How numerous 2021-22 Indiana Pacers players held up in the G League or overseas

The 2021-22 NBA season was unique in many ways. The league calendar was slightly altered and the offseason was shortened due to the pandemic. Unvaccinated players in certain markets were ineligible to play, and COVID-19 forced teams to use replacement players. It was a challenge for everyone involved.

The replacement players aspect of the season made everything unprecedented. Most teams had 20+ players suit up for at least one game during the season, and it was more difficult to gain chemistry and momentum. The Indiana Pacers, for example, had 28 different players put on a uniform for at least one outing.

Many of those pros, both with the Pacers and around the league, who signed as replacement players didn't get a chance to stick in the NBA. But most of them still got their first taste of the association and showed what they can do. They could be back in due time.

Indiana had 10 players who logged minutes for them in 2021-22 not play in an NBA game this past season, which illustrates just how crazy the campaign was. Here is where those players ended up this season and how they did.

Jeremy Lamb and Brad Wanamaker

As of this writing, it isn't clear that Lamb or Wanamaker signed with or played for any team during the 2022-23 campaign. They combined for 61 appearances for the Pacers two seasons ago.

Ahmad Caver

Caver played in one game for the Pacers after signing a hardship contract. He scored one basket in his lone minutes, which was his NBA debut. This season, he went to Lithuania and played for the BC Wolves, where he has averaged 16.9 points and 5.8 assists per game in league play.

"The experience was cool. It's a different experience when you're actually warming up... it lived up to its hype," Caver said of his NBA debut with the Pacers.

Lance Stephenson

Stephenson didn't play in the NBA after having a solid 2021-22 season with the Pacers. Instead, late in April, he signed with Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rico. The Indiana fan favorite played in four games for the team, averaging 20.3 points and 2.5 assists per game.

Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files reported earlier this week that Stephenson has already returned home and that Stephenson hopes to return to the NBA in the future. He averaged 9.3 points and 3.9 assists per game in his most recent campaign with the blue and gold.

Justin Anderson

Anderson remained in the Pacers organization, where he played for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants once again. He sat down for a one-on-one with AllPacers just before the season.

This year with Fort Wayne, Anderson averaged 20.0 points per game in 48 appearances. He was one of the best players on the team and helped guide them back to the postseason for the first time since 2018. He added 5.3 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.

Anderson was named to the All-NBA G League Third Team. It was his second-straight year on an All-NBA G League team and third in total, which is tied for the G League record. He averaged 6.8 points per game in 13 outings with Indiana in 2021-22.

Reggie Perry

Like Caver, Perry played in just one game for the Pacers, scoring two total points. He inked a hardship deal and ended the 2021-22 campaign with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Since then, the 2020 second-round pick has not returned to the NBA. He split time between two G League clubs — the Motor City Cruise and Raptors 905 — this past season. He had a statline of 20.7 points and 6.9 rebounds in the G League.

Since then, Perry has signed in South Korea with the Changwon LG Sakers where he is averaging 16.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Kelan Martin

Martin spent two seasons with the Pacers from 2020 through 2022, but he was waived in January of 2022 just before his contract became fully guaranteed. Stephenson ended up with his roster spot down the stretch of that season.

In two seasons with Indiana, Martin averaged 5.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. He grew on both ends of the floor after spending his entire NBA career on a two-way contract prior to being with the Pacers.

This past season, the Butler University product played in a G League for the Birmingham Squadron. In 46 outings, he averaged 20 points per game and shot 49.6% from the field.

Keifer Sykes

Sykes joined Indiana midseason in 2021-22 when the team needed point guard depth. He averaged 5.6 points and 1.9 assists per game during his rookie season and started 11 times. He was waived just before the end of the campaign to clear a roster spot for Terry Taylor.

Sykes, like Martin, followed the campaign up by playing in the NBA G League. He played for the Cruise, where he posted 15.0 points and 7.7 assists per game.

"I'm just more excited to have this opportunity and to prove again and prove to myself that I can produce at this level," Sykes said of being in the NBA and with the Pacers.

Nate Hinton

Hinton played in two games for the Pacers two seasons ago, both coming on a hardship contract. He signed with the team on a two-way contract again late in the season but tested positive for COVID-19 and did not play in any more games.

Hinton spent training camp with the Cleveland Cavaliers before playing the entire 2022-23 season with their G League affiliate team, the Cleveland Charge. He averaged 13 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for the Charge across 45 outings.

Both of Hinton's NBA seasons have come with Rick Carlisle as his head coach. He's a talented defender and is still just 23 years old, but he is outside of the NBA ranks.

DeJon Jarreau

DeJon Jarreau started the 2021-22 season with the Pacers on a two-way contract. The rookie appeared in one game, though he did not acquire any stats. He later signed with the Houston Rockets on a hardship contract but did not appear in any games for the franchise.

Jarreau's G League rights were acquired by the Capital City Go-Go in February, but he did not play in any G League games this season. CBS Sports reported that he had a knee injury that held him out for at least some time.

The 2021-22 campaign was unlike anything ever seen before it. The fact that the Pacers had 10 players suit up in a game that were not in the league the following season details just how unique the season was for every team. All of those players will hope to make it back into the NBA in the future.