Indiana Pacers bei Cleveland Cavaliers

Furphy started in 21 of 35 regular-season appearances for the Pacers, posting averages of 5.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.7 three-pointers in 18.4 minutes per contest. While no timetable has been announced, Furphy's absence could extend through the beginning of the 2026-27 season. With this news, the Pacers will likely lean more on Ben Sheppard, Kam Jones and Quenton Jackson moving forward.

There is optimism that the veteran center will be a full participant within the next one or two weeks. The injury appears unlikely to threaten Nance's availability for the start of the regular season, though his progress throughout camp will be worth monitoring.

Watson isn't guaranteed a spot in the starting five immediately but will have the chance to compete for it during training camp. The 24-year-old forward figures to play a sizable role for Cleveland after being acquired from the Nuggets in August in a multi-team deal. Watson was limited to just 54 regular-season appearances (40 starts) in 2025-26 due in large part to a strained hamstring, though he impressed when healthy, averaging career highs in points (14.6), rebounds (4.9), assists (2.1) and steals (0.9) while chipping in 1.1 blocks per game and shooting 41.1 percent from beyond the arc. His length and defensive versatility will be key for a Cleveland team trying to reach the Finals for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign. However, his growth on the offensive end will also be crucial to achieving that objective. Watson is one of the top candidates to join James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the starting lineup, but Atkinson isn't ready to commit to that idea just yet, as the Cavaliers have other options like Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson.