RADIO
Kelly Oubre Jr. Could Miss Another Game Saturday
Indiana Pacers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (calf) is questionable for Saturday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets in Mexico City. Oubre has not played since Nov. 1, when he finished with 11 points and two rebounds in 20 minutes against Brooklyn. The 30-year-old is averaging 9.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 23.1 minutes during his first season with Indiana, but his 25.9% shooting from deep has limited his fantasy appeal. If Oubre sits again, Jarace Walker should remain in line for additional wing and frontcourt minutes.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Kelly Oubre Jr. Misses Second Straight Game
Indiana Pacers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (calf) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies with a left calf contusion. Oubre was also a late scratch Monday against Atlanta due to a bruised left knee, so this will be his second straight absence. He is averaging 9.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists through seven games in his first season with Indiana. Jarace Walker should remain involved after averaging 31.0 minutes over his last three games, though the returns of Obi Toppin and Ivica Zubac could keep his workload from reaching Monday's 45-minute mark again. Oubre's next chance to return comes Saturday against Denver.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Obi Toppin Cleared to Play Wednesday
Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (back) is available for Wednesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies after missing three straight contests with a lumbar strain. Toppin's back tightened up before shootaround in Miami on Oct. 30, but he is ready to return after nearly a week on the sidelines. The 28-year-old was playing well before the injury, averaging 15.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 threes in 22.8 minutes while shooting 53.8% from the field. With Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (calf) sidelined, Toppin should get every chance to return to that workload, which could cut into Jarace Walker's minutes now that Ivica Zubac (ankle) is cleared as well.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Obi Toppin Iffy Against Brooklyn
Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (back) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Brooklyn Nets after missing Friday's loss to Miami with low back soreness. The 28-year-old has been one of Indiana's most productive reserves, averaging 15.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 threes in 22.8 minutes while shooting 53.8 percent from the field. Ivica Zubac (ankle) is still out, so getting Toppin back would give the Pacers some much-needed frontcourt scoring. If he sits again, Jarace Walker and Kobe Brown could pick up more minutes.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Aaron Nesmith Listed as Probable for Sunday
Indiana Pacers guard/forward Aaron Nesmith (hamstring) is probable for Sunday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. Nesmith has played through the hamstring issue in five straight games, logging between 19 and 27 minutes during that stretch. He finished Friday's loss to Miami with nine points, three rebounds, and two assists in 21 minutes while shooting 2-for-4 from the field. Indiana is still without Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring), T.J. McConnell (hamstring) and Ivica Zubac (ankle), so Nesmith should continue to have a steady place in the rotation. His fantasy value will mostly come from three-point shooting, but the minutes should be there while the Pacers remain short-handed.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Obi Toppin Downgraded to Out Friday
Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (back) has been ruled out for Friday's NBA Cup matchup against the Miami Heat after being added to the injury report with low back soreness. The 28-year-old has been one of Indiana's most productive reserves, averaging 15.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 threes in 22.8 minutes while shooting 53.8 percent from the field. His absence leaves the Pacers even thinner up front with Ivica Zubac (ankle) also out. Jay Huff could be asked to handle more of the work at the center, while Jarace Walker and Kelly Oubre Jr. should have a little more room in the forward rotation.
Source: Scott Agness
Source: Scott Agness
Aaron Nesmith Will Play Friday in Miami
Indiana Pacers guard/forward Aaron Nesmith (hamstring) is available for Friday's NBA Cup matchup against the Miami Heat. Nesmith has played through the hamstring issue over the past four games and reached a season-high 27 minutes Wednesday against Philadelphia. The 27-year-old is averaging 13.3 points and 2.3 threes in 21.8 minutes while shooting 38.6 percent from the field. Indiana is missing several rotation pieces, including Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring), T.J. McConnell (hamstring) and Obi Toppin (back), so Nesmith should continue getting plenty of chances to score from the perimeter.
Source: Scott Agness
Source: Scott Agness
Aaron Nesmith Likely to Suit Up Friday
Indiana Pacers guard/forward Aaron Nesmith (hamstring) is probable for Friday's game against the Miami Heat. Nesmith has played four straight games since missing the season opener and saw his workload climb to a season-high 27 minutes Wednesday against Philadelphia. He finished with 18 points, three triples and two steals despite shooting 5-for-16 from the field. Nesmith had hovered around 20 minutes in his previous three outings, so the increase is a good sign for his role. With Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) sidelined, Nesmith should continue getting chances to score, while Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker would be in line for more work if his hamstring causes any trouble.
