Pacers’ Toppin Out At Least One Month, Mathurin Week To Week
A pair of key Pacers rotation players will be unavailable for the foreseeable future, according to head coach Rick Carlisle, who said on Tuesday that forward Obi Toppin will be out for at least one month as a result of his right hamstring strain, while guard Bennedict Mathurin is considered “week to week” due to a right great toe sprain, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.
The Pacers entered their opener last week preparing to be without star point guard Tyrese Haliburton for the entire season as he recovers from an Achilles tear and have since added several new names to their injury report.
Toppin sustained his injury during Sunday’s loss in Minnesota, while Mathurin’s occurred in Saturday’s loss in Memphis when he tripped over Jock Landale‘s foot on his way to the basket. According to Carlisle, both players will undergo more testing when the Pacers return home following the last game of their road trip on Wednesday in Dallas.
“I can’t give you a definitive answer with either guy,” Carlisle said. “But they’re gonna miss some time.”
According to Carlisle, Andrew Nembhard (left shoulder strain) did some “court work” on Tuesday but isn’t ready to play yet, while Taelon Peter (right groin strain) is “doing better” but is “not there yet” either. Johnny Furphy (left foot soreness) will undergo additional testing on his foot when the team returns to Indianapolis, Carlisle added.
T.J. McConnell (left hamstring strain) and Kam Jones (lower back stress reaction) were doing some work near the end of Tuesday’s practice, tweets Dopirak, though the Pacers have previously indicated that both players will be out until at least November 9.
With injuries hitting the team hard at virtually every position except center, the Pacers made a roster move on Tuesday, waiving big man James Wiseman to add guard Mac McClung. As Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets, Indiana should soon qualify for at least one hardship exception as well.
A hardship exception allows a team to temporarily exceed the standard 15-man roster limit if at least four players have missed three consecutive games for health reasons and are expected to remain out for at least two more weeks. Players signed via the hardship exception receive 10-day contracts.
Pacers Waive Wiseman, Sign McClung To Multiyear Deal
October 28: The moves are official, the Pacers confirmed in a press release.
October 27: The Pacers are signing free agent guard Mac McClung to a multiyear contract, agent Greg Lawrence tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
McClung’s multiyear deal will be non-guaranteed, sources tell Charania (Twitter link).
To make room for McClung on their standard roster, which is currently full, the Pacers intend to waive center James Wiseman, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).
As Keith Smith of Spotrac tweets, Wiseman’s contract features a $1MM partial guarantee. Assuming he clears the waiver wire, Indiana will carry that $1MM cap hit on its books for the remainder of 2025/26.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Wiseman signed with the Pacers as a free agent in the 2024 offseason after playing for Golden State and Detroit in his first four NBA seasons. The big man impressed Indiana in the preseason last fall and appeared to have the edge for the backup center role behind Myles Turner, but tore his left Achilles tendon in the club’s regular season opener.
Wiseman, 24, re-signed with the Pacers on a two-year deal (the second season is a team option) in July and was said to be in excellent shape entering the ’25/26. Just like last season, he appeared in one game for the Pacers this fall, recording four points and four rebounds in 20 minutes during Saturday’s blowout loss in Memphis.
The Pacers were carrying four centers on their roster and have several guards injured at the moment, so swapping out Wiseman for McClung makes sense from a roster composition perspective.
McClung has become a household name among NBA fans by winning the league’s past three slam dunk contests. However, the 26-year-old has still seen limited game action at the NBA level, appearing in just six total regular season contests for four teams from 2021-25. He was on a two-way contract with the Magic for all of last season, but logged just 10 total minutes in two outings for Orlando.
McClung has starred in the G League in recent years, earning a spot on the All-NBAGL first team in 2024/25 after being named MVP in ’23/24. In a total of 44 appearances for the Osceola Magic last season, he averaged 23.0 points, 5.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 32.4 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .481/.344/.828.
