This season has been all about experimentation for the Indiana Pacers and finding out if anybody will step up and establish themselves as a legitimate contributor for the future. And at this point, it's fair to say that the answer is yes.
Don't get it twisted: there have definitely been some disappointments for Indiana this season. Isaiah Jackson couldn't take advantage of being named the team's starting center on opening night, and now he's riding the bench for the Los Angeles Clippers. Plus, James Wiseman and Tony Bradley are already both off the team, and while he's been solid recently, there are still some question marks surrounding Ben Sheppard's long-term role in Indiana.
However, there has certainly been enough good for the Pacers to hang their hat on. And as they look to compete for a championship next season and beyond, they should feel confident with the depth they have.
Many Pacers players have stepped up this season
There have been two major developments that Indiana should be happy about (three if you want to include Andrew Nembhard stepping up as its lead point guard in Tyrese Haliburton's absence, but I think everyone expected him to do just fine): Jarace Walker and Jay Huff.
Both players came into this season with a chip on their shoulder, and while it wasn't always pretty for them, they have seemingly established themselves as valuable assets in Indiana.
Huff has done a great job of being the Pacers' temporary starting center this season (which is a job he earned, by the way). He's not going to be their long-term starter, especially after the acquisition of Ivica Zubac, but he should bring a lot of value to the team for a long time, particularly as a rim protector and floor-spacer.
And as for Walker, he has been fantastic since Christmas and is reminding the Pacers why they were so high on him when they acquired him in the 2023 NBA Draft.
In his last 30 games, the Houston alum has averaged 13.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 46.5% from the field and 43.1% from deep in 24.9 minutes. Additionally, he looks much more comfortable on both sides of the ball and has played some incredible basketball recently.
Beyond those two, the Pacers have gotten good play out of Micah Potter (who may have earned himself a long-term role with the team), Kobe Brown (who has been solid despite being a throw-in in the Zubac-for-Bennedict Mathurin trade), Quenton Jackson (who is finally on a standard contract), and young players like Kam Jones, Taelon Peter, and Ethan Thompson at separate times.
Depth has been a crucial part of Indiana's success in recent years, and that shouldn't change anytime soon. And given the state of their current roster, the Pacers should feel good about this remaining one of their strengths.