When NBA players play a step above their comfort level, this is typically a sink-or-swim moment for them. Either they step up when the team needs them to, allowing them to develop, or they struggle. Unfortunately for the Indiana Pacers, they are seeing a lot of the latter during a season with a lot of experimentation.
The season is still early, and it can't be ignored that they have yet to see their full team on the court (sans Tyrese Haliburton) due to a plethora of injuries to key players. However, as it stands, the players that the Pacers and fans wanted to see develop and level up have done the complete opposite, which is not at all what the team was hoping to see.
The Pacers' young players are leaving a lot to be desired
Amid a 1-12 start to the season, there are very few positives for Pacers fans to take away. However, perhaps the absolute worst part of their season so far has been the lack of development from some of their young players, especially Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard.
This season was expected to be all about Indiana's young guys to see who or what will or won't work for the long run. Perhaps the "Big Three" for the Pacers here was Walker, Isaiah Jackson, and Bennedict Mathurin. For one reason or another, all three of them had something to prove this season. Walker was looking to prove that he is an NBA-caliber player, Jackson wanted to prove that he can be a starter for the Pacers (and be the best replacement for Myles Turner), and Mathurin has a shiny new contract on the line. If he can perform well, the Pacers would have no choice but to give it to him rather than move on from him.
Unfortunately for Indiana, it hasn't exactly gone as well as they had hoped.
Walker has still struggled greatly. The Houston alum does still show flashes. He can be active on defense, and it's clear that he puts in the effort and tries to make stuff happen. It just hasn't worked out for him as he is averaging 10.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.2 turnovers per game while shooting 29.3% from the field and 25.7% from beyond the arc.
He also looks lost on both sides of the ball, and he still struggles to handle the pressure well, particularly as a ball-handler and decision-maker.
Jackson has mostly looked solid this season. His athleticism is mostly back despite suffering an Achilles injury last year, and he continues to play with energy. However, he is beginning to look more like a career backup than anything. Most notably, he has been very inconsistent, either scoring 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting or committing five fouls in 22 minutes.
As for Mathurin, he actually looked good before sustaining a toe injury. And, if anything, his absence has actually helped increase his value. But he still has too small a sample size to come to any conclusions about him yet.
Plus, Sheppard, who is in the midst of his biggest role as a Pacer in his third season, has failed to impress as well. He is shooting just 24.1% from beyond the arc, and he struggled while taking on more of a ball-handling and playmaking role. And even Jay Huff, who was looked at as a potential replacement for Turner, is not looking like a good offensive fit in Indiana and is shooting just 26.1% from deep.
The Pacers are known for developing players and finding diamonds in the rough, and it's too soon to say they won't be able to do it again. But early on, things do not look great for Indiana and its young players, and this could be a problem for the long-term as the team looks to eventually re-establish itself as a title contender.