Fowlkes was one of three players (the others being Britton Johnsen and Marcus Haislip) signed to pro-rated one-year contracts in the immediate aftermath of the Pacers–Pistons brawl on November 19, 2004, which devastated the Pacers' already banged-up lineup with the suspensions of their three best players, Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson.