Five takeaways from 2024 summer league play for the Indiana Pacers

The Pacers played five summer league games

Indiana Pacers guard Quenton Jackson gets ready to play at halftime against the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 2024 summer league game. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Tony East) /

LAS VEGAS — The Indiana Pacers are done with 2024 summer league action. They went 1-4 in five outings during the summer sessions, though the results largely don't matter. Indiana was near the middle of the pack by averaging 90.2 points per game, but their poor defense gave up 96.4 points a night, which was the team's downfall.

The Pacers lone win came against the Phoenix Suns after rookie wing Johnny Furphy hit a clutch three-point shot. Furphy, Indiana's highest pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, showed that he belongs at the pro level and can adapt to his situation quickly during the tune-up action.

That is just one of a few key takeaways for the blue and gold from their time in Las Vegas.

Jarace Walker's performances were a mixed bag

Walker, a second-year forward for the Pacers, had a lot at stake for him during summer league. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle talked about the many things he wanted to see from the young forward during the summer outings, and general manager Chad Buchanan noted that it was an important week of games for Walker.

Walker was playing on the wing and even was at one of the guard spots during his minutes. He was on the perimeter more often than expected when he entered the NBA, and at times he looked effective. During his top moments, he was physical around the rim and finished plays. Those peaks were a part of Walker being named to the All-Summer League Second Team.

He knocked in threes at a high level, had some solid defensive moments, snapped some high-level passes, and hit the glass. Many times, it was clear that Walker was a second-year forward among younger, inexperienced players.

But it wasn't all rosy. Walker was flimsy on defense on occasion, reaching in too often and getting beat by his man. He wasn't physical consistently, and he shot 12/30 on two-point looks. He had more turnovers than assists.

Without high-level shot creators to set up Walker, he had a massive burden when it came to generating looks. The 20-year old had to play for almost 34 minutes per game. It wasn't all going to be perfect, especially given that he didn't hit the hardwood much last season. That context is all important.

Walker had more highs than lows. His three-point shooting was exceptional and extremely notable, as was the difficulty of some of his passes. Generally, it was a positive summer league for Walker, though it featured many up and down moments.

Enrique Freeman was a standout performer

Freeman, the 50th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, was possibly Indiana's best performer compared to expectations in summer league. The Akron product showed a lot on the glass and with his effort.

The Ohio native displayed his strengths and did it often. He hustled for loose balls, grabbed rebounds, and defended well at two different positions. He played the four, starting at the position multiple times — but also fit in well at center, which included closing a few games at the position.

His wingspan allows him to be impactful in many situations, especially given his skillset, and he showed some modern NBA big man skills — such as hitting threes and moving well in the pick and roll.

Freeman averaged 8.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He shot 60.7% from the field and scarcely had a bad outing. It was an impressive start to Freeman's NBA career.

Turnovers were a problem for the Pacers

Indiana typically had Quenton Jackson or Tristen Newton operating at the point guard position, and when one of those two wasn't handling the ball, Walker had shot creation duties.

Those players are fine ball handlers at their position, but outside of Newton — a rookie — point guard isn't their natural spot. They aren't high-level setup men.

As a result, the Pacers had to force the issue. They threw sloppy passes and tried to get into the lane whenever they could. At times, that forced a defense to break down, which made distributing easier. In other moments, it led to poor passes and inaccurate finishes.

Without a proper floor general or high-end guard, the Pacers ended up finishing first among all teams with 21.6 turnovers per game during summer league. No other squad was even over 20. The lack of quality shot creation is an important undercurrent for any evaluation done on Indiana's summer roster.

Kendall Brown needed to show more

Brown, a third-year wing who Indiana drafted in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft, played in all five games for the blue and gold in Las Vegas. His contract is fully non-guaranteed until the first day of the 2024-25 season, so he has to prove that he is worthy of a roster spot this summer.

Instead, Brown didn't pop. His first outing was strong — the Baylor product finished with 19 points as he lived at the foul line. He kept his turnovers numbers down and looked like one of the best players on the hardwood.

From then on, he struggled. He never dominated and wasn't accurate from the field, and his defense didn't stand out. Most experienced players show off their expertise in the summer tune-ups, but Brown only did so once.

He finished his five outings in Las Vegas averaging 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. The 21-year old shot 41.5% from the field and 20% from deep. He still may be a part of training camp for Indiana given his contract status, but he didn't have a good showing in the desert.

Many players were inconsistent

Several players, including Newton, Jackson, Oscar Tshiebwe, and Ben Sheppard, had something to prove in Vegas.

For Sheppard and Newton, it was about showcasing new or unexpected skills. Both guards had high moments — including Sheppard's defense and Newton's ability to get to the foul line — but neither finished plays well enough or dominated for any stretch. In many ways, this was expected for Sheppard.

Tshiebwe and Jackson are both restricted free agents who are in the mix for a two-way contract with the Pacers next season. And while both played well at times — and both were sensational in the team's final summer league outing — they both had some low moments, too. For Jackson, that was his turnovers and finishing, particularly in his first performance. In Tshiebwe's case, it was more related to his defense and screen setting.

All four players have talent and could be in the Pacers orbit going forward. And while they showed something, it wasn't with any consistency.

Indiana won't play another game until preseason action in just over two months.

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• Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton can pick up little things from NBA Stars with Team USA. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers general manager discusses Ben Sheppard and his summer league play. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin close to being cleared for contact after shoulder injury. CLICK HERE.
• Enrique Freeman is impressing many for the Indiana Pacers in summer league with hustle, smiles, and rebounding. CLICK HERE.
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