NBA Market: The "desperate" signing that the Pacers have made

In the 2025/26 NBA season, the start of the Indiana Pacers has been a nightmare. The franchise began by losing their first 5 games, while several players suffered serious injuries, such as Obi Toppin, who will be out for 3 months. Despite their latest victory, the team from Indianapolis has yet to climb out of the rut. But they have signed Jeremiah Robinson-Earl at least to try.

According to information from Shams Charania (ESPN), the Indianapolis franchise has signed the power forward using an hardship exception with a 10-day contract, a rare tool that teams can only use in extreme availability situations.

Robinson-Earl's arrival —who averaged 6.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season with the New Orleans Pelicans— is an attempt to immediately add depth to a rotation that has been severely affected by injuries.

A depleted locker room

The team led by Rick Carlisle is experiencing a very challenging start to the 2025/26 season. The Pacers have not only suffered the extended absence of their star Tyrese Haliburton, out for the entire season after tearing his Achilles tendon during the NBA Finals, but they have also lost Obi Toppin, who will be out for at least three months after foot surgery.

These absences compound other physical problems within the squad, leaving the Indianapolis team with very few options in the paint and limited room to maneuver.

The signing of Robinson-Earl, under this hardship exception, will allow the team to temporarily have an additional player until one of the injured players is ready to return. These types of exceptions are only granted when a team has at least four players sidelined for more than two weeks, a situation that perfectly describes the current outlook for the Pacers.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mercado NBA: El fichaje "desesperado" que han hecho los Pacers