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.
Central Notes: Toppin, Giddey, Antetokounmpos, Haliburton, Pacers
Pacers forward Obi Toppin has scored double-digit points in seven of his last nine contests. He missed most of the season while recovering from foot surgery and has gotten more comfortable with each game, he told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star.
“When I’m out there on the floor, I really try not to think about my foot,” Toppin said. “Adrenaline is pumping. We’re just super fast running up and down the court. Those lobs or putbacks I got are just reactive things. I don’t think about my foot in those situations. It’s just, get the ball in the rim.”
Toppin has been on a minutes restriction since his return and has yet to play more than 23 minutes in a game. He agrees with that plan.
“It’s not frustrating,” said Toppin, who has two years and $31MM left on his contract after this season. “Obviously, we’re doing it for a reason. I trust coach’s judgment always. He’s been doing this for a long time and we have the best trainers in the world. Whatever they say, I’m going to do. I feel good out there. I know I had like 20 minutes (against the Lakers). I felt really good, but I’m still getting back. I don’t feel like I’m 100 percent back yet. I’m still getting back, getting my feet under me and still getting that feel.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Josh Giddey has three full seasons remaining on his four-year, $100MM contract. The Bulls point guard would like to know just what the front office plans to do to make the club a contender, according to Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune. “Everyone wants to know what’s going on,” Giddey said. “We want to know what the strategy is going forward. If you look at the way this team’s put together now, I don’t know if we’re put together to win a championship this year or whether we’re going into a rebuild or a younger phase.” Over its last 30 games, Chicago is 6-24.
- It’s logical to assume that Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s brother knows whether the superstar will remain with the Bucks or ask for a trade this offseason. That’s not the case, Eurohoops.net relays. Speaking to Toni Canyameras of Mundo Deportivo, Alex Antetokounmpo said he’s not sure, either. “I don’t know. I hope (he stays). We all love him here in Milwaukee, we all want him to stay here in Milwaukee,” said Alex , who is on a two-way deal. “So whatever he decides. I’m his family, but when I mean his family, his kids and wife decide, it’s going to be what’s best for them.”
- Tyrese Haliburton‘s recovery from an Achilles tear was enough for the Pacers guard to endure, but he had another health issue this season. Haliburton endured a bout with shingles, which he discussed on NBA on Prime (Twitter video link). “It has been so awful,” he said.
- Pacers forwards Aaron Nesmith (cervical strain) and Jarace Walker (low back bruise) will sit out Wednesday’s game against the Bulls, coach Rick Carlisle told Dopirak. Andrew Nembhard (low back) and T.J. McConnell (right hamstring) have also been ruled out due to nagging injuries, according to the injury report released Tuesday evening.
NBA Announces Finalists For Sportsmanship, Teammate Of The Year Awards
The NBA announced the 2025/26 finalists for a pair of awards on Tuesday, naming the six players who are eligible to win the Sportsmanship Award for this season, as well as the 12 players who are in the running to be named Teammate of the Year.
The Sportsmanship Award honors the player who “best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court,” per the NBA. Each of the league’s 30 teams nominates one of its players for the award, then a panel of league executives narrows that group to six finalists (one from each division) and current players voted for the winner.
The trophy for the Sportsmanship Award is named after Joe Dumars, the Hall-of-Fame guard who won the inaugural award back in ’95/96. This season’s finalists are as follows (via Twitter):
Bam Adebayo (Heat)- Harrison Barnes (Spurs)
- Al Horford (Warriors)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- T.J. McConnell (Pacers)
- Derrick White (Celtics)
Gilgeous-Alexander is the only one of this year’s finalists for the Sportsmanship Award who was also nominated last season. Whoever earns the honor for 2025/26 will be a first-time winner. Jrue Holiday took home the Joe Dumars Trophy a year ago.
Meanwhile, the NBA also announced its finalists for the Teammate of the Year award for 2025/26. According to the league, the player selected for the honor is “deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.”
The voting process is similar to the Sportsmanship Award — a panel of league executives selects 12 finalists (six from each conference) for the award, then current players vote on the winner.
Holiday is a three-time Teammate of the Year, having earned the honor in 2020, 2022, and 2023. He’s the only past recipient who is among this season’s group of finalists.
Those Teammate of the Year finalists are as follows (via Twitter):
- Desmond Bane (Magic)
- Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
- Pat Connaughton (Hornets)
- De’Aaron Fox (Spurs)
- Jeff Green (Rockets)
- Jrue Holiday (Trail Blazers)
- DeAndre Jordan (Pelicans)
- Duncan Robinson (Pistons)
- Marcus Smart (Lakers)
- Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
- Garrett Temple (Raptors)
- Jaylin Williams (Thunder)
Ivica Zubac Will Make Pacers Debut Thursday
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.
