Summer League players to watch: Indiana Pacers
In the NBA, Summer League has already begun. The games will continue for the next few weeks, beginning on Saturday. The Pacers have begun Summer League practice even though they haven’t officially begun a season. Many young men are eager to demonstrate their abilities. Many of them are attempting to make the squad, even though their shared goal is to play for the Pacers this season. It goes without saying that not all of them will make the squad. A portion of them will play for another team or in the G-League.
A select group of players truly have a shot to make the squad and see some action. Two of them were members of the squad the previous season, and one of them rotated through the playoffs. Naturally, I’m referring to Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard.
During Summer League, three Pacers players have a significant opportunity.
After the All-Star break, Sheppard was added to the rotation. In his debut season, the youngster on the defensive end of the floor had a lot of promise. Although he had good three-point shooting, it significantly declined throughout the playoffs. He’ll get an opportunity to develop his offensive game in Summer League.
Walker did not play much for Indiana. He has more opportunity than any other player in Summer League. He is able to demonstrate how much his offensive and defensive skills have improved. I’m focusing on his decision-making in particular. Has he mastered the art of mentally slowing down to make smarter decisions? The rookie from Kansas, Johnny Furphy, also has a chance to be included in the rotation. A strong Summer League performance might put him ahead of Walker for a rotation spot. That’s not what I anticipate happening. If Walker has a fantastic Summer League, he could be the backup small forward for the upcoming campaign.
