Pacers Notes: Humbling Season, Siakam, Injuries, Offseason
David Aldridge of The Athletic takes a look at the “humbling” season the Pacers have endured in 2025/26 after they were two quarters away from winning their first NBA championship last June. Indiana is just 18-59 with five regular season games remaining in ’25/26.
“We talk a lot about just staying with the process,” guard Andrew Nembhard said. “I think it’s the competitiveness, bringing that energy every night, kind of when the season’s getting to the end, and it’s already out of (playoff) contention. It’s something you’ve got to work on. It’s only going to make us better for next season, having that competitive energy when it doesn’t really matter.”
The Pacers have been decimated by injuries this season, opening the campaign with a 1-13 record and signing several replacement players to temporary hardship deals in the fall. Head coach Rick Carlisle admits it was a “daunting” task to find consistency with so many players in and out of the lineup.
“When things get like this,” Carlisle said, “you’ve just got to find a way to operate that’s consistent and positive. That’s the tack that we’ve taken. The players have been terrific. … We acquire guys that are great people along with being good players. If you don’t have that kind of character, something like this can be a lot more arduous.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- All-Star forward Pascal Siakam suffered a left ankle sprain and a lower back bruise in the fourth quarter of Friday’s loss to Charlotte and has been ruled out of Sunday’s game in Cleveland, relays Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscriber link). Only Siakam’s ankle sprain is listed on the NBA’s official injury report.
- Siakam isn’t the only starter who will be sidelined Sunday, as Nembhard (thoracic and lumbar injury management), Aaron Nesmith (cervical strain) and key reserve T.J. McConnell (bilateral hamstring injury management) will be out as well. Ben Sheppard (right hip strain) and Jarace Walker (sacral contusion) are questionable to suit up against the Cavs.
- Keith Smith of Spotrac previews the Pacers’ offseason, writing that he doesn’t expect the team to make a major splash on the trade market after acquiring Ivica Zubac ahead of the February deadline. Indiana projects to be over the first tax apron if it keeps its top-four protected 2026 first-round pick, Smith notes, so a cost-cutting move could be on the horizon for a team that hasn’t been a taxpayer in more than 20 years. If the pick lands between Nos. 5-9 and conveys to the Clippers, the Pacers could end up being just below the 2026/27 luxury tax line, Smith adds.
Pacers Notes: Jones, Sheppard, Mathurin, I. Jackson, Walker
Kam Jones‘ contract for next season is only 50% guaranteed, prompting Forbes contributor Tony East to consider what the Pacers might do with the rookie guard this offseason. East suggests that pushing back Jones’ guarantee date from June 30 to sometime in July, allowing him to play for Indiana’s Summer League team, is one option the two sides could explore.
The 38th overall pick of last year’s draft, Jones’ NBA debut was delayed until late December due to a back injury, and he has been in and out of the rotation the past few months, East notes. While the former Marquette standout is technically under contract through 2028/29, the final two seasons are fully non-guaranteed.
Jones’ future with the Pacers could be tied to whether or not the team keeps its top-four protected pick in the upcoming draft, East observes, since Indiana doesn’t have many roster spots available. Keeping Jones or waiving him and using the stretch provision to spread his 2026/27 cap hit over multiple seasons are among the other options for the Pacers, East adds.
Here’s more from Indiana:
- Third-year guard Ben Sheppard will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer. After a slow start to the season amid a wave of backcourt injuries, Sheppard has found his footing since he returned from a calf strain in late December, showing growth on the offensive end while taking on difficult defensive assignments, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscriber link). “I’ve been able to experiment within my game and my comfort level this season,” Sheppard said. “Just all the moving pieces, people coming in and out, offensive rhythm has been kinda off, but with all my coaches in my corner and my teammates in my corner just trying to be more aggressive and take my opportunities as they come. I feel like I’ve been finding my shot a lot of different ways that I haven’t gotten last year or the year before. Just creating a little bit more and just looking at the rim more.”
