Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacers, Assistant Coach Mike Weinar Part Ways

August 22nd, 2025 at 2:30pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pacers and assistant coach Mike Weinar have “mutually agreed to part ways,” the team announced Friday (link to press release).

Weinar has spent the majority of his NBA career working with head coach Rick Carlisle. He spent 13 seasons under Carlisle in Dallas, the last four as an assistant, prior to being hired by Indiana in 2021 when Carlisle rejoined the Pacers organization.

“Mike Weinar has been a trusted friend and loyal colleague for 17-plus years,” Carlisle said in a statement. “As a coach, he is a proven winner with two National Championship rings with Florida Men’s Basketball in 2006 and 2007, and an NBA Championship ring from our 2011 championship run in Dallas. Mike also played a major role in this year’s historic Finals run with the Pacers.

“Mike’s exemplary character as a father, husband, and man has been evident to me over nearly two decades. Professional success has followed Mike everywhere he has gone, and will no doubt continue to do so in the future.”

According to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link), Weinar was an “integral” part of the Pacers’ “game-planning, offense, and end-of-game scenarios.”

The 41-year-old was reportedly in the running to be the Knicks’ top assistant and offensive coordinator under new head coach Mike Brown. Weinar wound up withdrawing from that position, which went to veteran assistant Chris Jent.

Pacers Sign Rick Carlisle To Multiyear Extension

August 19th, 2025 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

3:46 pm: The Pacers have officially signed Carlisle to an extension, according to a team press release.

“Since his return to the Pacers in 2021, Coach Carlisle has been integral to our success, which includes leading us to consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances and our first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years,” president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in a statement. “Beyond his coaching achievements that rank him among the best in NBA history, Coach Carlisle continues to embrace our community and give back to the state of Indiana with his Drive and Dish program. We are thrilled to have him continue leading our team and representing our organization well into the future.”

9:30 am: After leading the Pacers to their first NBA Finals appearance in a quarter-century this spring, head coach Rick Carlisle has agreed to a multiyear contract extension with the team, according to NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link).

The Pacers had one of the worst years in franchise history during Carlisle’s first season back on the job in 2021/22, posting a record of just 25-57. But the club has steadily improved since then, increasing its regular season win total to 35 in ’22/23, 47 in ’23/24, and 50 this past year.

Indiana has also made consecutive deep playoff runs with Carlisle at the helm, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024 and then appearing in the NBA Finals this year for the first time since 2000.

Accounting for both his current stint with the Pacers and his previous four-year run from 2003-07, Carlisle has posted an overall regular season record of 338-318 (.515) and has gone 41-34 (.547) in the postseason, making the playoffs in five of eight seasons.

In addition to his time in Indiana, Carlisle has another 15 years and 1,197 regular season games under his belt as a head coach in Detroit and Dallas since 2001.

The details of Carlisle’s new agreement are unclear, but he reportedly signed a four-year contract in 2021 and was also extended in 2023. Given that his initial four-year deal just ended this year and both of his extensions have been described as “multiyear” pacts, it seems safe to assume he’s under contract for several seasons to come.

Raptors Notes: Webster, Pritchard, Roster Moves, Rotation

August 19th, 2025 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors announced on Monday that they’ve decided not to fill the president role formerly held by Masai Ujiri, with Bobby Webster hanging onto his title of general manager as he takes over as the team’s permanent head of basketball operations. That’s fine with Webster, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca relays.

“On the title, what’s the best way to put it? The title, to me, probably isn’t as important as the responsibilities,” Webster said. “I’m really thankful for this opportunity. I’ll make the most of it and that (not getting the president title) is not something that concerns me.”

While Webster seems unfazed by not being named the Raptors’ president, he’s still expected to have a chance to earn a promotion to that position based on how he handles his new responsibilities, Grange adds.

“This is his chance,” a source close to the hiring process told Sportsnet. “Show (us) he’s the president. It’s a process. It’s all about the rebuild, it’s all about the strategy going forward. Can Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes become an incredible duo? How do you manage the tax situation we’re currently in?

