According to Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, Jarace Walker and Andrew Nembhard both sustained some sort of back issue during Thursday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets (h/t Tony East of Forbes and Circle City Spin). Hopefully for them, this isn't going to be too much of a concern as the Pacers look to navigate through the rest of their down year.
Jarace Walker and Andrew Nembhard both went back into the tunnel with back issues during tonight's game, Rick Carlisle said. Something to monitor in coming game(s).
— Tony East (@TonyREast) February 27, 2026
Andrew Nembhard and Jarace Walker have been the Pacers' silver linings
This season has mostly been a huge disappointment for Indiana, even under the circumstances of Tyrese Haliburton's injury and Myles Turner's departure last summer. Heading into March, they are 15-45 and own the worst record in the East and the second-worst record in the NBA. Plus, they have mostly struggled in every area of the game throughout the entirety of the season.
Still, there have been some major positives to take away from their season so far, and Andrew Nembhard and Jarace Walker have been two of the biggest ones.
With Haliburton out for the year, a lot of pressure immediately fell onto Nembhard, who was being tasked with being the Pacers' lead point guard this season. And for the most part, he's risen to the occasion.
In 47 games this season, the Gonzaga alum has averaged 17.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 7.4 assists while shooting 44.1% from the field and 36.9% from beyond the arc. This has been the best season of Nembhard's NBA career so far, and the Pacers should be thrilled with the way he has played.
As for Walker, he struggled heavily earlier in the season, but he's finally turned it around and looks like a legitimate asset. Since Christmas, he has averaged 12.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 45.3% from the field and 41.7% from deep in 29 games.
The Houston alum is finally becoming the player the Pacers knew he could be. He has clearly taken that next step in his development, and he looks way more comfortable on the court on both sides of the ball. Walker has seemingly established himself as a long-term contributor in Indiana, and if nothing else, his growth has been a big win for the team.
As it stands, it is unclear if either of them will miss any time. But with just a couple of months left in the season, this will certainly be something worth monitoring, even if wins don't matter for the Pacers at this stage.