'He's getting close': Pacers' Doug McDermott returns to practice, but still out Saturday

INDIANAPOLIS -- Doug McDermott participated in practice on Friday, which suggests the veteran Pacers wing is nearing a return after missing the last eight games with a strained right calf. However, he's still out for the Pacers' home game at 7 p.m. Saturday against the Brooklyn Nets according to the NBA injury report.

"He's doing better," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "He practiced today. He's getting close."

The Pacers could use him back and they could use a more effective version of McDermott than they got before the injury.

McDermott, who also played for the Pacers for three seasons from 2018-21, was re-acquired from the Spurs in three-way trade at the deadline on Feb. 8 that sent veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield to the 76ers. In the six games he played before the injury, McDermott's playing time was limited and he was slow in re-discovering his shooting stroke. The career 47.2% shooter and 41% 3-point shooter with 926 career 3-pointers played a combined 66 minutes and made 7 of 20 field goals and 4 of 24 3-pointers for a total of 19 points. Hield, meanwhile, is averaging 14.2 points per game and shooting 41.5% from 3-point range with Philadelphia.

In the time McDermott has been injured, the Pacers lost second-year guard Bennedict Mathurin -- their fourth-leading scorer and leading scorer among bench players with 14.5 points per game -- to a torn labrum in his right shoulder that requires season-ending surgery. Indiana's second-unit has still been able to score in their absence, as the Pacers scored 47 bench points to Chicago's 16 in a loss to the Bulls on Wednesday. However, the Pacers could very much use an influx of 3-point shooting. In their last three games, they're shooting just 32.3% from 3-point range, making 31 of 96 attempts. They have shot better than 40% from 3-point range just once in their last 10 games.

McDermott was averaging 6.0 points per game and shooting 43.9% from 3-point range with San Antonio this season before the trade, so the Pacers are hopeful he'll be able to make an impact. Rookies Ben Sheppard and Jarace Walker had been taking the second-unit minutes at shooting guard and small forward with Mathurin and McDermott out, but there should be opportunities for McDermott to get minutes with those two.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers' Doug McDermott returns to practice after calf strain