Top 5 Shooting Guard Free Agents for the Pacers, Including One in NBA Finals

The Pacers are relatively thin at the two guard spot as currently structed. They have three players on their roster who are considered "shooting guards" but two of them are combo guards that can play the one. Andrew Nembhard and Quenton Jackson are the combo guards, and Ben Sheppard is the third of the trio.

As the Pacers look to make moves around the edges to improve this roster, they could look at adding a shooting guard to help fill the void of Bennedict Mathurin, a gifted scorer off the bench who was traded to the Clippers in the Ivica Zubac deal.

Here are five players that I think the Pacers should consider adding in free agency:

1. Tim Hardaway Jr. | Denver Nuggets | 34 years old

THJ — Feb 22, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Denver Nuggets guard-forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) talks with the referee during a game against the Golden State Warriors in the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Hardaway Jr. is coming off a great season with the Denver Nuggetrs where he shot a blistering hot 40.7% from three. Finisning third in the Sixth Man of the Year voting, Hardaway Jr. is an elite offensive weapon for any team.

One thing that intrigues me about Hardaway Jr. is that he previously played under Rick Carlisle in Dallas and the relationship between the player and coach was a positive one. Hardaway thrived in Rick's system once and I think he can do it again.

For anyone worried about "the beef" between former Pacer, Tim Hardaway Sr., and current star point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, that is overblown and not a major factor into a potential signing. This is a business at the end of the day and players will go where the money is, and where the best chance to win is.

I see Hardaway getting offers from multiple teams for more than the minimum, and if there is a chance to make more money and compete for a championship, that's likely where he goes.

Stats in 2025-26:
13.5 points
2.6 rebounds
1.4 assists
44.7% from the field
40.7% from three
81.1% from the free-throw line
26.6 minutes per game

2. Gary Trent Jr. | Milwaukee Bucks | 27 years old

GTJ — Mar 28, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Trent Jr. is coming off a poor year with the Milwaukee Bucks, but with the Giannis drama hanging over the team like a dark cloud, it was nearly impossible for this team to have any happiness or success. With Doc Rivers out and Taylor Jenkins in, Gary Trent Jr. has to decide if he wants to pick up his player option or hit the open market.

Indiana could provide GTJ with a solid amount of playing time off the bench, and with his elite three-point shooting and capable defense, the fit would make a lot of sense. Trent Jr. did spend sometime with current Pacer, Pascal Siakam, when they were teammates with the Toronto Raptors. Having a familiar face already a part of the organization can only help with recruiting a potential free agent target.

Indiana is all too familiar with what Trent Jr. did to them in Round 1 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, shooting a ridiculous 22-44 from three for the series and having a game of 37 points and 33 points. He can light it up when he gets rolling and the Pacers need that microwave type of scorer for their bench. At 27 years old, he fits right into the Pacers current timeline of players and fits well into their style of play.

Stats in 2025-26:
8.1 points
1.0 rebounds
1.2 assists
38.7% from the field
36.0% from three
76.9% from the free-throw line
21.2 minutes per game

3. Landry Shamet | New York Knicks | 29 years old

Jun 5, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) celebrates during the fourth quarter during game two of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Landry Shamet has been a solid rotational piece for his entire career, but what he's done for the Knicks this postseason is going to get him a nice pay raise. Shamet has made roughly $34M total for his eight-year career, but I envision him making close to that this offseason when a team gives a pretty good portion of their Mid-Level Exception.

After struggling from outside in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs (3-11), Shamet has been tearing the nylon to shreds from three. Against Philadelphia, he went 7-12 for a blistering 53.8%. He followed that up by going 11-12 against the Cavaliers for a scorching 91.7%. Before Game 3 of the NBA Finals, he has shot 6-13 the first two games and played in 31.5 minutes per game.

Mike Brown seems to have found the code to turn Shamet into a sixth-man for the Knicks, and because Brown has unlocked the 29 year old veteran, other teams will believe he can provide for them what he's done for New York. Indiana needs a player off their bench who is doing what Shamet is for the Knicks. Making him a priority in free agency would not be shocking, and it weakens the biggest threat in the East.

Stats in 2025-26:
9.3 points
1.8 rebounds
1.4 assists
43.7% from the field
39.2% from three
71.1% from the free-throw line
23.0 minutes per game

4. CJ McCollum | Atlanta Hawks | 34 years old

CJ McCollum checks off all the boxes for what the Pacers are looking for off their bench. A lethal scorer who can alleviate the pressure off the starters and someone who can handle the ball and create for others. Defensively, we know McCollum is weak spot, but he makes up for it with his offensive prowess that can take over games.

The Hawks had the New York Knicks sweating in Round 1, after CJ helped rally Atlanta to a Game 1 stunner in The Garden. After stints with the Pelicans and the Wizards, seeing CJ back in the playoffs was a great reminder of how special he can be when the spotlight is the brightest. He loves to take the big shot and after seeing him go deep into the playoffs with Portland several times, opponents fear his capabilities.

Affording McCollum is the biggest hurdle the Pacers will face this offseason. He is going to likely make at minimum the full MLE, unless he is willing to take a paycut and play for a contender. The Pacers would fall into that category, but it would take some roster maneuvering to get the available space to sign him. He's a home run signing for Indiana, but it feels a little 'too good to be true'.

Stats in 2025-26:
18.7 points
3.3 rebounds
3.9 assists
45.5% from the field
37.5% from three
77.2% from the free-throw line
29.8 minutes per game

5. Keon Ellis | Cleveland Cavaliers | 26 years old

For some reason Spotrac had Ellis grouped with their small forward free agents, and I view him mostly as a two guard. He's only 6-foot-4 but has a near 6-foot-9 wingspan. The Pacers were rumored to have interest in him before he was dealt to the Cavaliers, so it would not surprise me if that interest was still there in the offseason.

Ellis is a career 40% three-point shooter and has the motor to bring it on both ends of the floor. You can make the case that he has a higher ceiling than Ben Sheppard and would be an upgrade, but is the upgrade significant enough that it's worth paying more for?

While I do like Ellis' game and believe that he would fit into what the Pacers do, he is not someone I would want to sign on day one of free agency. There are multiple better options for the Pacers to target before Ellis, but he is still an uograde that can help this team.

Stats in 2025-26:
6.7 points
1.9 rebounds
1.0 assists
44.0% from the field
36.3% from three
72.9% from the free-throw line
20.5 minutes per game

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