Injury Notes: Prince, Collins, Pacers, Goodwin
Bucks forward Taurean Prince has been upgraded to questionable ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with Phoenix, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
It’s a surprising development, as Prince has been out since November after undergoing surgery to address a herniated disk in his neck. The Bucks applied for a disabled player exception in the wake of Prince’s injury, and NBA doctors determined he was more likely than not to be out through June 15, because Milwaukee was granted the DPE, per Eric Pincus of Sports Business Classroom.
While it’s unlikely the Bucks will use the $1,651,887 disabled player exception they received for Prince anyway, it’s worth noting that they would forfeit it if he’s active tomorrow. Incidentally, Tuesday is also the deadline for teams to use DPEs.
According to Nehm (Twitter link), Prince has been working out regularly on the court after practices and prior to games since he returned to the team following the surgery. The 31-year-old sent out a tweet indicating that he’s close to playing again.
Prince, a 10-year veteran, last played on November 4, Milwaukee’s eighth game of the season. He holds a $3.8MM player option for 2026/27.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- The Clippers expect John Collins to remain sidelined this week as he continues to deal with a neck strain, per Mark Medina (Twitter link). Collins, who last played on March 1, missed his fifth straight game on Monday. The 28-year-old power forward has done some on-court work, Medina adds. Collins will be a free agent this summer.
- The Pacers will be without All-Star forward Pascal Siakam (right knee sprain) and backup point guard T.J. McConnell (right hamstring soreness) on Tuesday against Sacramento, the team announced (via Twitter). Starting point guard Andrew Nembhard is also unlikely to suit up, having been listed as doubtful due to lower back and neck soreness.
- Suns guard Jordan Goodwin has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday’s game at Milwaukee, according to Gerald Bourguet of Suns After Dark (Twitter link). Goodwin, a tenacious rebounder and defender, has missed Phoenix’s last seven games due to a left calf strain. Grayson Allen (right knee injury management) is also questionable for the Suns.
Central Notes: Pistons, Harden, Dieng, McConnell
The Pistons aren’t panicking even though their comfortable lead atop the East has eroded after their worst week of the season, writes Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. Detroit suffered its fourth straight loss Sunday in Miami and is now just two-and-a-half games ahead of Boston in the race for the No. 1 seed.
“It’s the NBA, right? And you look at the season, it’s long,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Everybody goes through difficult times or goes through a little bit of a rut. And we just found ours right now. And again, we’ve got plenty of time left to do what we got to do. Boston, obviously, is a good team. But we’re not concerned about Boston. Our biggest concern is making sure we’re doing what we need to do to go out and be as good as we possibly can.”
Cade Cunningham returned after sitting out Saturday’s loss to Brooklyn with a left quad contusion, but his 26 points and 10 assists weren’t enough to get the Pistons back in the win column. Reynolds points out that the schedule has been challenging recently – with three of the four losses coming against Cleveland, San Antonio and Miami – which is among the reasons the team isn’t overreacting to a tough stretch.
“Obviously, it’s probably our biggest dose of adversity all year,” Tobias Harris said. “We’ll be fine. Keep our head high and just (move) on to the next. But along this way, along this journey, let’s figure out ways that we can be better as a group.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Sunday’s home loss to Boston was a discouraging outcome for a Cavaliers team that’s trying to build a new identity after trading for James Harden, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com observes in a subscriber-only story. The Celtics were dominant for most of the afternoon and are looming as a tough matchup for the Cavs if they meet in the playoffs. “I told everybody, that’s the standard right there,” Harden said. “Me being in my 10th or 11th game here, that’s the level that we’ve gotta get to, Boston. Once we get there, because I know we’re good enough, we will get there, then we’ll be a much better team.”
- Ousmane Dieng did some intensive studying after being traded to the Bucks last month and was able to learn the playbook in two or three days, per Lori Nickel of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (subscription required). Dieng had been stuck on the bench for most of his career in Oklahoma City, but he’s been much more productive since the deal. “When you play the right way, you can play with anybody, or any team,” he said. “I just feel like I play the right way.”
- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle expressed concern about T.J. McConnell, who was forced out of Sunday’s game with soreness in his right hamstring, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link).
Pacers Notes: Toppin, Q. Jackson, Slawson, Two-Ways, More
In a season in which the Pacers have been decimated by injuries, the team got a morale boost on Thursday when Obi Toppin returned to action after missing nearly all of 2025/26 following foot surgery, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required). The popular sixth-year forward received a “thunderous standing ovation” from the home crowd when he was introduced as a starter.
