Pacers Season Grades: Breaking Down a Year Defined by Development and Lottery Positioning

The Indiana Pacers' season is over. They went 19-63, setting a new franchise-worst record, but of course, the record doesn’t tell the whole story.

No, the Pacers aren’t this bad, but when you play an entire season with half of your top players, it’s near impossible to win.

With those injuries came opportunity. Players who would likely never crack the rotation found themselves in expanded roles and made the most of that opportunity to grow, learn and develop as professionals.

To put a bow on the season, I am going to give letter grades to each player on the roster to focus on how they performed individually throughout the season.

The Starters

Mar 29, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) in the second half against the Miami Heat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Pascal Siakam - A+

Siakam played in 65 games this year and averaged 24 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, and had his highest usage rate of his career at 30.1%. Statistically, this was the second-best season of Siakam’s career, and he was voted in as an All-Star by the coaches.

According to StatMuse, Siakam led the NBA for most points in losses this season with 1,052. The Pacers were historically bad this season, but Siakam did his part in giving it his best effort every time he stepped onto the floor. He shared the floor with 24 different players this season, leading to a lot of unfamiliarity with the Pacers’ system and having to learn teammates' tendencies on the fly.

Despite the adversity, Siakam rose to the occasion. We saw him hit game-winning shots against the Bulls, Hornets and Celtics, and he also had a game-winning block on Paolo Banchero at the buzzer. His late-game heroics were present all season long, but his leadership on and off the floor is what shined the most. No Pacer played better than Pascal did this season, and he is deserving of the highest grade.

Mar 29, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) in the second half against the Miami Heat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Andrew Nembhard - A

After suffering an injury in the first game of the season against Oklahoma City, Nembhard went on to have a career year. Andrew finished the season scoring a career-high 16.9 points per game and also finished with a career-high 7.7 assists per game. With more opportunity as the lead ball handler, Nembhard was able to put up bigger numbers, but the improved statistics aren’t just because of the bigger role.

Despite setting a career high in turnovers pregame, his turnover percentage was a career best at 13.8. His assist percentage jumped from 22.5 last season to 37.2 this season.

Nembhard’s assists created 1,053 total points for the season in 57 games, and before missing the entire month of April, Nembhard was 7th in the league in assists per game.

Mar 10, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith (23) reacts after a foul by Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford (5) during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Aaron Nesmith - C

While this was a career year for Nesmith, his efficiency dipped in two-point, three-point and overall field goal percentage. He was asked to play an expanded role with so many players out, then suffered a six-week-long knee injury during the Pacers' only visit to Phoenix and never got into a consistent rhythm for the season.

He is still undoubtedly a great fit when this Pacers team is fully healthy, but you saw how much he missed the playmaking of Tyrese Haliburton. No player on the Pacers missed Haliburton more than Nesmith, but I do think he grew individually when asked to do different things.

Mar 15, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac (40) looks for a shot against Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner (3) in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Ivica Zubac - INC

There is no way to give Big Zu a proper grade when he only played in five games, and he did not have the opportunity to suit up next to Pascal Siakam for any of them. Becoming a father the day before the NBA Trade Deadline and then having to move all the way from Los Angeles to Indiana is a difficult change to adapt to.

From what we were able to see from Zu, he is a great screener, a willing passer and can get after it on the glass. While he looked winded at times, the expectation is for him to work on his conditioning in the summer. Getting in some offseason work with Haliburton and/or Siakam would be incredibly beneficial.

Apr 10, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (5) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Jarace Walker - C+

You can’t spell Jarace without “C,” and I feel like a C+ is the fairest grade I can give him. Yes, he took big steps forward at the beginning of 2026, but that doesn’t erase how poorly he started off the year. When looking at where he improved, we saw him take better care of the ball — committing fewer “silly” turnovers. He jumped up in scoring by nearly doubling his points per game and was still able to shoot a good percentage from three (37.4%) despite doubling the number of attempts in an expanded role.

