Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle offered a pair of encouraging yet cautious injury updates Saturday that will shape the franchise’s short-term rotation and playoff hopes.
Carlisle said Aaron Nesmith will likely miss “at least four weeks” after suffering a left-knee sprain in Thursday’s loss at Phoenix, but he stressed the injury does not appear to be severe and that Nesmith could return sooner than expected. The coach asked to be checked in on Dec. 15 as a rough timeline for the wing’s availability.
Rick Carlisle gives an injury update on Aaron Nesmith and Bennedict Mathurin:
Nesmith is probably out at least 4 weeks, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t come back sooner. No tear, just a sprain.
Said Mathurin is getting close. Did a simulated game type of workout this morning… pic.twitter.com/6ssNpb4qbH
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) November 15, 2025
That news stings for a Pacers squad already adjusting to key absences, but it also comes with relief. Carlisle confirmed there’s no structural tear, Nesmith is walking without a brace, and the prognosis leans toward short-term recovery rather than long-term shutdown. Nesmith has been a steady two-way presence this season, producing efficiently while logging heavy minutes in stretches of the rotation.
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On the brighter side, Carlisle said guard-forward Bennedict Mathurin is “getting close” after missing time with a right great-toe sprain. Mathurin completed a simulated game-type workout Saturday and went through prep work, a sign the team feels comfortable ramping him up toward game action.
For Indiana, the updates present both a setback and a potential lift. Losing Nesmith for about a month removes a valuable 3-and-D wing from lineups that have already dealt with roster churn this season. But Mathurin’s progress offers a near-term boost to perimeter scoring and transition punch if the Pacers can safely reintroduce him.
Expect the Pacers to lean more on Jarace Walker and rotation depth, while monitoring Nesmith’s recovery and Mathurin’s ramp-up day by day. Indiana fans should prepare for a few weeks of lineup tinkering and hope Mathurin’s return arrives soon enough to soften the blow of Nesmith’s absence.