Pacers fans didn't delude themselves into thinking this season would end with another deep run in the playoffs. Everyone in Indy pretty saw the writing on the wall as soon as Tyrese Haliburton went down in Game 7 of the NBA Finals; this was going to be a reset year which included lots of losses and (hopefully) lots of development, too.
So far, the first part has held true — Indiana is 5-18 — but the second part looks promising. Quenton Jackson was the first developmental success story for the Pacers this year, but has missed the past month-plus with a hamstring injury. On Friday, recent G League callup Ethan Thompson got his first real run and was highly impressive in the Pacers' win over the Bulls, stuffing the stat sheet with 11 points, 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks.
While the stakes aren't nearly as high in 2025-26 as they were last season, the Pacers can still accomplish something important this year; find guard depth in-house for next year and hopefully beyond. Does anyone want to step up and grab the opportunity?
The Pacers have a chance to find an important depth piece for 2026-27
We know TJ McConnell will be his usual self next year, and Benedict Mathurin finally looks like the high-level scorer fans hoped he would become. But with Tyrese Haliburton coming off an Achilles tear, he'll need to be eased back into the lineup. With Johnny Furphy and Ben Sheppard both not playing like long-term answers in the backcourt, it would behoove the Pacers to use this season as an extended tryout for that role next year. Backcourt depth is always, always essential for teams, and often overlooked in the offseason.
I'm not giving up on either Furphy or Sheppard yet, for the record. But with neither of them grabbing the opportunity to earn consistent minutes, it opens up the possibility that either Jackson, Thompson, or perhaps a name we've yet to mention! Things get weird in years like this, and Rick Carlisle must be open to experimentation (as he usually is).
The Pacers' prerogative this year should be to develop young players and find hidden gems for the future. When, in 2026-27, one of these guys pops onto the national stage, Pacers fans will have seen it coming from a mile away. Any suggestions?