The Indiana Pacers may be heading into their first preseason game without two of their point guards.
Rick Carlisle said Tuesday that T.J. McConnell missed Sunday’s FanJam because of “physical considerartions,” and the coach still did not have a firm answer on whether McConnell would be available Wednesday, October 7, 2026, when the Pacers face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Ames, Iowa. Quenton Jackson was also out of the FanJam for the same reason, and Carlisle again had no definitive update on his status for the preseason opener.
Sunday’s annual event at Gainbridge Fieldhouse drew a sold-out crowd and featured an intrasquad scrimmage, but McConnell - the Pacers’ longest-tenured player - was not on the floor. Jackson was absent as well.
If both guards sit, the door opens for rookie point guard Braden Smith to get a much bigger look. The Purdue standout was the only point guard for the Blue Team during the FanJam scrimmage and played well in its 39-28 win. For Smith, it would be his first real chance to test himself against NBA-level competition and give the staff a better read on how much he has progressed since Summer League.
The Pacers have not yet decided how many minutes the starters will play, though that number is usually limited in preseason games. Because the matchup is being played at Tyrese Haliburton’s alma mater, Iowa State, he might see a slightly heavier workload than usual, but that still appears unlikely.
Indiana could also lean on more staggered lineups, with Andrew Nembhard serving as another point guard option. Even so, Smith appears set for a larger role than the starters, who are not expected to be pushed too hard.
The Pacers and Timberwolves tip off tomorrow night, with the game available on DAZN and on NBA TV outside the state.
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Tyrese Haliburtons return from injury is the headliner, and for Pacers fans it is the biggest reason to tune in. After missing time, his presence immediately changes the tone of the game, even in a preseason setting, because it starts to answer the questions that have lingered all offseason about Indianas backcourt and overall rhythm. There will be other things to monitor, from the frontcourt battle with Rudy Gobert in mind to how Minnesotas reshaped roster looks, but Haliburton is the player who can make this feel like the first real step into the new season. [Read more 🡒]
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Indiana did address one major hole by bringing in Ivica Zubac in a trade, giving the Pacers a different kind of presence up front, but the larger question is whether that moves the needle enough for a team with bigger goals. For all the urgency around the coming season, the real pivot point may not arrive until the 2027 trade deadline, when the Pacers are expected to be aggressive if they want to keep pace in a crowded conference and push Haliburtons return into something more meaningful. [Read more 🡒]