“At the end of the day, it will be about Bobby making the right decisions moving forward. He’s (40 years old) and he’s got every quality that you want representing your organization. Now, it comes down to wins and losses, building the reputation of the brand and dealing with the salary cap.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Grange hears from sources that Toronto formally interviewed Pacers president Kevin Pritchard, former Kings general manager Monte McNair, and former Raptors coach Dwane Casey for its president role, while Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca reports that Pacers GM Chad Buchanan and Bulls GM Marc Eversley also interviewed for the job. Pritchard was believed to be the candidate that intrigued the Raptors the most, but “prying him away from the Pacers proved difficult,” Grange writes.
While Webster believes the roster the Raptors have put together is ready to “make the next step” in 2025/26, there’s skepticism around the NBA about some of the moves the team has made in recent years. According to Grange, one Eastern Conference executive questioned the team’s investments in Immanuel Quickley (five years, $162.5MM), Ingram (three years, $120MM), and Jakob Poeltl (three years, $84MM): “I know sometimes you have to pay a premium for players in Canada, but that much?” Another rival executive, per Grange, suggested there’s an excess of wings on the roster and a lack of depth at point guard and center. “They have a lot of nice pieces,” that executive said. “It’s just not clear how they all fit.”
Some of the executives who interviewed for the Raptors’ president job were among those questioning the club’s recent personnel decisions, according to Lewenberg, who says one of those external candidates referred to the Ingram trade as a “desperate Hail Mary.”
Eric Koreen of The Athletic previews what the Raptors’ rotation might look like this fall, projecting Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jamal Shead, and Collin Murray-Boyles to be the top options off the bench behind a starting lineup of Barnes, Ingram, Quickley, Poeltl, and RJ Barrett.

Tyrese Haliburton Shares Injury Rehab Update

August 15th, 2025 at 8:02pm CST by Eli Cohen

While hosting a youth basketball camp in Wisconsin on Friday, Tyrese Haliburton addressed his recovery from the Achilles tear that forced him to miss the majority of Game 7 of the NBA Finals and will sideline him for the entire 2025/26 season, expressing eagerness to eventually rejoin the Pacers.

“It’s been up and down. I’m finally walking without the use of crutches or a scooter or anything, so that’s exciting for me,” Haliburton said, as recorded by Kyle Malzhan of WFRV (Twitter video link).

While the road back to health is a long and, at times, frustrating one, Haliburton seemed encouraged by the initial milestones he has hit so far.

“I have good days and bad days… I think every couple weeks, it’s kind of like a new achievement, I guess, in terms of my recovery,” he said. “I think over the next couple weeks, we’ll get closer to me being able to wear shoes full-time without a boot and being able to walk and stuff like that.”

Haliburton was candid about the mental challenges of the recovery process and how he has been able to find the positive in the grind of rehabilitation.

“It’s a long process. This injury, to get back to 100% is usually about a year long,” he said. “We’re only at week six, week seven now, so we still got a lot of time to get there, but I think every little progression is exciting for me. To be here, to be able to walk, it means a lot to me… I have a great medical team behind me that’s really helping me get things done. I’m progressing as well as I can right now, meeting with my surgeon, meeting with my medical staff at all times.”

After getting so close to winning the first championship in Pacers’ franchise history, Haliburton said he isn’t letting this setback distract him from his goals:

“When you look back on the year that was and how special it was, it means a lot for me. When I am able to get back to 100% the chase continues, so that’s the exciting part for me.”

NBA Teams Average 14.4 Back-To-Backs In 2025/26

August 15th, 2025 at 9:32am CST by Luke Adams

Five NBA teams will play a league-high 16 back-to-back sets during the 2025/26 regular season, while six clubs will have just 13 instances of back-to-back games on their schedules. The remaining 19 teams will play either 14 or 15 back-to-backs.

[RELATED: 2025/26 NBA Schedules By Team]

Those totals – along with an overall average of 14.4 back-to-backs per team – are about what we’ve come to expect in recent years.

Prior to the COVID-shortened seasons of 2019/20 and ’20/21, the NBA’s regular season consisted of 177 days, and the league had made a concerted effort to reduce instances of back-to-backs. When the league announced its initial schedule in ’19/20, its press release boasted that teams were averaging a record-low 12.4 back-to-backs that season, marking the fifth straight year in which that number had reached an all-time low.