- In a story for his website Circle City Spin, East takes an inside look at the returns of Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, who faced the Pacers in Indianapolis on Friday night for the first time since they were traded to the Clippers ahead of the February deadline. The former first-round picks received a tribute video and a warm reception from fans during the first stoppage in play, which Mathurin appreciated. “It meant the world. Indy is like my first home. I was able to get drafted over here. Just being loved by the fans,” Mathurin said. “I love the fans. I would say that they were the best fans in the world. Now, we have a different group of fans. It’s all love.” Head coach Rick Carlisle called the moment “heartwarming” and said he was happy both players have played well for Los Angeles, per East. “We just weren’t going to be able to make it work with Benn contractually,” Carlisle said of Mathurin, who will be a restricted free agent in a few months (Twitter link via East).
- Jarace Walker suffered a head injury in the first quarter of Friday’s contest and was later ruled out for the remainder of the one-point loss because he was being evaluating for a concussion (Twitter link). Carlisle didn’t have much of an update on the third-year forward afterward, according to East. “I don’t know that he’s going to be in concussion protocol… we’ll see what’s what on Sunday,” Carlisle said.
Magic’s Suggs, Pacers’ Sheppard Return On Wednesday
Following a seven-game absence due to a left hip contusion, Magic guard Jalen Suggs will return to action on Wednesday against Indiana, the team announced (via Twitter). Suggs will immediately reenter Orlando’s starting lineup.
It’s good news for the Magic, who have a 13-8 record with Suggs available this season and a 5-7 mark in games he hasn’t played. An important contributor on both ends of the court, the fifth-year guard has averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in 25.6 minutes per game, with a .471/.328/.862 shooting line. He has been out since injuring his hip in the NBA Cup semifinal vs. New York.
Orlando’s numbers with Suggs on and off the court reflect his value to the team. In his 538 minutes of action this season, the Magic have outscored opponents by 9.6 points per 100 possessions. In 1,056 minutes without him, the Magic’s opponents have the edge, by a margin of 2.6 points per 100 possessions.
Jonathan Isaac (sore left knee) and Jett Howard (illness) will miss Wednesday’s game for Orlando.
On the other side of the court, the Pacers are also getting a member of their backcourt back following an injury absence. According to head coach Rick Carlisle, Ben Sheppard will be available for Wednesday’s contest (Twitter link via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star).
Sheppard has missed Indiana’s past 11 games due to a left calf strain, having last suited up on December 3. Prior to the injury, the third-year shooting guard was averaging 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 25.0 minutes per game, though he was struggling with his shot (.354 FG%, .273 3PT%).
Like Aaron Nesmith, who played 19 minutes on Saturday and 24 on Monday in his first two games back from a knee injury, Sheppard will likely be on a minutes restriction as he works his way back to 100%. Carlisle told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s game that the team’s plan with Nesmith is to “gradually progress” his workload (Twitter link via Tony East of Circle City Spin).
Central Notes: Giannis, Sheppard, Pacers, Potter, Ball, Porter
Given that the Bucks hope to operate as buyers at the trade deadline and make a second-half push into the postseason, teams around the league inquiring about star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo are being rebuffed, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirmed during a recent appearance on Sportsnet (Twitter video link).
“I’ve spoken to plenty of GMs that would love to have Giannis and have tried to talk to Bucks GM Jon Horst about acquiring him,” Scotto said. “And quite frankly, he’s not going anywhere, they’ve been telling me. The Bucks have been steadfast that he’s not going anywhere.”
Antetokounmpo reportedly entertained the idea of a change of scenery during the offseason, prompting the Bucks to briefly explore the possibility of a trade with the Knicks, but the two teams gained no traction in those discussions. If Milwaukee keeps losing and Giannis decides he wants to be moved, it will require a “more forceful” request from the two-time MVP, according to Jamal Collier and Shams Charania of ESPN, since the team won’t be looking to proactively deal him.
