The Pacers open the season Wednesday night in New Orleans, but they’ll be doing it without two important pieces of the rotation.
According to the team’s social media account on X, starting small forward Aaron Nesmith has been ruled out against the Pelicans because of a left hamstring strain. Nesmith missed Indiana’s final two preseason games with the injury, though the exact severity wasn’t clear at the time. Now that it has kept him out of the first regular-season game, the concern around it is a little louder.
The other absence is T.J. McConnell, who remains out with a right hamstring strain. He sat out the entire preseason, so this one has already stretched deeper into the calendar and will need to be watched closely.
Nesmith’s absence does at least open the door for Kelly Oubre Jr. to keep handling starter’s minutes on the wing after fitting smoothly into the group during the preseason. Indiana got three preseason games with him alongside the starters, and that mattered.
In 16.5 minutes per game, Oubre posted 8.5 points while shooting 52.2% from the field (12-23) and 46.2% from three (6-13). Even while he’s still learning the Pacers’ scheme and terminology, that early run with the first unit gave him a useful head start.
With Nesmith out, Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard are in line for larger jobs off the bench at the backup two and three spots. Walker also missed the final two preseason games with an undisclosed injury, though his name was not included on the injury report.
McConnell’s absence leaves Indiana with a decision to make in the backcourt. The Pacers can trim the rotation and use Andrew Nembhard as the backup point guard, or they can go deeper and bring Quenton Jackson into the second unit. There’s also a path where Braden Smith dresses in case the Pacers need extra help at the position.
Depth is one of the biggest strengths on this roster, but starting the year with two rotation players already sidelined is hardly the ideal beginning for a team coming off a 19-63 season and trying to turn the page.
In Other News...
Pacers Open The Season With A Problem They Didn't Want
The Pacers head into their season opener already having to reshuffle the rotation, and the timing could not be much worse. Aaron Nesmith has been ruled out with a left hamstring strain, leaving Indiana without its starting small forward as it tries to get the new season moving in the right direction. His absence hands Kelly Oubre Jr. a chance to step into the lineup, while the injury also nudges the coaching staff toward more minutes for the wing depth behind him.
There is more uncertainty in the backcourt, too, with T.J. McConnell still sidelined by a right hamstring strain. For a team that leans on pace, pressure and energy, losing two rotation pieces before the first game is a frustrating start, especially when the bench is supposed to help stabilize things early. Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard are among the players who could be asked to pick up some of the slack, and the opening stretch now comes with an immediate test of Indiana's depth. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Trade Buzz Hints At A Bigger Plan Around Haliburton
The Pacers offseason chatter has started to sharpen around the idea that the front office is looking for more than just a bounce-back year. Bleacher Reports Dan Favale recently named three possible trade targets for Indiana in Yves Missi, Jaylin Williams and Jordan Walsh, a list that points to the kind of roster-building decisions the team may be weighing as it tries to keep pace in a crowded East.
A healthy Tyrese Haliburton changes the conversation almost immediately. Indiana is expected to take a step forward with Haliburton back from injury, and the projections reflect a team that could win a lot of games if the supporting cast fits properly around him. Haliburton already signed his five-year extension in 2023, so the long-term plan is clear enough - now the interesting part is whether the Pacers use trade talks to accelerate it. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Suddenly Face A T.J. McConnell Concern They Can't Ignore
T.J. McConnells availability has suddenly become an early Pacers concern, with the veteran guard expected to miss the first game of the season because of a hamstring strain. For a team that leans on his pace, energy and steadying presence, the timing is hard to ignore, especially with the regular season just getting underway and the point guard room looking thinner than usual.
McConnells value has always come from the same relentless style that has helped him last this long, even as he enters his mid-30s and continues to battle the wear that comes with playing that way. The bigger question now is not just how long he sits, but what Indiana does if this becomes more than a short-term issue, because there isnt a clear like-for-like answer waiting behind him. [Read more 🡒]