The Indiana Pacers have had a challenging start to the 2025-26 season. After making an impressive postseason run, featuring a Finals appearance, the Pacers’ prospects for this season were harmed by Tyrese Haliburton‘s Achilles injury.
With effectively no depth in the point guard position, the Pacers opted to sign three-time dunk contest champion, Mac McClung, to a two-year non-guaranteed deal. However, after three appearances, Indiana has reportedly waived McClung, replacing him with veteran guard Monte Morris.
Morris was initially signed by the Pacers during the offseason. While he would have competed for a roster spot during training camp, a calf injury in September sidelined him from action, eventually leading to his being waived.
In three games, McClung averaged 6.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game on 38.9% shooting overall in 11.3 minutes per game.
Given the limited playing time, the three-time dunk champion proved himself to be a useful asset, especially in light of the team’s depleted backcourt. But this also suggests that the Pacers preferred a more experienced player to handle floor-general duties at this juncture.
Monte Morris’ addition could benefit Indiana. The eight-year veteran has spent time around different teams in the league, enjoying the best years of his career with the Denver Nuggets early on. Last season, the 30-year-old played for the Phoenix Suns, where he averaged 5.2 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on 42.6% shooting from the field with 36.0% from three-point range.
Given the role he will be expected to fill, primarily as a backup point guard with the second unit, Morris could establish himself as a reliable presence off the bench. Since his deal is non-guaranteed, the veteran guard will be driven to secure his place on the roster.
The Pacers’ Backcourt Has Been Hobbled By Injuries
As bad as losing Tyrese Haliburton was, it was only the start of the Indiana Pacers’ collapse. Although the team addressed their star guard’s absence by assigning bigger roles to Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin, things took a turn for the worse when TJ McConnell suffered a hamstring injury, sidelining him for a month.
McConnell’s injury, in turn, had a domino effect on the rest of the roster. In the backcourt, injuries to key starters such as Nembhard and Mathurin followed.
More recently, Pacers guards Johnny Furphy and Quenton Jackson also sustained injuries. With reports suggesting that both players could miss more games, the Pacers are in a very vulnerable position.
With this many injuries to the roster, Indiana’s 1-7 record to start the season is understandable. Even with some impressive performances by star forward Pascal Siakam, the team is simply too shorthanded to compete.
Coming off a 112-103 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, the Pacers find themselves on a two-game losing streak. Although the team would hope to prevent it from growing, an upcoming matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, Nov. 8, doesn’t instill much confidence in their chances.
