Pacers GM Predicts How Indiana Will Pick New Starting Shooting Guard

So what will the Indiana Pacers' new starting lineup look like at the start of the 2025-26 NBA season?

A pair of key contributors to the first five that made the NBA Finals will be out of commission. Two-time All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton will miss the entire year recovering from an Achilles tendon rupture, while former 3-and-D Pacers starting center Myles Turner will be plying his trade for Pacific Division rivals the Milwaukee Bucks, to the tune of a four-year, $108.9 million new deal.

Former starting shooting guard Andrew Nembhard is being shifted down a position to replace Haliburton at the point, leaving an opening in his former spot. At center, Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman, and Jay Huff figure to duke it out.

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The competition at shooting guard figures to be significantly more ferocious.

Sixth man wing Bennedict Mathurin and his fellow reserve swingmen Ben Sheppard, Jarace Walker, and Johnny Furphy could all conceivably get into the mix for the gig. Rookie combo guard Kam Jones could in theory have a fringe chance, but it's more than likely that he would begin the season off the bench, even if the 6-foot-4 Marquette project did impress in training camp.

In a fresh conversation on Blue Wire's "Setting The Pace" podcast, team general manager Chad Buchanan revealed that he anticipates an extended training camp competition to secure the starting role. Buchanan even suggested that 2024-25 starting small forward Aaron Nesmith might move to the shooting guard role.