The Indiana Pacers, the last team to open their 2025-26 campaign, will be even more shorthanded in the backcourt than they initially thought when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. While the Pacers won’t have Quenton Jackson for their season opener, Jarace Walker and Johnny Furphy are not on the injury list, after coach Rick Carlisle said he expects the duo to play.
“Rick Carlisle said he expects Jarace Walker and Johnny Furphy to be available tomorrow,” per Indy Star Dustin Dopirak. “Quenton Jackson is out, but Carlisle said he’s making progress and hopes it’s “days, not weeks” before he returns, but acknowledged he’s kind of spitballing there.”
Pacers Receive Mixed News On Injury Front Ahead of Their Opening Game
Jackson has been dealing with a hamstring injury since October 11. While there is no timetable for the fourth-year guard’s return, it is promising that Carlisle hopes Jackson can return soon.
Probably the earliest Jackson will return is sometime next week, meaning the 6-5 guard will miss at least the first three games. After this weekend, Indiana travels to Dallas on October 31 and then hosts Atlanta on November 1.
Jackson is the fourth Pacer to miss time in the early going, so it is encouraging that Walker and Furphy will be able to play. Both youngsters are slated to take a significant step in their development this year, with increased roles.
Jackson is a scoring combo who possesses a very quick first step and puts pressure on the rim. He can score in bunches and also be disruptive on the defensive end. As a result, the 27-year-old, who has 40 games of NBA experience, expects to a major part of Pacers point guard depth behind starter Andrew Nembhard until McConnell returns.
Jarace Walker and Johnny Furphy Role
Walker, known for his defense and versatility, showed improvement last year on the offensive end. Walker had his most productive training camp this season as he averaged 11.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals. According to Dopirak, Walker is slated to see around 20 minutes a game and serve as a secondary ball-handler for the Pacers’ second unit.
Furphy, the No. 35 pick in 2025, saw limited time with Indiana last season. The 20-year-old struggled offensively in the NBA and G-League, but he showed some potential as a two-way wing. He also had an okay summer league and preseason. While still seen in his development stage, Furphy projects to see around 15 minutes a game off the bench due to his scoring and playmaking ability.
How Will Carlisle Divvy Up Point Guard Minutes?
Jackson joins McConnell, who is out until at least mid-November with a hamstring injury, on the sidelines. Kam Jones and, of course, Tyrese Haliburton are also out, thus depleting the Pacers’ backcourt depth.
With Haliburton developing into one of the top point guards in the league, Nembhard has spent most of his NBA career as a secondary creator. Make no mistake, the 6-5 combo guard has the chops to lead a team full-time. Nembhard, who owns a career 2.8 to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, is projected to see between 32-35 minutes of floor time a game. Expect him to play closer to 35 minutes a game until McConnell gets healthy. He has averaged 29 minutes per contest for his career.
So, who will back up Nembhard? RayJ Dennis, on a two-way contract, appears to be the most logical choice.
Two Main Choices
Dennis played limited minutes in 11 games last season for the Pacers, though he thrived in the G League. The 24-year-old guard had a fantastic summer league campaign and showed some ability to lead the club during the preseason. He is projected to see around 12 minutes of action behind Nembhard in the early going, though he could see more time if he shows the ability to be steady.
While Dennis could ultimately serve as the Pacers’ backup point guard until McConnell returns, he may see limited minutes tonight. Instead, Carlisle may turn to Ben Sheppard to facilitate the offense with the second unit.
Sheppard, who has seen sparse action at point guard over the last years, was limited in training camp due to a calf injury. However, he saw him run the point at Belmont in college.
“Carlisle noted that third-year wing Ben Sheppard played some point guard in college at Belmont. The Pacers have mostly used him at shooting guard and small forward, but he’s steady and has had some limited minutes at the 1,” Dopirak wrote.
Taelon Peter, like Dennis and Jackson, is with the Pacers on a minor league deal. The No. 54 pick in this past June’s draft is not really a point guard, but he had a fantastic preseason. While he likely needs seasoning in the G-League, he could get some run if Sheppard shows that he is capable of handling lead guard duties.
Peter saw time at the 1 during the preseason. Peter averaged 10 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 steals over 24 minutes in four preseason contests. He also drained two treys a game while shooting 45.2/34.8/80.0.
© Trevor Ruszkowski, Imagn Images
The post Pacers Receive Mixed News On Injury Front Ahead of Their Opening Game appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.