Pacers Shake Up Backcourt: Waive McClung, Sign Morris

Indiana waived guard Mac McClung and signed veteran Monte Morris after a 1-7 start, per Shams Charania. McClung — an undrafted dunk-contest champion who appeared in three games for Indiana — is out, costing the Pacers a $164,060 cap hit, while Morris brings years of steady backup point-guard experience (5.2 ppg in 45 games last season). The move matters because Indiana is already depleted: Tyrese Haliburton is out for the year with a torn Achilles, Andrew Nembhard is injured, and Bennedict Mathurin is sidelined with a toe issue. Merlin sees this as a practical, short-term spell. McClung was a high-energy long shot; Morris offers pick-and-roll savvy and ball security but not a dramatic scoring boost. This is a stopgap to steady the backcourt while the injured stars recover — a small shove, not a transformative shove toward contention.