With Glut Of Wings, Pacers Might Want To Start Thinking About Move To Shore Up Defense

December 18, 2024

The Pacers have a depth chart that’s loaded with guards and wings — Aaron Nesmith, Bennedict Mathurin, Ben Sheppard, and Jarace Walker all fill similar roles. So the big NBA question in Indiana is: How many of these players can coexist?

Is there too much redundancy on the roster, especially as the team struggles defensively, sitting near the bottom-10 in defensive ratings?

At some point, you have to ask, which one of these players is expendable to help fix that glaring weakness?

The Pacers could shake things up by moving some of their injured pieces, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted. James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson are options that could create both roster and financial flexibility.

And let’s not forget about Myles Turner. The starting center is in the final year of his deal and has no extension lined up, making him a potential trade asset or a free-agent departure in the offseason.

With Turner ($19.9M) and Nesmith ($11M) both set to hit free agency soon, Indiana could look to pivot. Mathurin ($7.2M) and Walker ($4.4M) might be part of the future, but is it time for the Pacers to consolidate some of their assets to improve their defense?

As for free agents, Wiseman ($2.2M), Jackson ($4.4M), and James Johnson ($2.1M) will all be up in July. The Pacers will have options to move or resign these players based on their evolving roster needs.

Let’s not forget that Indiana has all its first-round picks (except the one owed to Toronto in 2026) and nine second-round picks to play with.

There’s no shortage of options to trade, with $12.8M and $4.7M exceptions available to bring in new faces.

One thing is clear: The Pacers’ identity is evolving, and something has to give – whether it’s a trade for a more defensive-minded player or a reshuffling of their guard-heavy roster.

This team needs to figure out how to balance scoring with stopping their opponents. And if the Pacers are serious about getting into the playoffs, it starts with fixing that defense –and maybe trimming the redundancy on the roster.