Pacers’ Rick Carlisle Reveals Who Will Start at Shooting Guard This Season

The Pacers already have a starting shooting guard in mind for next season.

Jun 19, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle speaks to his players during a timeout in the second quarter during game six of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers are going to have to figure out who the starting two-guard is going to be next season after Andrew Nembhard shifts over to point guard with Tyrese Haliburton out for the season.

Rick Carlisle already has a player in mind for who might take that spot next season. He needs someone that he can count on to play the same style that the Pacers have been playing for the last three seasons.

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Bennedict Mathurin stepped in to start at the small forward spot last season when Aaron Nesmith was hurt, and Carlisle wants him to start at the two-guard.

Carlisle wants Mathurin to be the starting shooting guard because of his ability to score and get to the free-throw line, and said so while talking to Caitlin Cooper of Basketball, She Wrote.

Also, here's some breaking news: Rick told me who the Day 1 starter is at the two next season.

Full episode: https://t.co/682Rtp7oVx pic.twitter.com/J84UWuLRac

— Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) August 5, 2025

"You know, I'm projecting him as our starter at two this year at day one," Carlisle told Cooper. "I told him this, I was on the phone with him and his agent four days ago, and I said, 'It's your job to lose.'"

Carlisle wants Mathurin to step up and show that he can take over the starting role in what will be a critical year. He will be up for an extension next season, so he needs to have a good season.

Mathurin doesn't exactly play with the speed and the fast decision-making that the rest of the Pacers do, but that's something that Carlisle is working on helping him fix.

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Indiana also needs someone like Mathurin who can just put his head down and go get a bucket. He was one of the big reasons why they were able to win Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Thunder.

Carlisle wants to see Mathurin improve his passing skills and make some quicker decisions. That will be the biggest thing that he needs to show in training camp to keep that starting spot.

If he does end up being in the starting lineup, that would leave T.J. McConnell, Obi Toppin, and Jarace Walker as key guys off the bench. James Wiseman and Jay Huff will fight for the backup center spot.

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