The 6’2″ guard was signed and waived by Chicago this fall and likely would have started ’25/26 with the Windy City Bulls had the opportunity with Indiana not come up. Instead, he’ll be signing his first standard NBA contract with the Pacers, as Charania notes.
Cooper Flagg Hurts Shoulder, Kept On Bench Late In Game
Monday marked the worst night of Cooper Flagg‘s brief NBA career, beginning with an injury on the first play of the game and ending with him watching from the bench as the Mavericks tried to complete a comeback against Oklahoma City, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Flagg managed to play 31 minutes, but he wore a large wrap on his left shoulder and treated it with heat whenever he came out. He received medical treatment after the game and told reporters that he’s optimistic about playing Wednesday against Indiana.
“We’re going to probably get some scans or whatever, make sure everything’s all clean, but I feel like it’s just a little sore,” Flagg said. “Just want to keep an eye on it, ice it, do some rehab and should be good to go.”
Flagg hurt his shoulder while battling for a rebound with Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein and was in obvious discomfort for the rest of the night, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). He finished with two points and shot just 1-of-9 from the field, leading to coach Jason Kidd‘s decision to keep him out of the game in crunch time as Dallas nearly overtook OKC after trailing by 22 points.
It also marked Flagg’s first back-to-back in the NBA after he scored 22 points on Sunday in a win over Toronto.
“I think in general, one of the biggest differences from college to this level is handling and preparing for a back-to-back like that, physically,” he said. “That was something I was going through tonight anyway, just being a little flat. A little banged up, but you gotta find ways to play through it to be successful.”
If Flagg has to miss any time, he would be the latest addition to the Mavs’ growing injury list. Centers Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford were both unavailable for Monday’s game, so Kidd gave Max Christie his first start of the season.
Kidd complimented Flagg for showing that he’s a “tough kid” by playing through pain, but said his decision to sit him late in the game was made to give Dallas the best chance to win. Flagg, who has been considered one of the top players in the country dating back to high school and has never experienced that situation before, said he understands.
“The way the game was going, we had a group out there that was doing really well and was on a run, so I see where Coach was at with that,” Flagg said. “And I mean, I was flat. I wasn’t myself. I wasn’t impacting the game at a high level, wasn’t doing the right stuff. So obviously, that’s an easy decision for Coach. He was just out there trying to win the game.”
Lakers’ Gabe Vincent Out 2-4 Weeks With Ankle Injury
Lakers guard Gabe Vincent is expected to be sidelined for approximately two-to-four weeks after undergoing an MRI on his left ankle, sources tell Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).
NBA insider Chris Haynes reports (via Twitter) that Vincent, who started each of the Lakers’ first three games before sustaining the injury on Sunday, has a “slight ligament tear” as well as sprained ligaments in the ankle.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link), Vincent was wearing a walking boot and using crutches ahead of Monday’s game vs. Portland.
The 29-year-old was limited to just 11 games due to a knee injury in his first season with the Lakers after signing a three-year, $33MM deal with Los Angeles in the 2023 offseason. He was much healthier last season (72 games), and was a rotation regular (21.2 minutes per contest) for head coach JJ Redick, averaging 6.4 points while shooting 35.3% from long distance and playing solid defense.
Vincent won a starting job to open ’25/26 after a four-game preseason slate in which he averaged 16.3 PPG and shot 55.6% from three in 22.3 MPG. The hot shooting hasn’t carried over to the regular season yet, as he was 2-of-10 from deep in three games.
Marcus Smart (right quad contusion) was also out Monday for the Lakers, who had a total of seven players unable to suit up, most notably Luka Doncic (finger, leg injuries) and LeBron James (right sciatica), tweets Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.
Vincent is in the final year of his contract, which will pay him $11.5MM in ’25/26. He will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Hornets’ Brandon Miller Diagnosed With Shoulder Subluxation
Hornets wing Brandon Miller has been diagnosed with a left shoulder subluxation — a partially dislocated shoulder — the team announced on Monday (via Twitter).
