Veteran Pacers Guard Set To Miss Up to a Month Of Action To Start 2025/26

T.J. McConnell is known as one of the most underrated players in the NBA, and over two fantastic postseason runs for Indiana in the last two years, he's been amazing for them off the bench. In six years with the Pacers, McConnell has averaged 9 points per game, and in the last two playoffs, he's averaged 11 points on 54% shooting from the field.

With Tyrese Haliburton out, McConnell's role and responsibility for this team have increased in a big way, as he will remain on the bench with this second unit that's been so successful in recent years. The roster around him looks much different, however, and for the first month of the season, it will be very different as McConnell is set for a stint on the sidelines.

According to Michael Scotto, a left hamstring injury for the veteran guard is set to sideline him for up to a month, and given the question marks around this team following Haliburton's injury and Myles Turner's departure, this is the last thing they needed. 

While McConnell certainly has his limitations, he knows his role well within this Pacers team and has become vital to them off the bench. Only time will tell how much his absence will affect this team as the 2025–26 season begins, but if he gets back to 100%, even with the changes this team saw over the offseason, there's optimism about their chances heading into the new year.