The Indiana Pacers already lost backup center James Wiseman for the season when he tore his Achilles tendon on opening night. Fourth-year big man Isaiah Jackson has stepped into that role and played well for Indiana, averaging 7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game this young season.
Now Jackson is lost for the season with a torn Achilles, the team announced.
Isaiah Jackson suffered an injury to his right Achilles tendon during last night’s game in New Orleans.
An MRI performed earlier today confirmed that Jackson has torn his right Achilles tendon, with surgery scheduled for Monday, November 4.
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– Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) November 3, 2024
This was no surprise when Jackson went down with a non-contact injury in the fourth quarter against the Pelicans on Friday night. After the game, coach Rick Carlisle was subdued when talking about Jackson and saying he hoped it wasn’t the worst case scenario. It was
Indiana will have to dive into the free agent market or trade for another center to back up Myles Turner. Soon, expect Obi Toppin to get some ball at the five, and they could throw rookie, two-way contract big man Enrique Freeman into the fire, but neither of those are good long-term options. The Pacers have an open roster and some flexibility, but they will need to find another big man to round out this roster in the coming weeks.