missed 30 games during this season, making his availability a major variable for the Pacers. CBS News | — |
| Mark Jackson | Franchise Floor General (1.05) | 35.1 | High (1.2) | 9.0 | 4.1 | 9.8 | 1.6 | 61.74 | Half-court organizer and possession controller, Jackson immediately restored a familiar playmaking presence after Indiana reacquired him from Denver in February. His 9.8 assists in 30 games with the Pacers reflected the central responsibility, while retrospective coverage notes that Indiana eventually recognized the trade back as an attempt to correct the earlier decision to move him. HoopsHabit | NBA Assists Leader (1997) |
| Dale Davis | Starting Interior Defensive Anchor (1.05) | 32.4 | Medium (1.1) | 10.4 | 9.7 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 52.21 | Interior defensive anchor and offensive-glass specialist, Davis handled the physical frontcourt work that kept Indiana competitive around the rim. He was one of the team’s most dependable two-way bigs throughout the season, functioning as a screen setter, rebounder and paint defender rather than a designed offensive scorer. Sports Illustrated | — |
| Antonio Davis | Starting Frontcourt Enforcer (1.05) | 28.5 | Medium (1.1) | 10.5 | 7.3 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 46.43 | Physical frontcourt enforcer, Davis supplied Indiana with another rebounder and interior defender while splitting time between starting and reserve units. His 28 starts and 82 appearances fit a season in which the Pacers frequently needed his strength and activity alongside different combinations of Dale Davis, Smits and the developing Erick Dampier. CBS Sports | — |
| Travis Best | Starting Change-of-Pace Point Guard (1.05) | 27.2 | Medium (1.1) | 9.9 | 2.2 | 4.2 | 1.4 | 40.89 | Change-of-pace point guard, Best brought more speed and penetration than Indiana’s veteran half-court alternatives and started 46 games. His quickness gave Larry Brown another way to initiate offense, while his 1.3 steals per game reflected the aggressive point-of-attack approach that helped make him a useful young rotation guard. NBA.com | — |
| Derrick McKey | Veteran Two-Way Wing (1.05) | 29.0 | Medium (1.1) | 8.0 | 4.8 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 39.27 | Veteran two-way wing and defensive matchup piece, McKey remained a connective player capable of guarding forwards while moving the ball and making secondary reads. His season was disrupted by significant injuries, including an Achilles rupture, and that availability issue was part of the broader injury problem that contributed to Indiana missing the postseason. AS | — |
| Jalen Rose | Developing Secondary Wing Creator (1.05) | 18.0 | Medium (1.05) | 7.3 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 26.46 | Developing secondary wing creator, Rose spent the season learning to operate without the ball while occasionally handling creation duties from the wing. Later reporting makes clear that Larry Brown had limited his role and that Rose’s preferred point-guard identity clashed with the way Indiana used him, making the season an important transitional stage in his development. The Washington Post | — |
| Duane Ferrell | Veteran Wing Scoring Reserve (1.0) | 18.0 | Low (1.0) | 6.4 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 21.00 | Veteran wing scoring reserve, Ferrell provided a useful combination of size and perimeter shooting without requiring the offense to run through him. He was particularly capable of stepping into larger minutes when injuries struck, and later reporting from his trade to Golden State described him as an established veteran who had watched young center Erick Dampier’s development closely in Indiana. SFGATE | — |
| Erick Dampier | Developing Rim-Protection Prospect (1.0) | 14.6 | Low (1.0) | 5.1 | 4.1 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 22.20 | Developing rim-protection prospect, Dampier flashed the physical tools Indiana valued but struggled to maintain a consistent role once Smits returned from injury. Teammate Duane Ferrell later described him as a strong shot blocker and rebounder with considerable upside, while Dampier himself explained that the sudden reduction in minutes frustrated him after he had initially earned the respect of the coaches and players. SFGATE | NBA Rookie Challenge appearance (1997) |
| Vincent Askew | Defensive Utility Wing (1.0) | 20.0 | Low (1.0) | 5.7 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 21.60 | Defensive utility wing, Askew filled possessions with physical defense, passing and low-maintenance offense rather than shot creation. His role became increasingly temporary as Indiana searched for more offensive organization, eventually making him part of the February package that brought Mark Jackson back to Indianapolis. | — |
