Larry Nance Jr. has become a tough watch for the Pacers, and the bigger problem is that Indiana never really planned on needing him like this.
There’s a misunderstanding in some Pacers circles about what Nance was supposed to be. Yes, he’s on the roster to play basketball. But if Indiana had stayed healthy, if Ivica Zubac had not gone down with an injury just a handful of games into the season, and if the big man rotation hadn’t been so badly thinned out, Nance would have been stuck on the end of the bench.
He was always more of a James Johnson type of piece - a veteran voice for a young team, someone who could help bridge the locker room and the coaching staff. Johnson mostly lived in garbage time, and that was the expectation for Nance too.
Instead, he’s been forced into a much bigger role than anyone wanted. It’s the classic “accidentally becoming important at work, and it’s ruining my life” situation, except the job is basketball and the workload is exposing just how far beyond his lane he’s being pushed.
Nance is likely to miss Monday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks because of an illness, which may be a relief for anyone tired of seeing him in Pacers yellow. But the truth is, there’s no real blame to place on him for how rough this has looked.
He’s old and washed, and that was never a secret. The real issue is whether Indiana can patch together his spot quickly enough after using one of its standard roster spots on a player who has become a non-factor.
That move came at a cost. To make room for Nance while keeping standout two-way player Jalen Slawson on the roster, the Pacers cut Micah Potter, who is now with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Potter wasn’t anything special, but he probably would have offered more than Nance has. And while fans were talking up Jay Huff as one of the league’s best backup centers, he hasn’t quite lived up to that buzz. His uneven play has only reinforced the reality that, without Zubac, the Pacers don’t have a center they can truly count on.
That leaves Indiana in a tough spot, especially in a league that already doesn’t have much center depth to go around.
Could the Pacers call the Dallas Mavericks, where Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively are playing minor roles off the bench? Could they try to get Dwight Powell off his couch as the best free-agent option? Could they even bring Potter back from Portland?
None of those answers comes easy. At this point, all Indiana can really do is wait and hope the season is still salvageable once its players start coming back.
In Other News...
Pacers Trade Is Under Fire At The Worst Possible Time
The Pacers are already navigating a rough stretch, and the timing has made an old trade look even more painful. Indiana lost its 2026 first-round draft pick because of the protections tied to the Ivica Zubac deal with the Clippers, a cost that now feels especially steep with the team trying to hold things together through a difficult season.
Zubac has been limited in games for Indiana this year because of a left ankle injury, leaving the Pacers without the kind of return they hoped would soften the blow. Add in the injury to All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, and the combination has only sharpened the scrutiny on a move that is now being judged alongside the team's current struggles. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Got Caught In A Viral Julius Randle Moment
The Pacers were part of the backdrop for one of the more talked-about moments from Brooklyns first win of the season, a night that had just enough edge to turn a routine regular-season game into something more memorable. Julius Randles hard foul led to a rare on-court confrontation, and the exchange quickly took on a life of its own once a hot mic caught his warning to an opposing player.
Randle still finished the game with 20 points, five rebounds and six assists, which only added to the attention around the moment. He also had his next matchup on his mind afterward, looking ahead to a game against his former team, the New York Knicks, while the Pacers were left dealing with the kind of viral scene that can linger well beyond the final buzzer. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Could Catch A Huge Break Against Atlanta Tonight
The Hawks come into tonights matchup with Indiana already shorthanded, and that matters for a Pacers team looking to steady itself early in the season. Atlanta is dealing with a cluster of availability issues, including Jalen Johnson, who is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain, while rookie point guard Kingston Flemings is out because of suspension and center Jock Landale is sidelined with a hip strain.
For Indiana, the opening is obvious: a road game against a team trying to patch together its rotation can change quickly if the Pacers bring the right pace and pressure. Johnsons status is the biggest swing factor, especially with his uneven shooting this season, and the Hawks thin frontcourt and backcourt depth could leave them vulnerable if he cannot go. [Read more 🡒]