T.J. McConnell is day-to-day with an undisclosed issue after sitting out Sunday's scrimmage. His expected return is Oct. 7, the same day the Pacers open the 2026-27 season against the Timberwolves.
What happened
The Indiana Pacers listed T.J. McConnell as day-to-day with an undisclosed issue on the Sunday, Oct. 4 injury report, filed at 11:37 a.m. ET. The report does not list a previous status, so this is his first appearance on it this season. Tony East of Forbes.com reported that McConnell will not participate in Sunday's scrimmage. The team has him pegged to be back by Oct. 7, the day the Pacers open their season.
What it means for the Pacers
Indiana opens the 2026-27 season Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. ET against the Timberwolves on NBA TV, the same day McConnell's expected return is targeted. Last season he averaged 9.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 17.2 minutes across 56 games, running the second unit as a backup point guard. If he sits out, Andrew Nembhard (31.3 minutes, 16.9 points without McConnell) is the guard who would absorb extra ball-handling, with Pascal Siakam (33.2 minutes, 24.0 points) and Bennedict Mathurin (31.8 minutes, 17.8 points) also seeing more run. The Pacers have not played a regular-season game yet, so there is no record to compare with or without him this season.
What to watch
The Pacers will update McConnell's status on upcoming injury reports as Oct. 7 approaches. He is listed with an expected return of Oct. 7, which is also Indiana's season opener against the Timberwolves. No details on the nature of the undisclosed issue have been announced. The next injury report will show whether he practices or is formally cleared before tip-off.
Is T.J. McConnell playing vs Timberwolves?
He is day-to-day with an undisclosed issue. His expected return is Oct. 7, the date of that game, but the Pacers have not confirmed he will play.
When will T.J. McConnell be back?
His expected return is listed as Oct. 7, the day of Indiana's season opener against the Timberwolves, though that is not a confirmed clearance.