According to the Hornets, Miller will be sidelined for Tuesday’s game in Miami and will be reexamined when the team returns to Charlotte. The Hornets’ next home game is Thursday vs. Orlando — another update could come before that contest.
Miller sustained the shoulder injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s loss in Philadelphia. Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer hears the injury occurred when Miller slipped while trying to fight through a screen.
The 22-year-old also missed Sunday’s game in Washington, which was the second of a back-to-back. Tuesday’s contest will be his second straight absence.
As of a few years ago, the average time missed for in-season shoulder subluxations that did not require surgery was approximately 21 days, according to Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes.com. We’ll have to wait and see whether or not Miller’s ailment requires surgical intervention.
It’s an unfortunate setback for the former No. 2 overall pick, who was limited to just 27 games last season due a right wrist injury which required surgery. Miller recorded 25 points and seven assists in the Hornets’ season opener.
With Miller out most of the past two games, Kon Knueppel, Collin Sexton and Sion James have seen an uptick in playing time.
Wembanyama, Antetokounmpo Named Players Of The Week
Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week, while Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has won the award in the East, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).
Wembanyama had a remarkable first week of the season, averaging 33.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists (against just 0.7 turnovers), 1.7 steals and 6.0 blocks in leading San Antonio to an unblemished 3-0 record. The French big man’s shooting slash line was .569/.364/.733.
This is the second time Wembanyama has been named Player of the Week, per the Spurs.
Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee to a 2-1 record last week and put up an absurd stat line of 36.0 PPG, 16.0 RPG, 7.0 APG and 1.0 BPG on .683/.667/.629 shooting.
The Greek superstar claimed his 28th weekly award and became the first player in league history to record at least 100 points, 40 rebounds and 15 assists in the first three games of the season, per the Bucks.
According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. LaMelo Ball, Jalen Brunson, VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell and Norman Powell were nominated in the East.
Anthony Edwards Out At Least One Week With Hamstring Strain
1:43 pm: Edwards underwent an MRI, revealing the right hamstring strain, and he’ll be reevaluated in one week, according to a Timberwolves press release. While that one-week timeline might be a cause for optimism, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic has also heard the 24-year-old will miss two weeks (Twitter link).
12:45 pm: Timberwolves superstar guard Anthony Edwards will be sidelined for two weeks with a right hamstring strain, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (via Twitter).
Edwards departed Sunday’s game against Indiana after just three minutes due to right hamstring tightness. Edwards had gotten off to a roaring start in the first week of the season, pouring in 41 points in a win over Portland and 31 points in a loss to the Lakers.
Minnesota will play against Denver tonight in the second game of a back-to-back. The Timberwolves also play seven more games over the next two weeks, meaning Edwards will miss a minimum of eight contests.
When Edwards departed on Sunday, Julius Randle stepped into the role of top scoring option. A quartet of guards and wings — Mike Conley, Jaylen Clark, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Bones Hyland — all played double-digit minutes off the bench. Making up for Edwards’ minutes will likely be a time-share proposition.
Edwards has been noted for his durability. Entering this season, he had appeared in 381 of 390 possible regular season games since entering the league. The Timberwolves will now have to figure out ways to survive a prolonged stretch without their top player.
Grizzlies Sign Charles Bassey To 10-Day Hardship Deal
October 27: Bassey’s 10-day contract with the Grizzlies is now official, the team announced (Twitter link).
October 26: The Grizzlies are preparing to sign free agent center Charles Bassey, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (via Twitter).
Memphis doesn’t have an open 15-man roster spot, but will complete the signing using a hardship exception, which allows a club to temporarily add a 16th man.
A team qualifies for a hardship exception if it has at least four players who have missed three consecutive games and are expected to be sidelined for at least two more weeks. Ty Jerome, Zach Edey, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Brandon Clarke fit that bill for the Grizzlies, per Charania.
