How should the Indiana Pacers handle Ben Sheppard's expiring contract?

INDIANAPOLIS -- Building an NBA roster that can compete for a title is a difficult task, but Kevin Pritchard, Chad Buchanan and Ted Wu have done a masterful job of adding the right players to give the Pacers a shot at winning it all.

During the offseason, Indiana lost their 2026 NBA Draft pick in the Ivica Zubac trade, when the NBA Draft Lottery didn't go their way, forcing them to send the No. 5 overall pick to the Clippers.

This caused the Pacers to shift their focus from adding a talented rookie to the mix to finding players that complement their core players. Many believed the Pacers would have to make some sort of trade to acquire the necessary player(s) to help fill the holes in the roster, but Indiana found a way around it.

They used the available space they had with their Mid-Level Exception (MLE) and signed Kelly Oubre Jr. to a 2-year $16.5 million deal. The 12-year veteran provides experience at the wing, with two-way versatility and a hunger to make it deep into the playoffs.

Oubre vs Atlanta — Oct 10, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (10) in the first half against the Atlanta Hawks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Because of this move, it made the rotation somewhat murky. Oubre has mostly been a starting small forward in the NBA, but by joining the Pacers, he knew his role would be coming off the bench. With how Indiana typically utilizes their rotation, this meant that one of Jarace Walker or Ben Sheppard would likely be squeezed out of the rotation.

Through two preseason games we have not yet seen that be the case. Both Sheppard and Walker have played significant minutes with the second unit, while Jay Huff --who everyone assumed would play the backup five spot-- has not entered the game until the third quarter.

It's hard to put too much stock into preseason rotations, especially with Haliburton missing the second game and McConnell not participating in either. But if there was an internal battle between Sheppard and Walker, the latter has played significantly better than the former.

Should the Pacers trade away one of their wings?

In a recent article written by Bleacher Report, they suggested one player that would be traded from every team. For the Pacers, they suggested Ben Sheppard.

Sheppard is entering the final year of his rookie-scale contract and is looking for a new deal to further his NBA career. Since joining the Pacers he has found himself in the playoff rotation and his consistent level of play has helped him earn the trust of the coaching staff.

While he still sits behind Oubre and Walker in the pecking order at the backup two and three spot, the reasons for keeping him far outweigh the reasons for trading him.

There is nothing fancy about Sheppard's game, but he provides terrific depth on the wing and he understands this system better than any player the Pacers could get back in return.

His trade value would likely be low, and the Pacers return would not equal what he can provide.

Additionally, with the recent history of restricted free agency, the Pacers shouldn't rush to trade Sheppard by the trade deadline. Players that are restricted free agents are struggling to find deals elsewhere and many are signing for less than they (feel like they) deserve.

I would guess the amount of teams lining up at the door to pry Sheppard away from the Pacers in the summer is few, and depending on what types of offers he could receive, Indiana has the power to match it.

Sheppard could crack the opening-night rotation, but even if he doesn't, he's only one injury away from seeing meaningful minutes.

Final Thoughts

The strength of the Pacers roster is its depth. They've assembled this group understanding that any player on the roster could be called upon to play meaningful minutes throughout the season and potentially the postseason.

While Sheppard is not the most talented player on the team, he's still fills an important role. Indiana has hopes of winning a championship and unless there is an offer the team can't refuse, trading away Sheppard makes little to no sense.

He's an end of the rotation depth piece who has a lot of playoff experience under his belt. And he is a great locker room fit with this current core. The Pacers should be more focused on developing elite chemistry 1-14 on this roster and less on making a minor move.

You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.

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