3 Indiana Pacers training camp battles fans should watch out for

3 Indiana Pacers training camp battles fans should watch out for: Depth wing minutes

This is a bit of a niche category, but it’s something that Indiana Pacers fans should definitely be keeping an eye on as training camp gets underway for their squad.

With Bruce Brown in town and Bennedict Mathurin primed to take over a starting job, the Pacers’ starting shooting guard and small forward positions should be set. Buddy Hield will make a play for a starting spot, too, if he’s still on the team by the time the season begins. But who gets the minutes after that?

The obvious answer is Aaron Nesmith. After a nice breakout season with the Pacers this past season, Nesmith should have a real chance to build on it next season. He should be one of the Pacers’ first guys off the pine.

The next couple of bench spots are in question, though, and training camp will be a great opportunity for the Pacers to assess some of the other wings on their roster.

Jordan Nwora is the next name that comes to mind. He put up some really solid numbers after getting traded to the Pacers last season and gives them shooting with some size.

Then there’s rookie Ben Sheppard, who the Pacers picked with the 26th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-6 wing is another solid shooter who could vy for minutes.