It’s the most wonderful, semi-meaningless time of the year. The Indiana Pacers Summer League in Las Vegas begins tomorrow for their annual set of exhibition games that will introduce us to new draft picks in a pseudo-NBA environment and give a first glimpse at what some younger players are working towards this off-season and where they’re starting to improve.
Here’s the 2024 Pacers Summer League Schedule:
- Friday, July 12 versus Nets at 8 p.m. EST on NBA TV
- Sunday, July 14 versus Timberwolves at 5:30 p.m. EST on NBA TV
- Tuesday, July 16 versus Suns at 4:00 p.m. EST on ESPNU
- Thursday, July 18 versus Nuggets at 4:30 p.m. EST on ESPN2
- July 20-21 Game TBD – Consolation Round
- July 22 Championship
The Pacers have multiple returning players on the summer squad: Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard, Kendall Brown, Quenton Jackson, and Oscar Tshiebwe. All three second-round picks Johnny Furphy, Tristen Newton, and Enrique Freeman are also on the roster.
Filling out the remaining spots on the team include a couple of Purdue alums Lance Jones and Dakota Mathias, a high school teammate of Aaron Nesmith in Josiah Jordan-James, Giorgi Beszhanishvili, Samson Froling, Jamuni McNeace, and Trey Woodbury.
While the results of these games may be meaningless, they matter in many ways to the guys on the floor. For Jarace Walker, it’s one of his first opportunities this summer to start to try and earn a place in the rotation. His coaches want to see him play with consistent energy and effort. His GM wants to see him play with a consistent level of force. They’ve all praised his efforts so far this off-season and these exhibition games won’t be the final deciding factor but it’s a chance to continue building in the right direction for a player with a ton of potential.
Ben Sheppard, fellow 2023 first-round pick, will be looking to solidify his own standing in the rotation with his unrelenting style of play. Both players may be battling each other for the 10th spot in the lineup with the current state of the roster.
For the rest of the returning players and rookies, they’ll be battling it out for the three 2-way spots and possibly the remaining slots on the 15-man roster. Johnny Furphy is likely the only “safe” player among the group as he just signed his rookie contract with three fully guaranteed seasons. Furphy has stood out in camp according to Jannero Pargo to the point where he provided a high-level comparison for the Australian forward. Pargo initially said that the returning five players would be the starters but if practice jerseys were any indication Furphy may have got some reps with the ones over Brown in the final practice of the week.
Kendall Brown is under contract but since his deal is unguaranteed for next season he could be waived at any time if the Pacers decide to go in a different direction. He’s playing for his spot on the roster. Brown hasn’t had many chances for real playing time with the Pacers since being taken in the 2nd round in 2022, spending most of his time with the Mad Ants but the long wing that loves to get out in transition has always seemed like a good fit for their system.
“Just getting my foot in the door, get an opportunity that’s all I really need,” Brown said of what it meant to get his contract converted to a standard NBA deal during last season. “Get a chance to show what I can do. I’m still young, got a lot of years ahead of me, just taking everything and running with it.”
There are four guys likely vying for the three 2-way contracts with Tshiebwe and Jackson as RFAs and Freeman and Newton entering the organization. It’s possible that one of the four could also earn their way into a standard contract (to either supplant Brown or if they decide not to bring back James Johnson once again) but Summer League could be a large factor in who the team decides to award these 2-way contracts.
For everyone else, it’s a chance to show what they can do in front of representatives of every team in the league and international organizations abroad. So let the overreactions begin, see you tomorrow night.
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