While we saw him grow, I am still extremely concerned about his on-ball defense. He was drafted for his defensive prowess, but it took him nearly three years to take his first-ever NBA charge. In addition to that, Indiana played the Milwaukee Bucks on the road, in what could be Giannis’ last game as a Buck, but it was two-way wing Jalen Slawson who was guarding Giannis, not Jarace.

As this team moves forward, unless Jarace makes an unexpected leap, he is not going to surpass Nesmith in the starting lineup. He’s got all the tools you’re looking for in an NBA wing, but he hasn’t done enough consistently to believe he is capable of doing it for a full season.

The Second Unit

Apr 5, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) goes for a rebound against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the second half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Obi Toppin - B

Unfortunately, Obi Toppin was only able to play in 24 games this season after suffering a stress fracture in his foot that caused him to miss time from late October to late February.

He averaged a career high in points, rebounds and assists despite playing fewer minutes per game than the last two seasons. Although a small sample size, he ended the season shooting 50.3% from the field, 35.2% from three and 91.3% from the free-throw line.

After his return from injury, it took him six games to finally make his first three, as he was out of rhythm with the foot injury and didn’t have the same lift. The main goal for playing Obi during this final stretch of the season was solely for him to shake off any and all rust before the offseason, and it’s only fitting that his last play of the season was an East Bay dunk (between the legs) that didn’t count because he failed to convert it before the game clock expired.

Mar 29, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) in the second half against the Miami Heat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

T.J. McConnell - A

You might as well call him steady Eddie because he is the definition of consistency. McConnell averaged nearly identical stats this season from last and matched a career low in turnovers per game.

McConnell suffered a hamstring injury in the preseason that sidelined him for the first ten games of the regular season. With Nembhard going down in game one of the regular season, Haliburton being out for the season and Indiana electing to cut Cam Payne after his uninspiring play in the preseason, the point guard depth chart consisted of Quenton Jackson, RayJ Dennis and Ben Sheppard.

T.J. finished the season with three 10-assist games and only had six of the 56 games he played in where he dished out two assists or less. This was a statistically good season for McConnell, but most importantly, the Pacers didn’t overexert him minutes-wise, as he is the oldest player on the team.

Mar 17, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard (26) reacts to a call in the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Ben Sheppard - B

From December 1st through the end of the season, Ben Sheppard shot 42.3% from three. He was asked to play point guard at times with the number of injuries the team was dealing with, and he did his best with that responsibility, even though he rightfully struggled to excel in a role he shouldn’t be playing.

Coach Carlisle challenged him to do more this season, and we saw flashes of what that could be. He became more comfortable putting the ball on the floor versus being a catch-and-shoot specialist and used his speed to blow by defenders and get to the rim. He did not do this move often, but it was always noticeable when he did.

Similar to Walker, he will be a restricted free agent in 2027 and is extension-eligible this offseason. What the Pacers do with Sheppard’s contract is still an unknown, but he will cost less to retain than Walker, and his trade value across the league is worse. I expect Sheppard to be retained by the Pacers.

Jay Huff - C

After giving him a D+ on our Season Grades episode of Setting The Pace, I accepted the feedback from fans and realized that I was being too harsh of a critic. The Jay Huff experience was an up-and-down one for me, but he deserves a lot of credit for being healthy enough to play in all 82 games. His three-point shot is supposed to be a strong part of his game, but he only converted on 31.9% of them.

He also only averaged four rebounds a game and gets bullied down low because of his lack of physicality. Huff is tall, can block shots at a good rate and can throw it down with some pizzazz, but this season was a reminder of why he was a third-string center on Memphis, and not an everyday starter. The Pacers could go into the season with him as their backup five, or they could look to find more talent here and slide Jay back into the third-string role.

