March 12: Zubac will play on Thursday, head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed (Twitter link via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star).
Obi Toppin, Nesmith, McConnell, Siakam and Jackson are all out, but Nembhard will be available, tweets East.
March 11: Veteran center Ivica Zubac has been upgraded to questionable for the Pacers‘ game against the Suns on Thursday, per Tony East of Forbes Sports (Twitter link).
If he’s able to play vs. Phoenix, it would mark Zubac’s debut for the Pacers, who acquired him at February’s trade deadline with an eye to shoring up their frontcourt in the 2026/27 season when Tyrese Haliburton returns from his ruptured Achilles.
After averaging 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game and being named to the All-Defensive second team in 2024/25, Zubac has battled injuries this season, including a left ankle sprain that has kept him on the shelf since February 2.
At the time of the trade that sent him from the Clippers to the Pacers, it was unclear if Zubac would suit up for Indiana this season, especially since the 2026 first-round pick they gave up for him includes top-four and 10-30 protection, making the team’s end-of-season lottery odds especially important. The Pacers are currently 15-50, which is the NBA’s worst record.
T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith are all also considered questionable for Thursday’s matchup with Phoenix, while Pascal Siakam and Quenton Jackson are listed as doubtful to play.
Pacers don’t deserve their pick this yr. I am praying they lose it lols. Even the worst record can fall to the #5 pick. So the NBA gods can give Pacers the 5th pick. And then it will transfer to the Clippers. 🤪😵💫😳
Please no. Clippers don’t deserve anything positive. I know you’re a Knicks fan, so I get the Pacer hate, but hopefully they keep their pick.
Not why. Pacers are shameless about tanking. Celtics lost lore players. Yet look at them. You don’t reward this. I know teams tank. This is wirse
Ehh it’s not so egregious but you can feel how you feel
Really East champs to worst record in NBA. The lottery rules changed last time a team did this.
We get it – the Knicks tank and tanking is great! The Pacers tank and it is the worst thing ever!
Knicks or no team in history. Has gone from a Finals team. To the worst record in NBA. Go argue with the mirror. He will like your response. Here its just nonsense.
NOBODY HAS DONE WHAT PACERS ARE DOING
Really? Never been done before? Clearly you don’t follow the NBA that closely. What about the Golden State Warriors? 2018-2019 Finals Team (lost to Toronto). The following season – Worst Record in the NBA.
Lost Steph, Klay, KD and others ..
Pacers lost Hali. They let Turner walk, then sat guys just to sit them. And even if it is the sane. What are you saying . They are doing it. Ok so we agree.
Wasn’t the Knicks
The Golden State Warriors went from the 2019 NBA Finals to the worst record in the NBA the following season (as Irish pointed out). Turns out when Stephen Curry breaks his hand, Klay Thompson misses the year and Kevin Durant leaves…teams get bad. And if tanking is the problem, the Philadelphia 76ers literally made it their organizational philosophy for years (they called it The Process). At this point it just sounds like a Knicks fan that’s still bitter that the Pacers knocked them out of the playoffs last year…blahahahahaha!
I have been trying to provide examples from the more recent history – like the last 10 or 20 years. Of course, I will not be able to provide an example of the Knicks going from a Finals appearance to the worst record…because the Knicks haven’t been to the Finals in that time. In your prior post, you wrote IN ALL CAPS that NO OTHER TEAM HAS DONE WHAT THE PACERS ARE DOING. But you have been exposed – that statement is CLEARLY WRONG – you are just making comments up.
To be fair, you are comparing a good team to a great one. Good teams don’t overcome injuries to their star players. Great teams do. If anything, compliment the Celtics instead of hating on the Pacers. I hate tanking as much as you.
All this started. Cause I said Celtics lost more. And they are 2nd seed. Pacers want to be worst.
The clippers actively circumvented the cap
How in the world are you championing for them ?
Nobody is champion for anyone. Pacers don’t deserve the pick. Thats it. Clippers have not been proven to do anything wrong. And they are responsible for Thunder being who they are today. So wtf does it matter what they did. None of it worked. Worse it sunk them.
Proven ? What does it matter ?