“He’s our engine,” veteran point guard T.J. McConnell said. “He brings energy on both ends of the floor. To have him back, it’s just such a positive for our team. We’ve missed him dearly. He’s worked tirelessly to come back. … It just didn’t look like he missed a beat. It looked like he was having fun out there and I was just really happy for him.”
According to Dopirak, Toppin said he initially felt something in his right hamstring on October 26, when he exited Indiana’s third game of the season. Doctors determined that his hamstring was OK, but he was also experiencing discomfort in his right foot and underwent an MRI, which revealed a fracture in his fifth metatarsal bone. Toppin, who turns 28 years old in a few days, said he was determined to return this season.
“I always want to be out there on the floor,” Toppin said. “I wasn’t rushing to come back, but I definitely want to go out there. We’re still a team. We still want to find that rhythm. We’re not having the greatest year this year, but to find that rhythm and connectivity with the team. We have standards, we have things that we go by, so going out there and playing the right way for the team, whether that’s for this year or next year, we still have a lot of games coming up. Just continue to play the right way and show the younger guys how this goes.”
Toppin was limited to eight minutes and 29 seconds of playing time in Thursday’s loss and head coach Rick Carlisle indicated he would be on a minutes restriction for the rest of the season, Dopirak writes. Carlisle also praised Toppin’s versatility and fit with Indiana.
“Just the reaction of the crowd was heartwarming,” Carlisle said. “He’s a guy that brings energy to our team and our situation. … We need him.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- Most of the roster was in attendance on Friday for a Pascal Siakam fundraiser when the team surprised Quenton Jackson with the news that he being converted to a three-year standard contract, per Dopirak (subscriber link). The Pacers released a video of the interaction (Twitter link). “He’s really earned it,” Carlisle said of the fourth-year guard. “… He’s a culture enhancer. That’s really the starting point with him. His game is something that is really helped us. He’s versatile. He can play two guard positions. He defends. He can run a team. He can play off the ball. A lot of good stuff. Our fans love him. When he comes in the game he just energizes things.” Jackson said he was grateful for the promotion but remains determined to keep improving his game.
- Jalen Slawson‘s two-way contract covers the rest of the 2025/26 season, reports Forbes contributor Tony East. The Pacers called up Slawson from their G League affiliate, the Noblesville Boom, when they converted Jackson. “I think he’s an NBA player,” Carlisle said. “He’s had a good year with the Boom and this will be a great opportunity for him to play some games.” Slawson, a former second-round pick, will be a restricted free agent this summer if the Pacers give him a two-way qualifying offer.
- The Pacers will have to carefully manage their two-way players for the rest of the season, as each player has a limited amount of games in which he can be active, East writes for Forbes. Taelon Peter can be active for 14 more games, Slawson can be active for up to 13 and Ethan Thompson has 10 games of eligibility left. Indiana has 22 games remaining in ’25/26.
- A pair of Boom players have season-ending injuries, the team announced in a press release. Forward Gabe McGlothan suffered multiple rib fractures in a game on February 22, while forward Ray Spalding will undergo surgery on his right middle finger. Both players are expected to make full recoveries, per the Boom.
Pacers Notes: Huff, McConnell, Injuries, Bradley
Pacers center Jay Huff had a career night in Friday’s win over New Orleans, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required). The 7’1″ big man posted a career-best 29 points (on 13-of-17 shooting) while chipping in nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 29 minutes.
“(Huff’s) getting better just at understanding where he needs to be,” Pascal Siakam said. “Continuing to run the floor, get some good rolls. He’s a shooter, so sometimes I think he forgets that he’s seven-feet, you know?
“So get down there. Get some of those dunks, those tricky ones — he owes me an assist today too for that missed dunk he had — but naw, I think he’s just playing free, shooting open shots, running hard and playing hard and getting those rolls and he’s able to get buckets.”
Huff, who was acquired in an offseason trade with Memphis, got off to a relatively slow start with Indiana, averaging 7.8 points and 3.9 rebounds on .413/.294/.833 shooting in 34 games through the end of December (19.5 minutes per contest), Dopirak notes. However, the 27-year-old has played some of the best basketball of his career since the start of the new year, scoring 20-plus points three times and averaging 13.4 PPG and 3.6 RPG on .667/.424/.833 shooting over the past eight games (23.0 MPG).
“There’s growth with his connection with his teammates,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s feeling the game that we play better and better all the time.”
Known for his shot-blocking prowess, Huff — a former G League Defensive Player of the Year — is second in the league in blocks per game (2.1) among players who qualify, Dopriak adds.
Here’s more from Indianapolis:
- While there was little doubt that he would reach the threshold given that he’s been regular part of the rotation, Huff also had his salary for 2026/27 fully guaranteed after playing at least 825 minutes in 2025/26 — he’s currently at 845. His contract previously featured a $379K partial guarantee for next season, but he will now earn a guaranteed $2,667,944. The Pacers have a 2027/28 team option on Huff worth $3,005,085 — that figure will now be guaranteed as well if the option is exercised.