However, since 2021/22, NBA regular seasons have spanned just 174 days, making it a little more difficult for schedule-makers to avoid back-to-back sets. The average number of back-to-backs per team is still well below where it once was (teams averaged 19.3 in 2024/25), but it’s no longer at a record low.

Here are the back-to-backs by team in 2025/26:

Charlotte Hornets: 16
Denver Nuggets: 16
Philadelphia 76ers: 16
Phoenix Suns: 16
Washington Wizards: 16
Golden State Warriors: 15
Los Angeles Clippers: 15
Miami Heat: 15
New Orleans Pelicans: 15
Portland Trail Blazers: 15
Toronto Raptors: 15
Utah Jazz: 15
Brooklyn Nets: 14
Cleveland Cavaliers: 14
Dallas Mavericks: 14
Detroit Pistons: 14
Houston Rockets: 14
Los Angeles Lakers: 14
Memphis Grizzlies: 14
Milwaukee Bucks: 14
New York Knicks: 14
Orlando Magic: 14
Sacramento Kings: 14
San Antonio Spurs: 14
Atlanta Hawks: 13
Boston Celtics: 13
Chicago Bulls: 13
Indiana Pacers: 13
Minnesota Timberwolves: 13
Oklahoma City Thunder: 13

Warriors, Lakers, Knicks, Thunder Get Most Nationally Televised Games For 2025/26

August 15th, 2025 at 7:51am CST by Luke Adams

Having gone from two national broadcasting partners (ABC/ESPN and TNT) to three (ABC/ESPN, NBC, and Amazon Prime) ahead of the 2025/26 season, the NBA’s schedule will feature a significant increase in nationally televised games.

When the league unveiled its full regular season schedule on Thursday, it announced 237 nationally televised regular season matchups, along with the seven knockout round NBA Cup games whose participants aren’t yet known, for a total of 244 contests.

As Colin Salao of Front Office Sports writes in a subscriber story, the total number of nationally televised games is up by more than 40% from last season, when the league’s partners nationally broadcasted a total of 172 games.

Salao also points out that beginning in the middle of the season, when the NFL schedule starts winding down, the NBA will have national games every day of the week: Peacock on Monday; NBC/Peacock on Tuesday; ESPN on Wednesday; Amazon on Thursday; Amazon and ESPN on Friday; Amazon and ABC on Saturday; and ABC, NBC, and Peacock on Sunday.

Every team will be featured at least twice on the national TV broadcast schedule, with the Warriors, Lakers, Knicks, and defending champion Thunder leading the way with 34 appearances apiece.

Here’s the full breakdown of nationally televised games by team:

Golden State Warriors: 34
Los Angeles Lakers: 34
New York Knicks: 34
Oklahoma City Thunder: 34
Houston Rockets: 28
Minnesota Timberwolves: 28
Denver Nuggets: 26
Boston Celtics: 25
Cleveland Cavaliers: 24
Dallas Mavericks: 23
San Antonio Spurs: 22
Los Angeles Clippers: 21
Milwaukee Bucks: 18
Detroit Pistons: 16
Orlando Magic: 14
Philadelphia 76ers: 14
Atlanta Hawks: 13
Memphis Grizzlies: 10
Indiana Pacers: 9
Phoenix Suns: 9
Sacramento Kings: 9
Portland Trail Blazers: 8
Miami Heat: 5
Charlotte Hornets: 3
Chicago Bulls: 3
Brooklyn Nets: 2
New Orleans Pelicans: 2
Toronto Raptors: 2
Utah Jazz: 2
Washington Wizards: 2

Since nationally televised matchups are subject to change, there’s no guarantee that every team will ultimately end up being featured multiple times on the national stage.

As Salao points out, all 30 clubs showed up at least once on the national broadcast schedule initially announced for 2024/25, but the Wizards didn’t get any nationally televised games after having their lone contest replaced by a showdown between Cleveland and Oklahoma City.

Additionally, not every team this season will have a game aired on a traditional, non-streaming network — the only games featuring the Raptors or Wizards will air on either Peacock or Amazon Prime.

