The Indiana Pacers are going to look different with the starting lineup just a year after playing in the NBA Finals. With Tyrese Haliburton out and Myles Turner in Milwaukee, the depth chart is going to look different.
Still, the bones of this team are the same. They still have one of the best benches in the league, which helps this Pacers team, even without their best player.
Heading into next season, the Pacers will have to figure out a way to compete without Haliburton being available. This depth chart should still look scary to teams in the East.
Andrew Nembhard will be the starting point guard. He's expected to have a big leap next year. T.J. McConnell will back him up as normal. Quenton Jackson is slated to be the third-string PG for now.
At shooting guard, Bennedict Mathurin will slide into the starting spot. Ben Sheppard is likely still the backup, but rookie Kam Jones could fight him for minutes.
Small forward has Aaron Nesmith as the entrenched starter. Jarace Walker is going to be permanently in the rotation next year, and he's the backup. Johnny Furphy is going to fight for mintues, too.
Three-time All-Star Pascal Siakam is the starting power forward, and the best player on the team next season. Behind him is Obi Toppin, who was phenomenal at the end of the regular season and in the playoffs for the Pacers.
By far, the biggest question with the lineup is the center position. There is no guaranteed starter, although Isaiah Jackson is the favorite. Jay Huff and James Wiseman will likely back him up.
There's a chance that Indiana changes who they want to start at center at some point during the season, so that is a fluid spot. Tony Bradley will fight Wiseman for the third-string minutes.
It's a lineup that has a lot of familiar faces in it, but there are guys who need to step up if the Pacers want to make a deep playoff run for the third straight year. Indiana feels confident that it can.
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