Pacers guard Ben Sheppard is on track to have surgery Wednesday after tearing the meniscus in his left knee last week, head coach Rick Carlisle said ahead of Monday’s game, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.
The Pacers still aren’t offering a firm recovery timetable, but Carlisle had already said Sheppard could miss “a few weeks.” That points to a meniscectomy rather than a full repair, which would be the quicker route back. A meniscectomy typically takes weeks to recover from; a full repair can keep a player out for months.
Carlisle also had a more upbeat read on center Ivica Zubac after Sunday’s left ankle sprain. Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star relayed Carlisle’s update, and the coach said Zubac is “doing better.”
“He walked into the arena with no boot,” Carlisle said. “… No timetable, but encouraging. A lot of swelling last night, but better today.”
Andrew Nembhard was out Monday in Milwaukee because of what Carlisle called a “back issue we’re trying to work through.” Carlisle said he doesn’t yet know if Nembhard will need more time off.
Around the league, Rockets center Steven Adams will be sidelined until sometime in November, Ime Udoka said Monday. Will Guillory of The Athletic reported that Adams, who was already ruled out for tonight’s game with a right soleus strain, had imaging done on the calf and is expected to miss at least the next week or two.
Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa sat for a fourth straight game to open his rookie year on Monday, but Brian Keefe said the No. 1 overall pick is “progressing in a very positive way” and should do more on-court work Tuesday. Josh Robbins of The Athletic reported that Keefe would not say whether Dybantsa could return Wednesday in Cleveland.
In Charlotte, Charles Lee said there is still no set timeline for Coby White, Kon Knueppel and Grant Williams. White is dealing with a left calf strain, Knueppel with a left hamstring strain, and Williams with a right hamstring strain. Lee said all three are making “positive steps” and expects to have a better update after the Hornets finish their two-game road swing through Detroit on Wednesday and Washington on Friday.
And in Denver, the hope is that Spencer Jones will make his 2026/27 debut within the next three games, according to Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette. Jones has been out since training camp and is still being managed for bilateral hamstring injury management.
In Other News...
Dennis Schroder Is Giving Hornets Fans A Reason To Believe
Dennis Schroder is wasting little time making himself comfortable in Charlotte. In the Hornets' 115-110 win over the Miami Heat, the veteran guard poured in 25 points and gave a crowd still trying to size up this new-look team a clear glimpse of what he can provide. It was the kind of performance that fit the Hornets early-season tone, with Charlotte moving to 2-1 and beginning to look a little more steady than some expected.
Schroders journey is part of what makes this start so interesting. He arrived from the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason and has now played for 12 NBA teams, bringing both experience and a well-traveled rsum to a Hornets roster that could use exactly that kind of stability. Charlottes next test comes against the Washington Wizards, and if Schroder keeps producing like this, he may keep giving Hornets fans a reason to believe this group can be competitive sooner than later. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Miller Is Putting Together A Hornets Performance With Historic Stakes
Brandon Miller kept the Hornets in control early against Washington, pouring in 18 first-half points at home and knocking down three shots from beyond the arc as Charlotte built a 54-44 lead by halftime. Moussa Diabate also gave the Hornets a lift on the glass with 12 rebounds, but Miller was the clear scoring engine as the game settled into a pace that suited Charlotte.
The bigger picture around Miller's start is how quickly he has established himself as a long-range threat. In reaching 500 career three-pointers in just 170 games, he moved into rare air as one of the fastest players in NBA history to get there, another sign that his shooting load is already becoming a defining part of what the Hornets can build around. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets May Be Turning A Corner Faster Than Anyone Expected
The early signs around Charlotte keep getting harder to ignore. The Hornets moved to 3-1 with a 110-103 win over the Wizards, and this one had the kind of balance and edge that suggests their start is no fluke. Brandon Miller was the clear headliner, and Moussa Diabat gave the group a serious lift on the glass with 17 rebounds as Charlotte kept control of the game when it mattered most.
What stood out just as much was how clean the Hornets played. They limited mistakes, protected possessions, and showed a level of discipline that has often been missing in recent seasons. If this is the version of Charlotte that keeps showing up, the bigger question is no longer whether the team can compete early, but how far this pace can really carry them. [Read more 🡒]