“The question is who is going to get made uncomfortable,” one league source told ESPN. “There’s a difference between saying it out loud and innuendos. [The Bucks] know Giannis doesn’t want to be the villain.”
We have more from news and notes from around the Central:
- Pacers guard Ben Sheppard missed an 11th consecutive game on Monday due to a left calf strain, but he was upgraded to questionable before being ruled out, notes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star, which suggests his return may be imminent. Indiana has been banged up all season but got Aaron Nesmith back from a knee injury over the weekend and appears on the verge of having Sheppard back in the rotation too.
- The Pacers remain shorthanded in the frontcourt while Isaiah Jackson recovers from a concussion, which is what prompted the team to add free agent center Micah Potter last week. However, as Tony East writes for Circle City Spin, Potter’s stint with the team may be short-lived, since Indiana will have to waive him on or before next Wednesday in order to avoid guaranteeing his full salary.
- Veteran point guard Lonzo Ball was a DNP-CD on Monday as the Cavaliers picked up an impressive win in San Antonio, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). “We wanted to look at some different combinations, but also with Zo, I have a big picture thing of just keeping him healthy and fresh,” head coach Kenny Atkinson explained after the game. “It was kind of twofold for tonight. I spoke to him. We need him healthy and available. He has been so far. I want to keep that going. I know we don’t have back-to-backs, but we are playing every other day. At a certain point, I need to find him some games. I talked to him about it, and it just happened to fall on tonight.”
- As Fedor observes, Craig Porter Jr. played well as the Cavaliers‘ backup point guard in place of Ball, registering six rebounds and four assists in 15 minutes in the victory over San Antonio. Cleveland outscored the Spurs by 12 points during Porter’s time on the floor, which matched the team’s margin of victory in the 113-101 decision.
Pacers Notes: Losing Streak, Wiseman, Sheppard, Nesmith, Flight Delay
The Pacers have lost seven straight, including a 140-122 defeat at the hands of the Celtics on Friday. Guard Andrew Nembhard says the team needs to raise its intensity level.
“Guys are fighting at times, but it’s not consistent,” Nembhard said, per Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “It’s not sustained throughout the whole game. Fighting sometimes doesn’t mean making shots or looking at the stat sheet, but doing those off-stat things. Sometimes we just have to put more onus on that and value it more.”
The Celtics, who led by as many as 28 points, shot 57% from the field and drained 20 three-pointers.
“It’s just everybody raising their intensity and their effort,” forward Jarace Walker said. “We’re just gonna have to get uncomfortable and do things that we’re not used to doing to end up on the winning side. Usually our talent and our skill and our shot-making take us there, but I think we have to find different ways to impact the game and just lay it out on the floor every night.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- Why did Indiana release center James Wiseman so quickly after signing him on Dec. 20? Wiseman had to be “released” because the terms of his 10-day contract lasted through Dec. 30 but the hardship exception he was added on only lasted through Dec. 25, according to beat writer Tony East (Twitter link). The Pacers would have needed to be granted another hardship exception for Wiseman to remain with the team.
- Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith are “progressing” in their rehab, according to coach Rick Carlisle, and it’s possible that Nesmith will return this month, East tweets. Strategically planned workouts are on tap for both players. Nesmith has been sidelined since Nov. 13 due to a left knee sprain, while Sheppard has been out since Dec. 3 due to a calf strain.
- The Pacers play the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday with a road contest against the Heat. They didn’t arrive until the wee hours of the morning on Saturday as their flight to Miami was delayed for almost two hours, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets.
Injury Notes: Wembanyama, Smart, H. Jones, Sheppard
It’s unclear if he’ll be available to play, but star center Victor Wembanyama will travel with the Spurs to Los Angeles for Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Lakers, head coach Mitch Johnson told Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News and other media members (Twitter link).
Wembanyama was a full practice participant on Sunday. He was out again Monday — his 11th straight absence — due to a left calf strain he sustained on November 15.
