The Pacers spent the offseason building around fit, not flash, and that approach now puts Ben Sheppard in an interesting spot.
Indiana already sacrificed its 2026 NBA Draft pick in the Ivica Zubac trade after the NBA Draft Lottery didn’t break its way, sending the No. 5 overall pick to the Clippers. With that avenue gone, the team shifted away from trying to add a rookie talent and instead targeted pieces that work around its core.
That’s how Kelly Oubre Jr. got to Indianapolis. The Pacers used their Mid-Level Exception to sign him to a 2-year, $16.5 million deal, bringing in a 12-year veteran with wing versatility and playoff ambition.
The move added another experienced option, but it also made the rotation a little crowded. Oubre has usually been a starting small forward, yet he arrived knowing he’d come off the bench in Indiana.
That created the possibility that either Jarace Walker or Sheppard would lose minutes.
So far, preseason hasn’t made the picture any clearer. Through two exhibition games, both Sheppard and Walker have still logged significant run with the second unit, while Jay Huff - the player many expected to handle the backup five role - has not checked in until the third quarter. And while preseason lineups can be misleading, especially with Haliburton sitting out the second game and McConnell not playing in either, Walker has been the better player if the two are being measured against each other.
Still, the idea of Sheppard being the odd man out doesn’t hold up very well when you look at what he gives Indiana.
Bleacher Report recently floated one trade candidate from every team and named Sheppard for the Pacers. But Sheppard is heading into the final year of his rookie-scale contract, and his place in this roster has real value. Since arriving in Indianapolis, he has played his way into the playoff rotation and earned the staff’s trust with steady production.
He may sit behind Oubre and Walker on the depth chart at backup shooting guard and small forward, but Indiana would have a hard time replacing what he brings. There’s no highlight-reel element to his game, but he offers dependable wing depth and already knows the system better than most possible trade returns would.
His market value would probably not bring back much, and the Pacers would be unlikely to get equal value in a deal.
The timing matters, too. With restricted free agency now showing how difficult it can be for players to secure the deals they want, Indiana has little reason to force the issue before the trade deadline. Sheppard may not have a long line of teams waiting to sign him this summer, and if he does receive offers, the Pacers can match them.
There’s also the possibility that he opens the season in the rotation anyway. Even if that doesn’t happen, one injury could put him back into meaningful minutes immediately.
That’s the reality of Indiana’s roster. The Pacers built it to survive the season’s inevitable twists, with depth that can be called on at almost any point. Sheppard may not be the most gifted player in the group, but he fills a useful role, brings playoff experience, and fits the locker room.
Unless a deal comes along that Indiana can’t turn down, moving him would not make much sense. The Pacers should be focused on tightening the chemistry from 1 through 14, not chasing a marginal roster tweak.
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What makes this next stretch so important is not just whether Haliburton can suit up again, but how quickly he can look like himself after such a serious injury. His first game back offered some encouraging signs, with his passing and defense both standing out, yet the bigger question for Indiana is what comes next as he settles back into live NBA rhythm. For a Pacers team that has invested so much in him, the answer will shape far more than one return appearance. [Read more 🡒]