Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell (ankle) will return from a two-game absence in Friday's matchup against the Miami Heat. Indiana has upgraded his status from questionable to available. McConnell will continue to provide cover off the bench. The matchup against the Heat has suited well for McConnell, as he has averaged 10.0 points, 4.3 assists, and 1.0 steals over 19.7 minutes in three prior meetings this season.

Indiana Pacers guardT.J. McConnell(ankle) will be out of action against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. McConnell will miss his second consecutive contest due to a sprained right ankle. With extra minutes available in the Pacers backcourt versus the Raptors, Andrew Nembhard will likely see some additional playing time. Ben Sheppard andBennedict Mathurin could also have expanded roles for Wednesday's contest.

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (ankle) is on the injury report as questionable for Wednesday's contest against the Toronto Raptors. On Sunday, he sprained his right ankle in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers and wasn't in the lineup for Monday night's action against the Denver Nuggets. With McConnell out of commission, starting point guard Tyrese Haliburton (groin) logged 40 minutes on Monday. However, Indiana also lists Haliburton as questionable ahead of Wednesday's game. If both players are out, Andrew Nembhard will likely handle most of the playmaking Wednesday night, with Ben Sheppard and Bennedict Mathurin in line for more playing time.

According to Tony East of WTHR Channel 13 Indianapolis, Indiana Pacers guardT.J. McConnell(ankle) is unavailable to play against the Denver Nuggets on Monday due to an ankle sprain. The veteran backup has only been out of the lineup for one game so far this season and Monday's contest will be the first he's missed since November 8. The 32-year-old is averaging 9.8 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 18.4 minutes per game. Bennedict MathurinandBen Sheppardcould see some extra minutes off the bench while McConnell is on the shelf. Mathurin posted eight points, one rebound, one assist, and one block in 21 minutes in Indiana's last contest.

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (ankle) has been tagged as questionable due to an ankle sprain for Monday's game against the Denver Nuggets. The veteran backup has only missed one game so far this season and is in danger of missing his first since November 8. He's averaging 9.8 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals across 18.4 minutes per game. If he's unable to play, Bennedict Mathurin and Ben Sheppard could see some extra minutes off of the bench. Mathurin registered eight points, one rebound, one assist, and one block on 21 minutes in their last game.

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (illness) won't play in Friday's matchup with the Hornets. The veteran was listed as questionable. But an illness will keep him off the floor against Charlotte. McConnell isn't a consistent fantasy producer, considering he has averaged 9.8 points and 4.1 assists this season. However, his absence could mean more work for Ben Sheppard, who will likely draw value attention from DFS managers on Friday evening.

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (illness) picked up a questionable tag heading into their Friday night matchup with the Charlotte Hornets. The backup point guard is dealing with an illness, so it will likely be a game-time decision based on how he's feeling. Since Andrew Nembhard (knee) is considered probable, he'll see some extra minutes while Bennedict Mathurin and Ben Sheppard should see more opportunities as well.

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell agreed to a four-year, $45 million contract extension with the club on Friday. Although the 32-year-old isn't a starter, he is one of the most essential players on the Pacers' roster. He finished the 2023-24 campaign by averaging a career-high 10.2 points with 5.5 assists and 1.0 steals and was even more productive throughout the postseason. With that said, Tyrese Haliburton's health is seemingly always an issue, so fantasy managers should strongly consider adding McConnell for insurance purposes heading into opening night.

According to NBA insider Evan Sidery, the Indiana Pacers want guard T.J. McConnell to remain with the team for the remainder of his career. The 32-year-old averaged a career-high 10.2 points with 5.5 assists and 1.0 steals during the 2023-24 campaign. He was also instrumental in helping the Pacers advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. McConnell, who has one year left on his current deal, is eligible for an extension this offseason. With that said, he isn't expected to be a routine fantasy producer in 2024-25, but he could get plenty of chances to be productive, considering Tyrese Haliburton's inability to remain healthy.

Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell enjoyed another productive bench outing on Monday against the Celtics, scoring 15 points and tallying five rebounds, four assists, and one steal as Indiana's season ended with a 105-102 loss. He finished with 7-for-16 shooting, missing his lone attempt from three-point range. McConnell impressed throughout the playoffs with his high-energy performances off the bench. He averaged 11.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists across 20.5 minutes. Plenty of teams will likely be looking at him as a potential offseason acquisition, with McConnell on a very affordable $9.3 million deal for next season. Recent reports suggest that he has been a long-term target of the Phoenix Suns, who are desperate for a point guard.

Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell continued his strong stretch of performances with a good 25-minute outing in Tuesday's Game 1 loss to Boston. He scored 13 points on 6-for-11 shooting off the bench and dished out four assists while recording three rebounds and one steal. McConnell has become a very useful spark plug off the pine for the Pacers, posting a pair of double-doubles and scoring in double figures in six of the last eight games. Boston has one of the most unproductive benches in the league, meaning Indiana's second unit has a big role to play in the series if the team wants to match the Celtics.

Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell played a big part in Sunday's 121-89 win over the Knicks with 15 points and 10 assists off the bench. Additionally, he registered four rebounds and two steals across 21 minutes of action, shooting 6-for-12 from the field and making both of his attempts from three-point range. McConnell had a strong finish with a 20-point effort in the first round, and his importance has continued to grow in the series against the Knicks. The 32-year-old has posted two double-doubles through four games, averaging 12.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.

Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell led the team with 12 assists and provided 10 points in Wednesday's Game 2 loss to the Knicks. The veteran guard logged a very productive 22 minutes off the bench, adding four rebounds to his tally and shooting 5-for-9 from the field. The Pacers were plus-10 with McConnell on the floor. That's now three straight games with double-digit scoring for McConnell, who has also averaged 8.0 dimes during the stretch. Indiana tends to play better with him on the court, and Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle clearly needs to find more minutes for McConnell to turn things around in the series.

Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell (illness) could be out for a third straight game on Thursday versus the Knicks, as he's listed as questionable for the contest. The savvy playmaker missed Sunday's clash against the Grizzlies for personal reasons and was kept out from Tuesday's matchup against Boston due to an illness. He apparently hasn't yet fully recovered from the bug. Andrew Nembhard has benefited from McConnell's absence all season long, and he can expect to feature heavily again on Thursday.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it?Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, the opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA. 

Introduction

I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

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Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell (ankle) was limited in practice as training camp started on Tuesday. According to head coach Rick Carlisle, the talented ball mover injured his ankle during a workout last week. The injury doesn't sound too serious and doesn't appear to threaten his availability for opening day. McConnell is set to start his fifth year in Indianapolis despite being linked with a trade to Phoenix in the summer. Playing behind Tyrese Haliburton, he has a tough time making a big mark, but McConnell has always been a serviceable backup. The 31-year-old has registered 8.0 points with 5.5 assists and 1.2 steals with the Pacers.

Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell has been linked with a move to the Phoenix Suns, but he apparently isn't very keen on the idea himself. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, McConnell is "hopeful" of staying with the Pacers. The 31-year-old has spent four seasons with the Pacers, averaging a solid 8.0 points and 5.5 assists for the team as a bench contributor. With Bradley Beal penciled in as the starting point guard for the Suns next season, McConnell would remain a bench piece in Phoenix and it looks like he would rather fill the role in more familiar surroundings.

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell could be on the move this offseason with the Phoenix Suns showing interest in him. The Suns are in need of a backup point guard after trading Cameron Payne to the San Antonio Spurs earlier this month. The difficult part is that the Suns don't have many tradable assets at the moment. McConnell is one of the better backup guards in the league and should pull a decent return. The Pacers don't have a need to move McConnell unless the deal actually benefits them. That being said, this could be a potential deal that falls apart as McConnell has mentioned he'd like to remain in Indiana.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, talks between the Suns, Pacers, and Knicks surrounding T.J. McConnell have "stalled." Phoenix is hoping to add McConnell to its backcourt. At the same time, the deal would result in Cameron Payne heading to New York and Evan Fournier moving to Indiana. Of course, there's a good chance those involved could return to the negotiating table, even if it means a team is added or drops out of preliminary discussions. At any rate, McConnell has been a reliable option over the years, regardless of his role. He most recently appeared in 75 games for the Pacers last season, averaging 8.7 points, 5.3 assists, and 1.1 steals, although he logged nearly a double-double with 1.3 swipes in six starts. There's no denying the 31-year-old would bolster the Suns' roster, a club left without a true floor general after moving on from Chris Paul. That said, McConnell's fantasy value may increase in the desert, especially since he might start more than he did in Indiana.

Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell is reportedly being targeted by the Phoenix Suns. Jake Fischer of Yahoo reports that the 31-year-old "has been one player on the Suns' radar". It's theoretically a favorable potential landing spot for McConnell, who would figure to have a chance to start depending on matchup instead of Josh Okogie. McConnell gathered a serviceable 8.7 points, 5.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game over 75 contests last season. The eight-year veteran should be considered a low-end source of assists and steals as Tyrese Haliburton's backup in Indy, but his role could expand if shipped to the desert.