Through 12 appearances this season, Wembanyama has averaged 26.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.6 blocks in 34.7 minutes per game. The 7’4″ big man was the first overall pick of the 2023 draft.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- The Lakers are hoping to have former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart back for Wednesday’s matchup vs. San Antonio, writes Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group. The 12th-year guard has missed the past six games due to a back issue — his injury designation has changed multiple times, with the latest being left lumbar muscle strain, Price notes. Smart went through an on-court workout on Sunday in Philadelphia. “Over the last couple days, he’s [gotten] closer,” head coach JJ Redick said before Sunday’s game. “We were hoping he’s back Wednesday, but still day-to-day.”
- After missing eight games with a right calf strain, Pelicans defensive ace Herbert Jones returned to action on Monday against San Antonio, the team announced (via Twitter). Jones, whose name has popped up in some trade rumors with New Orleans off to a disastrous 3-22 start, had a strong outing in his first game since Nov. 11, recording 17 points (on 6-of-10 shooting), six rebounds, four assists (zero turnovers), four steals and one block in 26 minutes.
- Pacers guard Ben Sheppard has a Grade 1 left calf strain and will be out at least 10 more days, head coach Rick Carlisle said on Monday (Twitter links via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). The former Belmont star has been sidelined for the past two games with the injury and will be out at least three more, with Dec. 20 at New Orleans likely being his earliest possible return date.
Injury Notes: Sheppard, Dort, Caruso, Oubre, Hornets
Pacers guard Ben Sheppard has been diagnosed with a left calf strain and will be out for at least Friday’s game against Chicago, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).
As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes (subscriber link), the Pacers have been absolutely ravaged by injuries this season, particularly in the backcourt. Sheppard, a third-year guard out of Belmont, had been one the few exceptions to that — he was one of only four players on the roster — and the only guard — to play every game in 2025/26.
Sheppard had been playing some of his best basketball of the season recently, Dopirak notes. The 24-year-old primarily plays as a wing but had to man the point at times amid several injuries to teammates. In more of an off-ball role, he had 14 points (on 5-of-5 shooting), five rebounds, two assists and two steals in 18 minutes during Wednesday’s loss to Denver.
“He’s playing hard, he’s playing fast, he’s playing unselfish,” head coach Rick Carlisle said after Wednesday’s game. “He’s applying pressure full court. These are elements that we need. Him shooting the ball, 5-of-5 tonight is no surprise. He can shoot the ball. The key thing is that through all the challenges, he’s just remained true to who he is and stepped into the shots that are his shots. That’s his job to do and that’s everybody’s job to do.”
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Thunder wing Luguentz Dort will miss his second straight game on Friday due to a strained adductor, tweets Clemente Almanza of Thunder Wire. Oklahoma City faces Dallas tomorrow evening. Dort, a member of the All-Defensive First Team in 2024/25, missed five games earlier this season with an upper right trap strain. Thunder guard Alex Caruso will be out Friday as well — he’s dealing with a quad contusion which will cause him to miss his third straight contest.
- Veteran wing Kelly Oubre Jr., who is out with a sprained LCL in his left knee, will miss at least one more week, the Sixers announced today (Twitter link via Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.com). According to Philadelphia, Oubre is progressing well in his rebab. Oubre, who turns 30 next week, has missed the past eight games and will be out for at least three more.
- Collin Sexton was forced out of Wednesday’s game due to an injury, which has been diagnosed as a left quadriceps strain, per the Hornets (Twitter link). The 26-year-old guard has been ruled out of Friday’s game at Toronto. Three other Hornets — Tre Mann (right knee soreness), Brandon Miller (left shoulder) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (left ankle contusion) are questionable to play against the Raptors.
Pacers Notes: Injuries, Mathurin, Peter, Nembhard, Carlisle
The Pacers were playing without six injured guards — Tyrese Haliburton (torn Achilles), T.J. McConnell (left hamstring strain), Kam Jones (lower back stress reaction), Quenton Jackson (right hamstring strain), Johnny Furphy (left foot soreness) and Andrew Nembhard (left shoulder strain) — during Saturday’s contest in Memphis (Twitter link).
