Over the past few years, the Indiana Pacers' depth has been one of their biggest strengths. However, now that many players have switched roles and a lot of emphasis will be on the young guys, their depth might end up proving to be one of their biggest weaknesses next season.
The Pacers have been as successful as they have been because they have had quality at every position. Not only did they have a cohesive starting lineup that consisted of players who bought into the system and played their role well, but they also had good players off the bench who did more of the same and brought a lot of energy whenever they stepped out onto the court.
Indiana's depth is a main reason they were as successful as they were during their latest playoff run, too. It was a bit unconventional, but Rick Carlisle was able to regularly run 10 or 11-man rotations in the playoffs because of how deep they were.
Unfortunately for the Pacers, their second unit looks far weaker next season on paper. Things will likely work out eventually, but at least for the time being, the Pacers' roster does not look too deep as they undergo some re-tooling.
The Pacers still have a great opportunity despite their worse depth
Following Tyrese Haliburton's injury and Myles Turner's departure, the Pacers are now down two of their most important players in recent years for the 2025-26 season. To make up for their absence, they will shift some players around and experiment a bit with their roster.
This is completely the right call as it will give them a better look at what they have and what can help them compete for the long haul. However, it is expected that things are going to get worse before they get better.
As it stands, Indiana is expected to slide Andrew Nembhard over to point guard full-time, and they will also add Bennedict Mathurin into the lineup as the team's starting shooting guard. This can be an exciting duo, but it is also less than ideal.
Nembhard has long been a fantastic complementary player alongside Haliburton. With him now taking on a full-time role, while he should be able to excel, the team does lose a lot of its dynamic. Furthermore, adding Mathurin into the starting lineup means that Indiana loses one of their top bench scorers who can torch opposing second units.
Additionally, the Pacers now also need to rely much more heavily on some of their younger and unproven players. And, depending on how they each perform, things could start out on the wrong foot.
Players like Jarace Walker, Johnny Furphy, and Isaiah Jackson are each expected to take on bigger roles next season. As it stands, it is unclear exactly how much they can all be trusted to step up now that the team desperately needs them to. Additionally, the Pacers still have a big point guard problem as they don't have an established third option behind Nembhard and T.J. McConnell next season.
The Pacers still have a bright future and should be able to re-establish themselves as title contenders down the line. However, until then, they may experience some growing pains, and it all starts with their bench.