RealGM Basketball Wiretap

30 October 2025

• Myles Turner Says Pacers 'Changed Their Mind' About Re-Signing Him

  Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner was a recent guest with Thanasis Antetokounmpo' Thanalysis Show. One of the topics discussed was why Turner left the Indiana Pacers for the Bucks this offseason. Turner said he was originally told the Pacers would take care of him when he became a free agent.

  "Pascal was in a contract year. T.J. McConnell was in a contract year. Aaron Nesmith was in a contract year. I could go down the list, but you go through that, and we had a great run. Everybody got taken care of. Everybody got paid because we won," Turner said. "Then, the next year, we surpassed what we did, we went to the Finals. And all everybody told me was, 'Myles, just keep your head down. Keep your head down and work. You're going to get taken care of.'"

  Turner said Indiana's front office then changed their minds after the team made the NBA Finals. In the wake of the Tyrese Haliburton injury, the Pacers chose to go in a different direction from the longtime starting center.

  "Then, the unfortunate situation happens in the Finals with Tyrese, and I guess the front office and ownership just changed their mind," Turner told Antetokounmpo. "It was like, 'Yeah... we told you all those things. And yeah... you helped us get to the Eastern Conference Finals and the Finals... but... we had to pivot.' That was basically the sentiment. And we were just very far apart on what we thought the future should be."

  Turner signed with Milwaukee on a four-year, $108.8 million contract. This came after the Bucks cleared cap space in part by waiving-and-stretching Damian Lillard's salary.

• Obi Toppin Out At Least One Month With Hamstring Strain

  Obi Toppin will be out at least one month due to a right hamstring strain, while Bennedict Mathurin is "week-to-week" with a right big toe sprain. The Indiana Pacers have eight players listed as out on the injury report for Wednesday's game against the Dallas Mavericks.

  Mathurin and Toppin left during Sunday's loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

  The Pacers signed Mac McClung and waived James Wiseman on Monday to help address their injuries at guard and on the wing.

• Pacers Sign Mac McClung, Waive James Wiseman

  Mac McClung and the Indiana Pacers have signed a non-guaranteed multi-year contract. The Pacers will waive James Wiseman to create a roster spot to sign McClung.

  McClung spent time in camp with the Pacers and has been on Two-Way deals in the NBA since 2021. McClung has won the past three dunk contests.

  Wiseman recently made his return from an Achilles tear suffered during the first game of the 2024-25 season.

• Pacers 'Optimistic' That Andrew Nembhard Shoulder Injury Isn't Long-Term

  The Indiana Pacers are optimistic following an MRI on Andrew Nembhard's shoulder that the guard will not be out long-term, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

  Nembhard suffered the injury in the Pacers' first game of the season.

  The Pacers now have nine players on the injury report, with Bennedict Mathurin and Taelon Peter both leaving the game early on Saturday.

  Obi Toppin left the Pacers' game early on Sunday with a hamstring injury.

  TJ McConnell is also set to be out until November 9.

• Obi Toppin Leaves Game With Right Hamstring Injury

  Obi Toppin left the Indiana Pacers' 114-110 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves with a right hamstring injury.

  Rick Carlisle said that Toppin is said to undergo imaging on the injury.

  Toppin had nine points and six rebounds at the time of his injury.

  The Pacers now have nine players on the injury report.

• Bennedict Mathurin, Taelon Peter Could Miss Time Due To Injuries

  The Indiana Pacers injury-ravaged backcourt suffered two more losses on Saturday. Bennedict Mathurin was forced to exit Saturday's game early due to a sore right foot. Postgame, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Mathurin would have imaging done on his foot.

  "It's Benn's forefoot," Carlisle said. "They're gonna see how he is and whether he needs to get imaging done when we got to probably Dallas. I don't know if there's any MRI places open tomorrow, but we seem to find them wherever we are."

  Rookie two-way guard Taelon Peter was also forced to leave Saturday's game early. Peter is dealing with a groin injury.

  The Pacers are already without their top three point guards, as Tyrese Haliburton, T.J. McConnell and Andrew Nembhard are all out. Haliburton is out for the season, as he recovers from a torn Achilles' tendon. McConnell is out for several more weeks due to a strained hamstring. Nembhard it out the weekend due to a sore shoulder suffered in the Pacers season-opening game.

• Andrew Nembhard Leaves Game With Shoulder Injury; TJ McConnell Out Until November 9

  Andrew Nembhard left the Indiana Pacers' loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half due to a shoulder injury and did not return to the game.

  Nembhard had four points and four assists at the time of his injury.

  "We'll find out more tomorrow but it's going to, potentially, present some big challenges," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of Nembhard's injury.

  Carlisle also confirmed that TJ McConnell will be out until at least November 9 due to a hamstring strain.

• Pacers Exercise 26-27 Rookie Scale Options For Ben Sheppard, Jarace Walker

  The Indiana Pacers picked up the 2026-27 rookie scale team options for wings Ben Sheppard and Jarace Walker. These are the fourth-year options for both Sheppard and Walker.

  Walker will hit the Pacers cap sheet at $8.5 million for next season. Sheppard will be on the books for $5 million.

  Sheppard appeared in 63 games in his last season. The 6-foot-6 wing averaged 5.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game. Sheppard is expected to play a bigger role for Indiana this season, with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined.

  Walker played in 75 games last year. The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 6.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game. Walker is also looking at a bigger role with Haliburton out for the season.

• Aaron Nesmith, Pacers Agree To Two-Year, $40.4M Deal

  Aaron Nesmith and the Indiana Pacers have agreed to a two-year, $40.4 million extension that runs through the 2028-29 season. Nesmith's deal also contains a trade kicker. The deal was the maximum that Nesmith could sign for at this time on an extension.

  Nesmith, who is represented by Mike Lindeman, was set to become a free agent in 2027. Nesmith was the 14th overall selection in the 2020 NBA draft out of Vanderbilt.

  In 45 games last season, Nesmith averaged 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 25.0 minutes while also playing a high level of wing defense.

• Pacers Waive Kyle Guy, Cameron Payne, Ray Spalding

  The Indiana Pacers have waived guard Kyle Guy and Cameron Payne, and forward Ray Spalding. Guy and Spalding are expected to join the Noblesville Boom for the upcoming G League season.

  Indiana's roster is now set for the regular season. The Pacers have 15 players signed to standard contracts and three players signed to two-way deals.