The Indiana Pacers have suffered a recent bout of injury issues lately, with five key rotation players currently sidelined with various ailments. In response to injury woes, the Pacers were granted a hardship contract which they used on Saturday with the signing of Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, as per Shams Charania of ESPN.
Robinson-Earl’s signing brings the Pacers’ active roster to 11 players, and their three two-way contract players. He was in training camp with the Dallas Mavericks but was one of the team’s final roster cuts before the start of the regular season.
Robinson-Earl spent last season with the New Orleans Hornets, appearing 66 games, including nine starts, at a little over 18 minutes per game. He averaged 6.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists with splits of 45.5 percent shooting from the field, 34.1 percent shooting from the three-point line and 83.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line. His points, rebounds and assists were all career-highs.
The No. 32 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Robinson-Earl played two seasons for the Oklahoma City Thunder and two seasons for the Pelicans. He made his first appearance for the Pacers during their win against the Golden Star Warriors on Saturday. He played a total of six minutes and finished with a single rebound.
The Pacers latest injury blow was Obi Toppin who suffered a foot injury that will likely sidelined him until close to the All-Star break. The team came into the season already without Tyrese Haliburton who is recovering from an Achilles injury suffered during the NBA Finals, and TJ McConnell who is dealing with a hamstring injury.
The team is also without Bennedict Mathurin who is out with a toe injury, and Andrew Nembhard who is dealing with a shoulder injury. The Pacers had started off the season 0-5, but grabbed their first win of the season against the Warriors. Last year, the Pacers made an incredible run to the NBA Finals where they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games.
