It is just one game in summer league, but RayJ Dennis may have just passed an audition for a role with the Indiana Pacers next season.
In a victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 24-year-old scored a team-high 26 points on 8-for-16 shooting from the field (including a 4-for-8 mark from behind the line). Furthermore, he dished out a team-high nine assists while also grabbing four rebounds and recording two steals.
The team's star point guard Tyrese Haliburton will miss the entire 2025-26 season as he recovers from an Achilles injury. In his place, the Pacers will likely slide Andrew Nembhard over to the point full-time and keep T.J. McConnell as his primary backup. However, the depth behind them is slim. The Pacers will likely experiment a bit and give opportunities to players who otherwise would not have gotten them. He is on a two-way contract again, but Dennis might be one of those players to keep an eye on.
The Pacers have some intriguing options at point guard
There is no replacing Haliburton, especially as he is fresh off one of the most magical individual playoff runs the NBA has seen in a long time. With him on the shelf for a whole season, things may look a bit grim in Indiana. Even so, not all is bad for the team, even as it pertains to their point guard situation (though it is still concerning).
He has not been able to run the point full-time, but Nembhard has shown at times that he can get the job done. Additionally, McConnell is also fresh off some great performances in the NBA Finals. And beyond Dennis, the Pacers have two other interesting point guard options in Kam Jones and Quenton Jackson, who showed some promise late last season. It seems likely that one of these three will be a regular player in the team's rotation next season. The only question is who?
All three players provide a level of intrigue and value. The Pacers are the most familiar with Jackson, but Jones is the only one of them currently on a standard deal. Plus, it is hard to ignore how well Dennis has played in his limited run. These three players will all be worth following throughout summer league and into training camp and the preseason.
Though another deep playoff run is unlikely for Indiana next year, they are still capable of making some noise and shocking the basketball world again. The Pacers still have a very young and talented roster. Additionally, they have the obvious benefit of playing in a weak Eastern Conference. A playoff appearance is not far-fetched at all for the Pacers. Furthermore, they will likely re-establish themselves as legitimate title contenders once Haliburton makes his return.
As the Pacers prepare for what most anticipate will be a gap year for them, they will spend the season experimenting and seeing what they have in some of their younger players. This will especially be true regarding their point guards as the team needs to work it out without Haliburton.
Indiana has some interesting point guards who could fill Hailburton's void while he recovers. Above all else, though, if his first game in summer league was any indication, Dennis may be the top guy to keep an eye on the rest of the way.