Indiana Pacers: 3 players most unlikely to return next season

Player most unlikely to return to the Indiana Pacers: Jeremy Lamb

Believe me, I appreciate Jeremy Lamb as a player. He never balks, knows his role well, and plays it to a tee. He’s a veteran scorer who can serve as a reliable bailout option against tough defenses with a knack for the proverbial mid-ranger and off-balanced floaters.

In theory, Lamb is a wonderful fit for the second unit, and that holds true in the present. However, in practice, there are layers as to why he may be headed towards a breakup with the Indiana Pacers.

First, he is on an expiring contract. Of course, the front office will dig the well in order to acquire some assets for him. After all, he still has value as a great scorer with good efficiency on three-pointers, canning 40.6 of them this year. He isn’t a great one-on-one stopper, and he never was one, but he’s proven to be a reliable team defender, especially last season.

Second, a lot of players on the team can justifiably usurp him in the rotation. Edmond Sumner, Aaron Holiday and even Kelan Martin all figure to make jumps next season, and that can only be possible if they have ample court time. When the team is at full strength, Lamb is usually the first shooting guard off the bench. Chiseling out his minutes (and dealing him) will give the youngsters some much-needed leeway to show what they can do on the court.