TJ McConnell’s body has always been part of the story. That was true when he broke into the league as an undersized guard who had to squeeze every ounce of value out of toughness and conviction, and it’s still true now that he’s 34 and the Pacers are watching the clock on what’s left.
That reality is why his latest setback lands so hard. McConnell is set to miss Indiana’s first game of the season with a hamstring strain, a rough start for a player the Pacers badly need available. They don’t really have a like-for-like answer behind him, which makes his presence off the bench even more important.
There’s no softening the bigger picture, either. McConnell’s career is moving toward its final stretch, and it feels like he may have two to three years left at most before the end arrives. The Pacers are hoping the 34-year-old can still give them something close to the version of him that helped them as a key bench piece on a team that reached the NBA Finals.
What makes McConnell’s run stand out is how little margin for error he’s ever had. He never had elite burst to lean on, the kind of athletic pop that helped players like Nate Robinson or Muggsy Bogues survive at that size.
He also didn’t have the outside shooting to fall back on. What he had was heart and a fierce belief in himself, and that was enough to carve out an unusually long career.
The comparison to LeBron James makes the point in its own way. McConnell surviving into his age-34 season as a six-foot-flat point guard is, in some respects, as remarkable as James reaching a record-setting 24th NBA season.
James is a six-foot-nine force of nature built for the game at a level that almost defies time. Even as his athletic edge has dulled, his frame has always given him a path to remain elite.
McConnell has never had that kind of physical buffer. He has lived on pure survival skills in a league that usually grinds players like him down much earlier.
That’s what makes his career feel so uncommon. In the years McConnell has been with the Pacers, Trae Young has been drafted, become a prime-level player with the Atlanta Hawks, and now has been traded to the Washington Wizards, with that stretch as an elite star already over.
If this is indeed the final chapter for McConnell, it’s hard to overstate how unusual the whole ride has been.
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 🡒]
Pascal Siakam Sees One Real Chance For Pacers To Bounce Back
The Pacers are heading into a new season with a roster that looks very different from the one that finished last year, and Pascal Siakam is one of the main reasons there is real optimism around the group. Indiana has 17 players on the roster, with ages ranging from 21 to 34, and the mix of young talent and veteran steadiness gives the team a chance to stabilize after a 19-win season.
Siakam, who arrived in January 2024, has seen enough of the locker room to know the bounce-back will have to come from more than just hope. Indiana opens against the New Orleans Pelicans, and several new veterans alongside younger players are expected to shoulder meaningful roles right away, giving the Pacers an early test of whether this version of the team can turn promise into progress. [Read more 🡒]