T.J. McConnell Out with Injury, Pacers Activate Contingency Plan
Indiana Pacers backup point guard T.J. McConnell will be out for at least a month due to a hamstring injury, according to coach Rick Carlisle, who reported this Thursday.
Carlisle stated that the injury “is not as serious as it could have been, but will require recovery time”.
McConnell suffered the injury during the Pacers’ first preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
Faced with this situation, the Pacers have taken steps to reinforce their point guard position, signing veteran Cameron Payne to a training camp contract. As a result, the team cut point guard Delon Wright, who also left the preseason game due to a head injury.
McConnell, 33, averaged 9.1 points and 4.4 assists last season in 79 games. In 23 playoff games, he contributed 9.5 points and 4 assists, helping the Pacers reach the NBA Finals.
The Pacers were already dealing with a significant absence at the point guard position, with the absence of star Tyrese Haliburton, who will be out for the season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in the seventh game of the Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Andrew Nembhard will be the starting point guard in Haliburton’s absence.
The Pacers will start the regular season on October 23 against the Thunder, in a rematch of the Finals.
