Pacers' Growing Injury List: Key Players Sidelined As Hardship E...

Pacers’ Growing Injury List: Key Players Sidelined As Hardship Exception Looms

The Indiana Pacers are facing a challenging start to their 2025-26 NBA season, with injuries piling up at an alarming rate.

Pacers’ Growing Injury List: Key Players Sidelined As Hardship Exception Looms

The Indiana Pacers are facing a challenging start to their 2025-26 NBA season, with injuries piling up at an alarming rate.

Nearly half of the Pacers’ opening-night roster has already missed time due to various injuries.

With seven players currently sidelined (excluding Haliburton), the team is inching closer to qualifying for the NBA’s hardship exception.

The hardship exception allows teams to temporarily exceed the 15-man roster limit when at least four players have missed three consecutive games and are expected to remain out for at least two more weeks.

This rule is designed to help teams manage rosters during extreme injury situations.

If the Pacers meet the criteria, they could sign players to short-term contracts, typically lasting 10 days, to fill the gaps in their lineup.

The Pacers’ injury woes have already led to roster adjustments, including the recent signing of guard Mac McClung.

However, with the team off to an 0-3 start and several players expected to miss significant time, the road ahead looks tough.

Head coach Rick Carlisle and the Pacers’ management will need to navigate these challenges carefully to keep the team competitive while managing player health.

Take a look at the current Pacers Injury Report below.