The Pacers can answer just about any offensive problem you throw at them. Tyrese Haliburton sets the tone, and with Pascal Siakam, the post game of Ivica Zubac, and the creation of Andrew Nembhard in the mix, Indiana has the kind of attack that can make opposing defenses look helpless.
The issue is on the other end. Indiana has plenty of capable individual defenders, but it does not have the specialized stopper every serious playoff team seems to carry.
That kind of player matters. Over the last few title runs, the teams that reached the top all had one.
The New York Knicks leaned on OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, plus usable bench help. The OKC Thunder had Lu Dort and Alex Caruso.
The Boston Celtics had Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, two of the league’s best at hounding guards. Go back through the years and the pattern holds: every contender seems to have at least one role player who can take the toughest assignment and live with it.
Indiana’s best current answer is Aaron Nesmith. He’s the de facto choice, and he gets the job done often enough.
But “often enough” is not the same thing as being a true specialist. Nesmith fits the three-and-D mold, but like a lot of players in that lane, his value comes from versatility more than mastery.
He can handle the work. He’s just not defined by it.
If the Pacers are looking for someone whose defense is baked into his identity, Ben Sheppard is the name that starts to make sense. He and draftmate Jarace Walker have both fallen short of the early promise they flashed, though Walker may be more useful as a trade piece. Sheppard, on the other hand, has shown real flashes defending guards and wings.
That kind of profile could matter even more for Sheppard as he looks ahead to his payday. If he can become that shutdown option, it would go a long way toward raising his value. The lingering question has been whether his offense can catch up enough to make his defensive skill set count.
Still, the more likely outcome is that Indiana has to look outside the roster. That means digging through bargain-bin options or swinging a trade.
Frank Ntilikina is the clearest example of that path. The French guard turned heads with an impressive FIBA run on a loaded team, and he could benefit the way other players have after strong international play, including Guershon Yabusele.
There are also the more chaotic possibilities, with Ben Simmons standing out as the most intriguing name. He would fit on the floor, even if everything that comes with him would add another layer of drama.
The problem is that Indiana does not have much money to spend and does not have much trade ammunition to offer. With only a few seconds, an expiring deal, or maybe a minimum contract to work with, finding that kind of defender is a tall order.
And without that real defensive anchor, the Pacers’ championship outlook starts to look awfully thin.
In Other News...
Pacers Just Cleared The Path For A Backcourt Move Fans Wanted
The Pacers moved on from Ethan Thompson on Aug. 14, a transaction that opened up a two-way roster spot and nudged their offseason picture a little closer to what fans have been expecting. Thompson later landed a two-year deal with KK Partizan in the EuroLeague, giving Indiana a clean break as it continues sorting out the bottom of the roster.
What makes the move worth watching is the flexibility it creates for the Pacers, who still have roster and salary cap considerations to keep in mind as the season approaches. Indiana has been working through the kind of backcourt decisions that can shape the rest of the year, and the next step could say plenty about how the team wants to balance young talent now with room for veteran help later. [Read more 🡒]
Haliburtons Westbrook Tribute Marks The End Of An NBA Era
Russell Westbrooks retirement closes the book on one of the most electric careers the league has seen in the modern era, and it did not take long for Tyrese Haliburton to weigh in from the Pacers side. Westbrooks resume speaks for itself: nine All-Star selections, four seasons averaging a triple-double and the 2016-17 MVP award, a run that made him one of the defining point guards of his generation.
For Indiana, Haliburtons reaction carried added weight because he has seen Westbrook from the other side of the floor and understands what that kind of force looked like up close. He praised Westbrooks career and talked about his own experiences playing against him, a reminder that even as the league keeps moving forward, the players coming up now still measure themselves against the stars who set the standard. [Read more 🡒]