Pacers Sign Free Agent Forward to Hardship Exception Deal Amid Injury Woes

The Indiana Pacers have made an emergency addition to their roster.

Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the ailing club has brought in a frontcourt reinforcement, in the wake of Obi Toppin's long-term foot surgery recovery timeline. Imaging on Toppin's injured right foot revealed a stress fracture. He is not expected to return the floor until at least February.

More news: Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton Provides New Injury Update on Himself

Scotto reports that Indiana is signing free agent power forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to a new deal.

The Indiana Pacers plan to sign Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to a deal, league sources told @hoopshype. He’s averaged 6.0 points and 4.3 rebounds in 17.6 minutes in four NBA seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans. He’ll join Indiana via a hardship exception. pic.twitter.com/ZVN3SjSKzd
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) November 1, 2025

Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star reports that the 6-foot-8 Villanova product is being signed via a 10-day hardship exception deal.

More news: Myles Turner Was 'Shocked' by Pacers Offer in Free Agency

Per the league's most recent injury report, a whopping six Pacers will miss Indiana's next matchup, a clash against the largely healthy Golden State Warriors slated for Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.

Quick story on the Jeremiah Robinson-Earl addition: https://t.co/PHQksvqZn2
— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) November 1, 2025

Across 66 contests with the New Orleans Pelicans last year, Robinson-Earl averaged 6.3 points, 4.8 boards and 1.3 dimes per.

Indiana sadly qualifies for the hardship exception as a result of missing at least four players (the team will be missing at least six Saturday), at least four players have been out for three straight games or more, and at least those four players are expected to miss two or more weeks.

Indiana could use all the help it can get. After pushing the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the NBA Finals this past June, the team's injury woes (and the departure of starting center Myles Turner to the 4-1 Milwaukee Bucks in free agency) have led it to a miserable 0-5 regular season start.

According to ESPN Insights, Indiana now becomes just the third Finals club to ever kick off a season with an 0-5 start, after the post-LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018-19 and the 2001-02 Philadelphia 76ers.

The Pacers are the third team ever to start 0-5 after making the Finals, joining the 2018-19 Cavs and 2001-02 76ers.

Indiana currently has 7 players out due to injury. pic.twitter.com/rNyYI6QXdM
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) November 1, 2025

In fairness to the Pacers, they're missing far more than just their best player. Two-time All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton has been sidelined for the season recovering from a torn right Achilles tendon, but he's not the only absentee among the club's top pieces.

A Litany of Injuries

Andrew Nembhard, who had been shifted from a starting two-guard role to replace Haliburton at the point, is out indefinitely with a left shoulder strain suffered during Indiana's season opener. His backup, T.J. McConnell, is out until at least December with a strained left hamstring. New starting shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin has a sprained right great toe. Rookie guard Kam Jones is out with a lower back stress reaction.

Young guards Johnny Furphy (left foot bone bruise) and Taelon Peter (strained right groin), a two-way player, have both missed time, although each is now considered probable to play against the Warriors. Among its rotation pieces, Golden State is only missing guard De'Anthony Melton, who's recovering from a left ACL surgery.

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