It matters immensely
For who. Clippers never did anything . If anything they are worse because of it. It never helped. So they are already paying for it. But lets convict them on hearsay. Go cry for Kings lol. They really need it.
Hearsay ?
They are paying for it how ? You want to reward them
They actively did one of the worst things you could do in sports
You are conflating causation and correlation to the highest degree possible here
Are you clueless. Or DAF
As of March 2026, the Los Angeles Clippers have not been proven in court to have circumvented NBA free agency rules with Kawhi Leonard, though they are currently under an active, ongoing investigation regarding such allegations.
Can you read. Or I need to do this for you too. Clippets have already paid for it. You need me to explain this. Then you don’t belong on an NBA forum. Go away get knowledge
The irony is too rich
Hurry up and get out there. Pacers don’t deserve a top 5 pick
It’s okay for other teams to tank for years (including the Knicks) but as soon as the Pacers do it there’s a problem GTFOH.
Pacers are historically doing it. Knicks have never done this. Being bad isn’t tanking. Going from Finals team to worst record is who you are UFDA.
Absolute nonsense. The Knicks have intentionally tanked. But it is clear that you think that tanking is allowed for the Knicks…but no one else.
Give me the year. And whe they went from finals to worst record. Or playoffs to worst record. Pkease
One example would be the 2014-2015 New York Knicks. Technically they didn’t make the playoffs the previous season, but they just missed them with the 9th place record – under today’s rules they would have been part of the play-in tournament. They finished that season on a bit of a roll…so they may have snuck in the playoffs if given that play-in opportunity. I don’t think the Knicks started the following 2014-2015 season planning to tank…but they definitely embraced it with some ridiculous in season trades and shutting down players like Melo after a rough start record wise. And I think the Pacers were in a similar situation this year – the Pacers had a rough start to the season because their top 4 PG’s were injured and unable to play – besides Hali, casual fans don’t realize that Nembhard and TJ McConnell were also out at the start of the season with injuries.
Yeah thats exactly what Knicks did. Not the Warriors. Not the Spurs. Not the Knicks with Ewing. Have done what Pacers are doing this year .
NOBODY ……. they traded Mathurin so they could lose. Then sat Zubac so they could lose.
And now you will never be back to Finals for next ten yrs. Thats what you tank for. You are the 2020-21 Hawks. Never to be heard from again. Go count your ping pong balls. I am going to clown you when Silver gives you the 5th pick ……. Be around.
Last time the worst record got top pick in lottery. Was 2018 clown. Don’t get lost.
The Pacers were losing WITH Mathurin this year so I am not sure how trading Mathurin “helps” with losing. I guess your comment about not going to the Finals reflects your Knicks fandom – because the Knicks haven’t been to the Finals for 20+ years.
Warriors, 2019-2020. You really are bitter…blahahahahahaha!
Pacers lost Hali. Didn’t want Turner back so they could tank. Sat guys so they could tank. Never signed a PG. Traded their best prospect. Then sat Zubac. How is this anything like Warriors.
Warriors lost KD. He wanted to go. Curry got hurt. Klay got hurt and had others go down.
Do you actually watch the NBA or you just make it up as you go along. Do I need to Explain this to you too. Why are the Celtics playing. They lost more than Pacers.…… From now on, you will be charged for me teaching. I don’t do this for free.
So is the reason why people need to “pay for your teaching” is because all of your teaching is based on FICTION? I guess it takes time to come up with all your fabricated nonsense.
I’d rather tank for one year than be bad for 25+ years.
Says the team that never won a chip. NY taught America the game. Otheoall they woodo in Fn Indiana is go around in circles.
Top NBA Teams by Finals Appearances
Los Angeles Lakers (32 appearances): 17–15 record
Boston Celtics (23 appearances): 18–5 record
Golden State Warriors (12 appearances): 7–5 record
Philadelphia 76ers (9 appearances): 3–6 record
New York Knicks (8 appearances): 2–6 record
Detroit Pistons (7 appearances): 3–4 record
Miami Heat (7 appearances): 3–4 record
Chicago Bulls (6 appearances): 6–0 record
San Antonio Spurs (6 appearances): 5–1 record
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Did they forget the Pacers ???? LMAO 😂😱😂😂