| Haywoode Workman | Veteran Backup Point Guard (1.0) | 20.3 | Low (1.0) | 5.5 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 21.80 | Veteran backup point guard, Workman was expected to provide steady organization behind Indiana’s primary guards, but his season effectively disappeared after only four games because of a knee injury. The limited availability forced the Pacers to lean more heavily on Best and other guards during a season already affected by multiple injuries. | — |
| Fred Hoiberg | Perimeter Spacing Reserve (1.0) | 12.2 | Low (1.0) | 4.8 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 16.20 | Perimeter spacing reserve, Hoiberg’s value centered on shooting, smart movement and low-maintenance possessions rather than primary creation. In a contemporary interview after the season, he specifically pointed to a 21-point game against Dallas and a game-winning shot against Charlotte while emphasizing his desire to remain with Indiana despite the team’s disappointing campaign. Iowa State Daily | — |
| Eddie Johnson | Veteran Microwave Scorer (1.0) | 10.9 | Low (1.0) | 5.3 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 15.00 | Veteran microwave scorer, Johnson supplied short bursts of perimeter offense but never established a sustained rotation role before being moved at the trade deadline. His presence became expendable once Indiana decided to reacquire Jackson, illustrating how quickly the team’s backcourt hierarchy changed during the season. | — |
| Jerome Allen | Reserve Ball-Handling Guard (1.0) | 13.6 | Low (1.0) | 3.2 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 14.20 | Reserve ball-handling guard, Allen handled secondary initiation and occasional defensive assignments without becoming a regular part of the closing group. His role disappeared after Indiana sent him to Denver in February, part of the same reshuffling that brought Jackson back and altered the team’s guard rotation. | — |
| Reggie Williams | Short-Term Wing Placeholder (1.0) | 16.5 | Low (1.0) | 2.5 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 14.00 | Short-term wing placeholder, Williams never had enough time to establish a meaningful role in Indiana’s system. He appeared in only two games before being traded to New Jersey, making his season more notable for roster churn than on-court continuity. | — |
| Eddie Johnson | — | 10.9 | Low (1.0) | 5.3 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 15.00 | Veteran microwave scorer, Johnson supplied short bursts of perimeter offense but never established a sustained rotation role before being moved at the trade deadline. His exit was part of Indiana’s decision to reorganize the backcourt around Mark Jackson rather than continue with the existing guard mix. | — |
| Darvin Ham | Emergency Energy Wing (1.0) | 5.0 | Low (1.0) | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 8.00 | Emergency energy wing, Ham’s Indiana appearance came in an extremely narrow role after he was acquired at the trade deadline. With only one game and five minutes, there was not enough regular-season usage to establish a broader tactical identity beyond spot defensive and athletic minutes. | — |
| LaSalle Thompson | Veteran Interior Reserve (1.0) | 3.9 | Low (1.0) | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 2.80 | Veteran interior reserve, Thompson was brought back as insurance for an injury-hit frontcourt but had almost no offensive responsibility. His February acquisition alongside Jackson reflected Indiana’s preference for experienced depth while the team tried to stabilize a roster that had lost several regular rotation pieces. | — |
| Brent Scott | Developmental Frontcourt Reserve (1.0) | 3.4 | Low (1.0) | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 4.40 | Developmental frontcourt reserve, Scott saw only brief opportunities behind Indiana’s established Davis combination and veteran interior options. His limited minutes left little evidence of a defined offensive role, with his value primarily tied to providing emergency size during a season when injuries repeatedly disrupted the rotation. | — |
| Team Totals | — | 243.0 | — | 95.4 | 41.7 | 21.3 | 11.9 | — | Indiana’s 1996-97 regular-season identity was built around Miller’s perimeter scoring, a physical Davis-led frontcourt and Best’s emergence at point guard, but injuries to Smits, McKey and Workman repeatedly disrupted continuity. The Pacers finished 39-43 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1989, prompting a major offseason reset that included Larry Brown’s departure and Larry Bird’s arrival. Sports Illustrated | — |