Why the Pacers will shine in the NBA summer league

NBA Summer League kicked off with the California Classic and Salt Lake City Summer League both beginning action on Monday. The Summer Pacers aren’t slated to play until the Las Vegas Summer League on July 8th, but they’ll be worth the wait. Returning players like Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard are both on the roster and are looking to build on standout rookie seasons. They’ll lead newly acquired talents like Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard as the Pacers seek a Summer League Championship.

Summer League viewing can be overwhelming for fans as a majority of the players rostered play minimal minutes in the regular NBA season. However, this is the first chance to catch a look at newly drafted talent in an NBA setting. It also gives fans a peek into the offseason development of last year’s rookie class. Here’s what to look for from both The Returners and The Rookies in this year’s Summer League.

The Returners:

Bennedict Mathurin- Handle, Playmaking, and Defense

Mathurin had a stellar rookie season for the Pacers but there’s still work to be done. If he’s improved his ball handling and playmaking skills, he’ll be much more of a threat on offense. Teams forced him to take too many tough shots inside the paint last season, so adding a playmaking wrinkle to his game would allow him to spray the ball to shooters after he gets two feet in the paint. The same goes for his ball-handling abilities. A tighter handle would allow him to better navigate through traffic when driving to the rim. He’ll likely be asked to do more of these things during Summer League.

Mathurin has all the tools to be an outstanding defender, but he has to apply them. Coach Rick Carlisle often pulled him out of late-game lineups in favor of better defenders. If Mathurin is going to be a cornerstone of this Pacers’ team, he needs to take a step on defense.

Andrew Nembhard- Balanced decision-making as a scorer and facilitator

Nembhard also had a dazzling rookie season. He showed his potential as a true point guard and shocked fans by proving himself as one of the best rookies in the league. There’s speculation that Nembhard may dethrone TJ McConnell as the Pacers’ second-unit point guard, and hope that his decision-making from this lead guard position is balanced. As a capable shot-creator both for himself and others, sometimes it becomes challenging for him to find the middle ground between the two. Nembhard is a leader on this Summer League team, and it provides a great opportunity for him to explore this delicate balance.

Isaiah Jackson- Clean defense 

Jackson’s role with the Pacers has been pretty murky in both years of his career. He was drafted as a bit of a project player, but he quickly found himself on a roster with a log jam at his position. He’s playing in Summer League as a veteran leader, but he can use the opportunity to showcase his own development as well.

Jackson had a hard time staying on the court and out of foul trouble last season. Summer League is a pressure-free environment for him to exhibit clean yet physical defensive strategies for the Pacers’ coaching staff. If he shows he can be reliable on defense, he may get a better opportunity for minutes in the rotation this upcoming season.

The Rookies:

Jarace Walker- Shooting and Pace

Walker shot 34.7% from 3-point range in college, but only sank 66% of his free throws. Free throw percentage is often a mark of potential as a shooter, so he’ll need to prove that his shot is as successful as it looks on paper.

It’ll also be notable how Jarace reacts to the Pacers’ speed of play. Summer League teams run the same systems as the affiliated NBA teams, so expect a lot of high-speed transition plays from the Pacers. Jarace flashed some potential as a playmaker at Houston, so he may be highlighted as a connector in the offense. If he adapts to the pace of play well, it could be a good sign for his career in Indiana.

https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1673794580498591746?s=20

Ben Sheppard- Shooting and Physicality/Defense

Sheppard was a four-year player at Belmont and his 3-point shot improved each season of his career. He made a scorching 41.5% of his threes in his senior season. As a mid-major college player, it’s hard to tell how the level of competition in his college career will match up to that of the NBA.

He’s an aggressive and physical defender on tape, but it’s yet to be seen how that physicality will translate into the league. Summer League is a good environment for Sheppard to work out some of the adjustments needed to defend without fouling in the NBA. Players are allowed 10 fouls before fouling out in Summer League, which is conducive to player development. Sheppard can use these games to showcase his physical style of defense and efficient shooting stroke.

Stats via ESPN.

Pacers fleece New York Knicks and use cap space to win free agency

The Pacers entered the offseason needing to nail free agency. And what have they done? Exactly that says Sam Quinn of CBS Sports.