Bassey is entering his fifth season in the NBA, having spent the last three seasons with the Spurs after playing for the Sixers as a rookie. The former 53rd overall pick holds career averages of 4.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 11.1 minutes per game.
Bassey, a 6’10” center, will turn 25 in two days and can provide some stability at the center spot, which has been manned primarily by Jock Landale to start the season.
The Grizzlies are 2-1, with wins over the Pacers and Pelicans, though they gave up 146 points in a loss to the Heat on Friday and currently boast the sixth-worst mark among teams for opponent scoring allowed, giving up 123.7 points per game.
Hardship deals cover 10 days at a time. If the Grizzlies still meet the hardship criteria when Bassey’s first 10-day contract expires, he could be signed to a second 10-day deal.
NBA Seeking To Tighten Controls On Injury Reporting, Prop Betting
In the aftermath of the FBI’s arrests of Heat guard Terry Rozier, Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former player Damon Jones last week, the NBA informed its teams that the league has begun a process of reviewing policies regarding injury reporting, training and education of all personnel, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (Twitter link). The memo also specifically addresses concerns regarding gambling, with the league exploring ways to enhance internal and external monitoring programs to identify suspicious betting activity.
Injury reporting has jumped into the spotlight in light of the allegations against Billups and Jones. While the most serious allegations against Billups regard his involvement in rigged poker games, Billups was also accused of providing inside information that could potentially be used by others for betting purposes. According to the indictment, an unnamed co-conspirator (Billups) told Eric Earnest, another of the defendants, that the Trail Blazers were going into tank mode ahead of a game on March 24, 2023 and that a certain player, purportedly star guard Damian Lillard, would sit out.
Along similar lines, Jones allegedly informed an unnamed co-conspirator prior to the Lakers‘ game vs. Milwaukee on February 9, 2023 that a specific Laker would miss the game and that the co-conspirator should bet on the Bucks. That player was later identified as LeBron James. James reportedly wasn’t aware that Jones was sharing information about his playing status.
NBA teams typically provide injury reports the day prior to a game but there is a gap in time during game days before the final injury report prior to tip-off is revealed.
The memo also specifically addressed Rozier’s situation. Rozier was accused of essentially taking himself out of a game due to injury so that prop bets on “unders” could be cashed.
The memo obtained by Charania (Twitter link) stated, “While the unusual betting on Terry Rozier’s ‘unders’ in the March 2023 game was detected in real time because the bets were placed legally, we believe there is more that can be done from a legal/regulatory perspective to protect the integrity of the NBA and our affiliated leagues. In particular, proposition bets on individual player performance involve heightened integrity concerns and require additional scrutiny.”
Prior to the FBI’s arrests, Rozier had been cleared by the league during its investigation and was in uniform for Miami’s opener, though he did not play. Commissioner Adam Silver stated last week the FBI had broader powers to conduct a more thorough investigation. Silver had also expressed growing concerns with regard to prop bets.
Charania shared the entire league memo on social media (Twitter link).
Bennedict Mathurin Out With Toe Sprain
Bennedict Mathurin will miss Sunday’s Pacers game in Minnesota with a right great toe sprain, reports Scott Agness of the Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link).
Dustin Dopirak of the Indy Star adds (via Twitter) that Mathurin is currently in a walking boot, and, according to head coach Rick Carlisle, will undergo imaging on his foot tomorrow in Dallas.
Now possessing a much larger role due to injuries to Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell, along with the departure of Myles Turner, Mathurin has averaged 31.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the Pacers’ first two games, posting .548/.500/.885 shooting splits.
Mathurin joins a growing Indiana injury list that also includes Andrew Nembhard, Johnny Furphy, Kam Jones, and Taelon Peter in addition to Haliburton and McConnell, writes Alessandro Maggi of Sportando.
Maggi notes that Carlisle has yet to give a timetable for Mathurin’s return.