Pacers coach Jim O'Brien doesn't expect rookie forward Tyler Hansbrough to return this season.

"I'm not sure we're going to have Tyler back this year," O'Brien said on WFNI-1070 AM during his weekly radio show.

"His difficulties might last throughout this year. If he got better in three weeks, he would have to recondition and I don't know if it would be in his best interest to make a showing."

Hansbrough has missed 23 of the past 27 games because of an inner ear infection and he suffered constant dizziness in the four games he did play.

The Pacers opted against making any deals prior to Thursday's trade deadline, but they plan to be active this summer.

Indiana is set up to have more than $40 million in cap space in the summer of 2011 and any of the deals that were proposed would have jeopardized that flexibility.

"We looked at what we were going to do in the future," president Larry Bird said, "and if it didn't make sense, we weren't going to do it."

It was rumored that the Pacers were close to sending T.J. Ford and Brandon Rush to the Bobcats for D.J. Augustin, Nazr Mohammed and Gerald Henderson.

Indiana will have five players entering the final year of their deal next season -- Ford, Troy Murphy, Solomon Jones, Mike Dunleavy and Jeff Foster -- which makes them all potential trade chips.

"We think there's going to be a lot of teams looking for guys with one-year deals and not have three- or four-year deals, and hopefully we can pick up a player or two that we like," Bird said.

Pacers point guard T.J. Ford posted on his Twitter page Thursday afternoon to clarify rumors linking him to the Bobcats.

The NBA trade deadline pasted without Charlotte and Indiana making a deal.

There were reports that the Pacers and Bobcats were discussing a deal that would have sent Ford and Brandon Rush to Charlotte for D.J. Augustin, Nazr Mohammed and Gerald Henderson.

"Sorry but trade rumors was just trade talk... Still a PACER!!!!," Ford wrote on his Twitter page.

The Pacers and Bobcats have discussed a trade involving point guard T.J. Ford and D.J. Augustin, but Chad Ford of ESPN reports that it's not likely to be finalized.

"Latest: Hearing Pacers-Bobcat deal isn't happening," Ford wrote on his Twitter page.

Other sources claim that players in Indiana expect the deal to happen.

Ford has added via Twitter, "Pacers did talk to Bobcats about a T.J. Ford for D.J. Augustine and Nazr Mohammed deal, but talks fell apart in the last hour."

RealGM is working to confirm/deny talks.

The Pacers and Bobcats are in talks regarding a trade involving a pair of point guards, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports

Indiana and Charlotte are discussing a potential T.J. Ford-D.J. Augustin swap.

"Charlotte and Indiana in serious talks on deal that would send T.J. Ford to Bobcats for package that includes D.J. Augustine, source says," Wojnarowski wrote on his Twitter page.

Update: Talks have centered around Ford and Brandon Rush for Augustin, Nazr Mohammed and Gerald Henderson.

The Pacers have looked into trading forward Troy Murphy, but they aren't expected to pull the trigger on a move prior to Thursday afternoon's deadline.

League sources told Yahoo! Sports of the development.

Murphy has been linked to the Bucks, Cavaliers and Kings.

Milwaukee was most interested in the forward until they swung a deal for Chicago's John Salmons on Wednesday afternoon.

Pacers center Jeff Foster will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing successful back surgery.

Foster is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for training camp in the fall.

The veteran played in just 16 games this season, averaging 3.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in just 15.9 minutes.

The Milwaukee Bucks will not make a deal for Troy Murphy, according to Mike Wells of the Indy Star.

The Bucks have been mentioned, along with Cleveland and Sacramento, as one of three destinations for Murphy.

If the Cavaliers aren't able to work out a deal with the Suns for Amare Stoudemire, they'll focus their attention on Indiana's Troy Murphy.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Cavaliers and Pacers have agreed on a deal should Cleveland's pursuit of Stoudemire come up empty.

Cleveland would ship Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson to Indiana for the power forward.

The Pacers may then waive Ilgauskas.

Sources close to the Pacers say there is significant interest from Sacramento in Troy Murphy.

The Kings are pursuing a straight up deal centered around the expiring contract of Kenny Thomas ($8.5 million).

Indiana would surely push to include at least one of the Kings prospects such as Donte Greene.