The injury-plagued Indiana Pacers have suffered another setback, with the team announcing Monday that second-year forward Johnny Furphy will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Furphy sustained the injury during the third quarter of Sunday’s 122-104 loss at Toronto. An MRI at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York confirmed the severity of the injury. The Pacers are scheduled to face the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
Furphy joins a growing list of sidelined players, led by two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, who is out for the season following a torn Achilles tendon suffered in Game 7 of last June’s NBA Finals. Starters Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, and key backups Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell have also missed significant time this season.
Despite the injuries, Furphy, a 2024 second-round pick from Kansas, had made the most of his opportunity, starting 21 games and averaging 5.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists.
Indiana’s struggles have been reflected in its record, currently 13-40, the second-worst in the league. The team could face additional challenges as new center Ivica Zubac, acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers last week, continues to recover from an ankle injury that has kept him sidelined since December. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle recently said Zubac will return only when he’s “really ready.”