Two more — rookie Taelon Peter (sore right groin) and Bennedict Mathurin (sore right foot) — were forced to exit the blowout loss after sustaining their own injuries, according to the team (Twitter links).
It’s an extremely unfortunate and seemingly unprecedented situation, as the reigning Eastern Conference champions now only have two healthy guards — Ben Sheppard and two-way player RayJ Dennis — on the roster just two games into the season. And even Sheppard chipped a tooth on Saturday, per Tony East of Circle City Spin (Twitter video link).
The Pacers may soon qualify for a hardship exception (perhaps more than one), depending on the severity of some of the team’s injuries.
We have more on the Pacers:
- Head coach Rick Carlisle said after Saturday’s game that Mathurin’s injury is specifically in the “forefoot” and he may undergo imaging tomorrow, assuming the Pacers can find somewhere to do it in Minneapolis on Sunday (Twitter link via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). Mathurin, who will be a restricted free agent next summer, was walking gingerly in the locker room, though he wasn’t in a walking boot or using crutches, Dopirak adds (via Twitter).
- It’s unclear how long Nembhard will be out after exiting Indiana’s season-opener against Oklahoma City. Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Substack link) provides more context on when the injury occurred, stating that Nembhard appeared to get tangled up with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the first half of Thursday’s game and immediately grabbed his left arm.
- Carlisle was incensed with the officials in the double-overtime thriller against the Thunder. As Dopirak writes (subscription required), two controversial plays involving timeouts went against Indiana during the nail-biting loss, one of which resulted in a technical foul on Carlisle. “I’m not talking about the refs,” Carlisle said after the game. “If I talk about the refs, I’m going to get fined an exorbitant amount of money.”
Andrew Nembhard Exits Pacers’ Opener With Sore Shoulder
The Pacers continue to be ravaged by point guard injuries. The team announced (via Twitter) that Andrew Nembhard has been ruled out for the second half of Thursday’s regular season opener against Oklahoma City due to left shoulder soreness.
Ben Sheppard, who missed most of the preseason with an undisclosed injury, started the second half in Nembhard’s stead, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.
Second-round pick Taelon Peter has also been getting minutes with Nembhard and several other players out, notes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (via Twitter).
In addition to star Tyrese Haliburton, who will miss the 2025/26 entire season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, veteran backup T.J. McConnell is at least a couple more weeks from returning from a left hamstring strain he sustained earlier this month. Second-rounder Kam Jones (back issue) and fourth-year guard Quenton Jackson (right hamstring soreness) are hurt as well, though the latter’s injury isn’t believed to be serious.
Indiana originally intended to sign Monte Morris to compete for a roster spot as the third-string point guard behind Nembhard and McConnell, but the deal fell through before training camp when Morris suffered a calf strain. Veteran Delon Wright was signed instead, but was released a couple weeks later after he took two brutal blows to the head during the Pacers’ preseason opener, resulting in 10 stitches above his right eye and four on his right elbow.
While it’s unclear if Nembhard will miss additional time as a result of his shoulder issue, it’s obviously not a great sign that he was forced to leave the matchup against the defending champions. The 25-year-old averaged 10.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 65 games last season (28.9 minutes per contest).
Pacers Exercise 2026/27 Options On Walker, Sheppard
The Pacers have exercised their 2026/27 options on the contracts of Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard, according to a team press release.
Walker’s fourth-year option carries a cap hit of $8,478,542, while Sheppard’s cap hit on his fourth year will be $5,031,669. Walker was the eighth pick of the 2023 draft, while Sheppard was chosen at No. 26.
The team had until the end of the month to exercise those options.
Walker appeared in 75 regular season games last season (five starts) and averaged 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 15.8 minutes. Sheppard appeared in 63 games (nine starts) and averaged 5.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 19.5 minutes per game. He also appeared in 21 postseason contests.
Both players are expected to be key bench contributors once again this season.