Summer League could reveal if these young players are part of the Pacers' future

The Indiana Pacers start Summer League on Friday night. This Summer League is going to be crucial to see how some of these young guys have developed over the course of the last couple years. It will also give the rookies who were drafted recently a chance to make the team.

While Pacers fans will be interested in seeing how those rookies look, I'll be focused on two players in particular. It's a Summer League roster that features a lot of players, but Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard are the two guys that will get the most attention this Summer.

Sheppard was a part of the rotation after the All-Star break all the way into the playoffs. He is going to be in the rotation again next year. Can he add more to his game to make him more dangerous? That's what we'll be watching for in Summer League. Walker needs to prove he can play period.

Two Pacers players who will be the stars of Summer League

Walker is being counted on to be the backup small forward. The problem is that he hardly played last year. Pacers fans need to see that he's gotten better so that he will be an asset to the team. His physical tools are impressive, but he's got to show that he can make better decisions and put it all together.

This Summer League will give us a good idea of whether these two guys will be a part of the Pacers' future. Sheppard has already proven that he's a solid defender, but his shooting needs to be more consistent. Walker is younger and rawer than Sheppard, so he has more leeway.

I'm excited to see Sheppard get more involved in the offense. I want to see him dribble the ball to the hoop and show off how well he can finish at the rim. I want to see him create off-the-bounce in general. For Walker, I want to see him take better shots and have a more consistent stroke.

It's an exciting time to be a Pacers fan. Summer League will give us a glimpse of their future.