Fischer’s Latest: RFAs, Warriors, White, Young, Celtics

August 7th, 2025 at 7:02pm CST by Rory Maher

During Thursday’s Bleacher Report live stream (YouTube link), NBA insider Jake Fischer reiterated multiple times that he expects the four primary restricted free agents — Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors), Josh Giddey (Bulls), Quentin Grimes (Sixers) and Cam Thomas (Nets) — to continue to be in contract standoffs with their respective teams for some time.

“Again, we are still in a holding pattern with all these restricted free agents, and we are — at this juncture — expecting all those situations to linger deeper into August and get into September as well,” Fischer said. “Don’t expect a resolution for Jonathan Kuminga, for Josh Giddey, for Quentin Grimes, for Cam Thomas, anytime soon.”

According to Fischer, the Warriors haven’t shown any interest in what the Kings and Suns have offered in sign-and-trade scenarios for Kuminga. But they also don’t want to lose the former lottery pick for nothing in return.

“Jonathan Kuminga’s side, I believe, right now, would be willing to take a two-plus-one with a player option three-year deal,” Fischer said. “I think that Jonathan Kuminga’s side would take this one-plus-one situation with Golden State — this two-year, $45MM offer that’s been on the table — if he were to get a player option in year two.

“But I was told yesterday from various sources that Golden State is going to be holding firm … that second year is going to be a team option. And that’s kinda where this staring contest is at.”

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Warriors currently have only nine players signed to standard contracts, with the Kuminga stalemate continuing to hold up their other offseason business. Fischer suggested that Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, and Gary Payton II are likely to be signed after Kuminga’s situation is resolved. Malcolm Brogdon and Seth Curry remain on Golden State’s radar as well, according to Fischer, with Javonte Green another player mentioned.
The Bulls are monitoring Coby White‘s upcoming free agency, Fischer said. White will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026, and Fischer noted that there has been talk of White wanting a contract that exceeds $30MM annually. That expectation may be factoring into the calculation of Chicago playing a level of hardball with Giddey’s restricted free agency.
Thomas looks the most likely of the four RFAs to accept his qualifying offer, Fischer confirmed. The high-scoring guard views himself as a $30MM+ per year player, but the Nets haven’t approached that figure and have only offered him short-term deals to this point, Fischer said.
While Fischer confirmed the latest reports on Trae Young‘s disappointment at the lack of an extension offer from the Hawks, he said that it was also somewhat expected by Young’s camp. Fischer called this season an opportunity for Young to maximize a roster built to complement his game, as well as an opportunity for the new front office to evaluate the players on the roster. If Young is able to maximize the team’s potential and earn All-NBA honors, he’d be eligible for a much more lucrative extension, and he also has a 2026/27 player option he could decline to enter free agency next year as possibly the top free agent on the board.
Prior to dealing him to the Jazz, the Celtics had talks with the Grizzlies during Summer League about a deal that would send Georges Niang to Memphis, according to Fischer, who said a rumored framework of Anfernee Simons for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was never discussed. Fischer noted that before RJ Luis signed a two-way deal with the Jazz, he was considering signing with the Celtics. The Jazz are expected to keep Niang as a veteran leader. Fischer also said that he’s not as confident that Simons gets traded before the season starts as he was that Niang would be dealt.
Fischer confirmed that Bennedict Mathurin is on track to receive a bigger role this season with the Pacers due to Tyrese Haliburton‘s injury, and that Mathurin is also hoping to secure a deal that would pay him $20-30MM per year. Fischer added that many of the unsigned rookie scale extension candidates likely won’t finalize new deals until the October deadline.

Eli Cohen contributed to this post.

Pacers’ Mike Weinar Withdraws From Knicks Search For Top Assistant

August 6th, 2025 at 9:52am CST by Dana Gauruder

Pacers assistant Mike Weinar has removed his name from consideration for the Knicks‘ top assistant position, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post tweets.

Ian Begley of SNY (Twitter link) confirms Weinar has removed withdrawn from consideration to be Mike Brown‘s offensive coordinator and lead assistant, adding that Hornets assistant Chris Jent remains a candidate for the job. New York’s interest in Jent was reported over the weekend.

Jent guided Charlotte to the Summer League title last month. Prior to arriving in Charlotte, he spent five years on the Hawks’ bench (2017-22) and two seasons with the Lakers (2022-24).

Jent served as the interim head coach for the Magic for the final 18 games of the 2004/05 season.