Source: Indiana Pacers
Source: Indiana Pacers
Aaron Nesmith Good to Go Monday
Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (hamstring) is available for Monday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. The 27-year-old carried a probable tag due to a left hamstring strain after returning to the starting lineup Sunday and scoring 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting in 19 minutes against Brooklyn. Nesmith had nine points and four rebounds off the bench in his season debut Friday, and Indiana's depleted guard rotation should keep him firmly involved. With Andrew Nembhard (neck), T.J. McConnell (hamstring) and Ben Sheppard (knee) all out, Nesmith could be asked to take on a little more of the scoring load.
Source: Scott Agness
Source: Scott Agness
James Johnson Returns to Pacers on Exhibit 9 Deal
Forward James Johnson is returning to the Indiana Pacers on a training camp deal, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. The IndyStar reports that the contract is a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 deal. The 39-year-old sat out the 2025-26 season after appearing in just 39 games across three previous seasons with Indiana, averaging 6.3 minutes. Johnson remains valued more for his veteran presence than his on-court production. Indiana is only about $2.2 million below the first apron, and keeping Johnson on a veteran minimum deal would cost roughly $2.4 million against the cap. That makes his chances of sticking on the opening-night roster slim, and he remains off the fantasy radar.
Source: Jake Fischer
Source: Jake Fischer
Ben Sheppard Enters Camp Fighting for Minutes
Indiana Pacers guard/forward Ben Sheppard is likely to open the season in the third unit, according to Alex Golden of Pacers On SI. The 25-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie-scale contract after averaging 7.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.6 steals in 21.4 minutes across 65 games last season. The path back to steady minutes is tighter with Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) returning and Kelly Oubre Jr. added to the wing mix. Golden expects Sheppard and Jarace Walker to battle for rotation minutes in camp. Sheppard's best argument is the jumper, as he shot 42.3 percent from three from Dec. 1 on. He needs that shooting to stick to avoid falling off the fantasy radar.
Source: Alex Golden
Source: Alex Golden
Kelly Oubre Jr. Set for Heavy Bench Minutes
Indiana Pacers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. could play the most minutes off the bench this season, according to Pacers On SI's Alex Golden. Oubre signed a two-year deal worth nearly $17 million in July, giving Indiana a veteran wing to help replace the role Bennedict Mathurin left behind in the Ivica Zubac trade. The 30-year-old averaged 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 50 games with Philadelphia last season while shooting a career-best 36.0 percent from three. Tyrese Haliburton's return and Zubac's interior role should push Oubre toward more cutting, corner shooting, and defensive work than shot creation. His steals can travel, but the fantasy ceiling depends on minutes and whether the shooting holds.
Source: Alex Golden
Source: Alex Golden
Aaron Nesmith Refines Ball-Handling in Offseason
Indiana Pacers guard/forward Aaron Nesmith said he used the offseason to get healthy and tighten his ball handling, speaking Monday ahead of the Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic. "It was good getting a long offseason and getting the body right," Nesmith said. Injuries, including a neck issue, limited the 26-year-old to 45 games last season, and the heavier load on a 19-63 team came with efficiency costs. He averaged 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from deep. Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) has said he is 100 percent cleared, which should help restore cleaner looks for Nesmith. He projects to start alongside Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Pascal Siakam, and Ivica Zubac, but Kelly Oubre Jr. and Jarace Walker give Indiana enough wing depth to keep Nesmith in watch-list territory rather than locked-in fantasy value.
Source: Grant Afseth
Source: Grant Afseth
Pacers Sign Jalen Slawson to a Two-Way Deal
Indiana Pacers forward Jalen Slawson has agreed to a new two-way contract, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, claiming the slot the Pacers cleared a day earlier by waiving Taelon Peter. Slawson earned it with a loud Summer League, blocking 3.2 shots per game, and with a well-rounded 13-game NBA cameo last season: 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 23.9 minutes. That defensive stat-stuffing is the intrigue, but the reality tempers it. As a two-way, the 26-year-old projects to spend most of 2026-27 with the G League's Noblesville Boom, and shaky outside shooting caps the upside. He is a deep-dynasty monitor for steals and blocks, nothing more for now.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Kelly Oubre Jr. Picks the Pacers
Free-agent forward Kelly Oubre Jr. is joining the Pacers on a two-year, $17 million contract, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. It was reported yesterday that Oubre had plenty of potential suitors, but ultimately chose to join Indiana. The 30-year-old shot a career-high 36% from distance last season with the 76ers, averaging 14.1 points, five rebounds, and 1.4 steals. Mostly a starter in Philadelphia, he'll be competing with incumbents Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard for minutes on the perimeter. The 76ers, meanwhile, have lost both Oubre and Quentin Grimes in free agency this offseason.
Source: Shams Charania - ESPN
Source: Shams Charania - ESPN