- Backup point guard T.J. McConnell joined Lou Williams as just the second player in NBA history to record at least 3,000 assists off the bench, per Tony East of Circle City Spin. The 33-year-old dished out nine assists on Friday to surpass that threshold. “Getting an assist, my teammates have to make the shots at the end of the day,” he said. “So for me, this says more about the players that I’ve played with in Philadelphia and especially here. Been fortunate to play with some great players in some great locker rooms, and just thankful for each and every teammate I’ve played with.”
- The Pacers will be shorthanded on Saturday in Detroit on the second of a back-to-back, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Siakam (rest), McConnell (left knee/elbow injury management), Aaron Nesmith (rest) and Andrew Nembhard (lower back injury management) are all out. However, center Isaiah Jackson has a chance to return — he has been upgraded to questionable. Jackson has been out since December 23 due to a concussion.
- Tony Bradley‘s 10-day contract will expire on Saturday night, East notes (via Twitter). The veteran big man was waived at the beginning of January before his contract became guaranteed but Indiana brought him back a few days later. The Pacers have the option to re-sign Bradley to a second 10-day deal.
Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith Expected To Return Saturday
Pacers small forward Aaron Nesmith has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s game in Miami, the team announced (via Twitter).
According to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link), Nesmith is expected to play tonight. He has been out since November 13 — a span of 19 games — due to a left knee sprain.
Head coach Rick Carlisle indicated on Friday evening that Nesmith had a chance to return at some point in December.
In 11 games this season, Nesmith was averaging 15.5 points and 4.5 rebounds while converting 37.3% of his three-point attempts, though he’s also shooting a career-worst 35.9% on twos. The latter figure will likely normalize over time, as 11 games is obviously a small sample size.
The 26-year-old wing, who is a strong and versatile perimeter defender, played an important role in helping Indiana reach the NBA Finals last season. Nesmith signed a veteran contract extension in October and cannot be traded in 2025/26.
Longtime backup point guard T.J. McConnell, who played 14 minutes in Friday’s loss to Boston, will be out Saturday due to right hamstring soreness, per the Pacers.
Pascal Siakam: Constant Losing ‘Not Fun To Be Around’
The frustrations of losing are starting to boil over for the Pacers, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. T.J. McConnell questioned the team’s effort following Saturday’s loss to New Orleans, and Pascal Siakam delivered a more intense version of that message after Tuesday’s 17-point defeat against Milwaukee. Siakam spoke for nine minutes about the various shortcomings that led to a sixth straight loss and a 6-24 record.
“We just didn’t play with any pace, any determination,” he said. “It looked out there like we were just jacking shots sometimes. We played with no force. We just didn’t have it. It’s hard to evaluate our offense because it just looked like we didn’t try hard enough. … It doesn’t look like we have any pace or any pep to anything that we’re doing. We just look slow. There’s no energy. It’s not fun to be around.”
It’s only been six months since the Pacers came within a game of winning their first NBA title, and their sudden nosedive is likely temporary. It began when star guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles tear in Game 7 of the Finals and has continued amid a long string of injuries dating back to the start of the season. Indiana has struggled to field a competitive roster, signing Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Garrison Mathews, Gabe McGlothan and James Wiseman to hardship contracts over the past six weeks.
Haliburton is expected to make a full recovery by the start of next season, most of last year’s playoff roster is still in place, and the Pacers seem headed for a top pick in the draft. The team is well-positioned to return to contention quickly, but that provides little solace for Siakam right now.
“I really care about it and I hate, I hate, I hate losing, so it’s not fun,” he said. “It’s hard. I don’t think I’ve been the happiest. Maybe I have to fix it. I don’t look good out there most of the time, just because I can’t stand it. It drives me crazy. I’m trying to find solutions. I’m trying to get better. I’m trying to take it out, but it dictates my attitude and the way I am.”
Dopirak points out that the idea of tanking for one season isn’t as simple as fans tend to believe. The constant losing takes a toll on the players, and their natural competitiveness begins to wane. Siakam referenced that on Tuesday, saying he’s seeing less urgency from the roster to turn the season around. A play-in spot already seems out of reach, and it’s better for the Pacers in the long run to finish as close to the bottom as possible to maximize their lottery chances.
Siakam added that he still does intensive film study and constantly thinks about how he can improve. He declined to say whether his teammates are showing that same level of commitment, adding that the record speaks for itself.
“I don’t know,” he said. “The product isn’t good. We’re losing games. We have to figure it out. We all have to ask ourselves, ‘What can we do?’ Everyone has to come in wanting to make a change.”