Weinar has spent the bulk of his NBA career working with head coach Rick Carlisle in Dallas and Indiana. Prior to his time with the Pacers, he served as an assistant for the Mavericks, having transitioned from a basketball operations role to join the coaching staff. His tenure in Dallas included the club’s 2011 title run.

According to Bondy, there were family considerations involved in Weinar’s decision.

Carlisle Expects Mathurin To Be Pacers’ Starting SG In 2025/26

August 5th, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Former lottery pick Bennedict Mathurin has been in and out of the Pacers‘ starting lineup in his first three NBA seasons, making 85 starts in 209 total outings. With Tyrese Haliburton out for 2025/26 due to a torn Achilles, the expectation heading into this fall is that Mathurin will be Indiana’s full-time starting shooting guard, head coach Rick Carlisle told Caitlin Cooper of Basketball, She Wrote (YouTube link).

“I’ll break the news right here: I’m projecting him as our starter at two this year,” Carlisle said of Mathurin (Twitter video clip). “I’ve told him this. I was on the phone with him and his agent four days ago and I said, ‘You’re going to be with the starters on day one. It’s your job to lose.'”

After being drafted sixth overall out of Arizona in 2022, Mathurin showed off impressive scoring ability as a rookie, averaging 16.7 points per game and earning Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year votes in ’22/23. The 6’5″ wing missed part of his second year due to a shoulder injury before returning this past season to put up 16.1 PPG with a career-best 45.8% field goal percentage.

Speaking to Cooper, Carlisle raved about Mathurin’s knack for getting to the free throw line and his ability to put the ball in the basket. However, he noted that other aspects of the 23-year-old’s game – including his passing, his quick decision making, and his fit in the Pacers’ system – are still works in progress.

“Our job as coaches is to meld guys like him that aren’t necessarily seamless fits into a style that is effective for the rest of the guys, and bring both forces hopefully closer together as time goes on,” Carlisle said.

Carlisle spoke in March about the Pacers’ ongoing efforts to incorporate Mathurin’s more ball-dominant, one-on-one style within the movement-oriented flow of a Haliburton-led offense. With Haliburton ruled out for all of 2025/26, Mathurin will take on increased responsibilities offensively and may have more freedom to try to score however he can.

It will be interesting to see how Mathurin’s growing importance in Indiana this fall will influence contract talks between his camp and the Pacers. The Canadian swingman will be eligible for a rookie scale extension up until October 20 and it could be a challenge for the two sides to reach an agreement on a long-term deal, given the way Mathurin’s role has fluctuated in the past and the fact that he could be well positioned for a career year in 2025/26.

Mathurin will earn roughly $9.2MM in the final year of his rookie contract. If he and the Pacers don’t work out an extension before the season, he’d be eligible for a qualifying offer of nearly $12.3MM next summer, assuming he meets the starter criteria.

Latest On Knicks’ Offensive Coordinator Search

August 3rd, 2025 at 7:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

Hornets assistant Chris Jent is considered a leading candidate to become the Knicks‘ offensive coordinator, according to SiriusXM NBA Radio host Frank Isola (Twitter link).

Ian Begley of SNY, meanwhile, reports (via Twitter) that the Knicks have been in contact with Pacers assistant Mike Weinar. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post confirms (via Twitter) Begley’s report while adding that Weinar is also in consideration for the offensive coordinator role and is considered a strong candidate for the lead assistant job on Mike Brown‘s staff.

Jent is a longtime NBA assistant coach who joined the Hornets in 2024 and guided Charlotte’s Summer League title to a title last month. Prior to arriving in Charlotte, he spent five years on the Hawks’ bench (2017-22) and two seasons with the Lakers (2022-24).

Jent served as the interim head coach for the Magic for the final 18 games of the 2004/05 season. He had a brief playing career in the NBA, which included a three-game stint with the Knicks in 1996.

Weinar, prior to his time with the Pacers, served as an assistant for the Mavericks, having transitioned from a basketball operations role to join the coaching staff. His tenure in Dallas included the club’s 2011 title run.

The Knicks have also reportedly shown interest in Greg St. Jean from the Lakers and Patrick Mutombo from the Grizzlies as they continue to search for candidates to fill out the coaching staff under Mike Brown.