Rick Carlisle shares injury updates to Aaron Nesmith and Benedict Maturin

Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle offered a couple encouraging but cautious injury updates Saturday will shape the franchise’s short-term rotation and playoff hopes.

Carlisle said Aaron Nesmith is likely to miss “at least four weeks” after spraining his left knee in Thursday’s loss at Phoenix, but stressed the injury does not appear serious and Nesmith could return sooner than expected. The coach requested that he be checked on December 15 as a tentative deadline for the wing’s availability.

Rick Carlisle gives information on Aaron Nesmith’s injuries and Benedict Maturin:

Nesmith is probably out for at least 4 weeks, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t be back sooner. No tears, just a sprain.

He said that Mathurin was approaching. I practiced a simulated game this morning… pic.twitter.com/6ssNpb4kbH

— Alex Golden (@AlekGoldenNBA) November 15, 2025

That news stings for a The Pacers team is already adjusting to key absencesbut it also comes with relief. Carlisle confirmed there is no structural tear, Nesmith is walking without braces, and the prognosis relies on short-term recovery rather than long-term confinement. Nesmith has been a steady two-way this season, creating efficiently while logging heavy minutes in parts of the rotation.

On the bright side, Carlisle said guard Benedict Maturin is “getting closer” after missing time with a sprained right toe. On Saturday, Mathurin completed a simulated game-type practice and went through the prep work, a sign that the team is comfortable and has him up to speed.

For Indiana, the updates represent both a setback and a potential boost. Losing Nesmith for about a month removes a valuable 3-and-D wing from a lineup that has already faced roster attrition this season. But Maturin’s progress offers a short-term boost to perimeter scoring and transition shooting if the Pacers can safely reintroduce him.

Expect the Pacers to lean more heavily on Jerras Walker and rotation depth while monitoring Nesmith’s recovery and Maturin’s day-to-day growth. Indiana fans should brace themselves for several weeks of lineup changes and hope that Maturin’s return comes soon enough to soften the blow of Nesmith’s absence.