Bench Pieces

Apr 10, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers center Micah Potter (11) shoots for the basket against Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (1) during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Micah Potter - B

Potter came into the Pacers at the end of December when the only healthy center they had was Jay Huff. He took advantage of the opportunity and had some standout games offensively. Shooting 42.3% from three this season is no fluke. He has a solid jump shot that worked well in the Pacers’ system.

Defensively, teams attacked him relentlessly in pick-and-rolls — begging the Pacers to switch so he would be stuck on an island defending. At times, he did okay contesting shots at the rim, but his short wingspan limits his ability to be a rim protector. Overall, for what he was asked to do, he exceeded expectations and had a solid season. That doesn’t mean he will be retained long-term, as his contract is non-guaranteed and Indiana could look to find a different center to add to their depth.

Feb 3, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Johnny Furphy (12) in the second half against the Utah Jazz at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Johnny Furphy - A-

In his second season, Johnny Furphy took big steps before tearing his ACL when landing awkwardly after a thunderous dunk in Toronto. Furphy played in just 35 games this season but started in 21 of them. His defense is what kept him on the floor, as well as his success next to Pascal Siakam.

The three-point shot is still a work in progress, but he is a great cutter and rebounds well for his position. At just 21 years old, the Pacers once again found a gem in the second round of the NBA Draft. It is a shame that we did not get to see even more growth from him during the final few months of the season.

Apr 10, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Quenton Jackson (29) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Quenton Jackson - B

This was the best year of Jackson’s career. He was given a much larger role with all of the injuries to the team and worked his way off his two-way contract and was given his first standard NBA deal. He shined bright on multiple occasions, whether it was suffocating Stephen Curry on defense and forcing him into a woeful shooting night for the Pacers' first win, or an overtime offensive eruption at Madison Square Garden. Quenton proved that he belongs on an NBA roster. While his play did tail off some after signing his deal, he still had a good season overall.

Apr 7, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Kam Jones (7) dribbles the ball while Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Kam Jones - D

This is a tough one, but you have to give Kam a D here because of the circumstances. Jones suffered a pretty excruciating back injury that kept him out during a period when he would have been awarded a lot of playing time. On top of that, he had a run-in with the law after getting arrested for speeding.

This set Jones back, but he was able to put all that behind him and get onto the court, where he showed flashes of good play. He shot just 40% from the field and 29% from three but averaged 3.2 assists and got better as the year went on. His contract became partially guaranteed this season after failing to play in 41 games.

Kobe Brown - C+

After joining the Pacers in the Ivica Zubac trade, Brown was given a bigger role than he had ever had with the Clippers. He finished his season in Indiana with career highs in points (9.4), rebounds (4.9), assists (2.0) and minutes (24.7) per game. He shot 43.3% from three after shooting 29% and below in his first two-and-a-half years with the Clippers.

He is an unrestricted free agent, and the Pacers will have limited money to sign him after the Clippers declined the final year on his rookie deal. Aside from the shooting and how he used his size, there was not much to take from Kobe. With Indiana, he will struggle to crack the rotation when the goals are different, but he is talented enough to be on an NBA roster. This trade helped Kobe showcase more of his game than he was able to display in Los Angeles.

Quick Hitters on the Two-Way Guys

Jalen Slawson: B+

He was the most impressive two-way player all season long and plays with such an aggressive and defensive mindset that is hard to teach.

Ethan Thompson: C+

As a two-way player, Thompson is an inconsistent shooter, is a little older than you’d think (turns 27 in a few weeks), but always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

Taelon Peter: C

Drafted for his three-point shooting out of Liberty, he failed to shoot at a high clip in the NBA, making only 32.8% of his threes. I didn’t expect much from Peter but felt he was the least impressive of the three two-way players.

Final Thoughts

This season was always about two things: maximizing lottery positioning and developing young talent through adversity. Injuries forced Indiana to lean on unproven players, but that opened the door for meaningful growth and valuable experience across the roster. Now, with better odds and a clearer picture of the future, the Pacers head into the offseason hoping it all pays off.

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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