Following the Pelicans game, the Ben Sheppard injury opens the door for a teammate to earn more playing time, which could alter the guard's future with Indiana. Sheppard suffered a torn meniscus following Indiana's season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans. It was recently announced that Sheppard will undergo surgery for the injury, meaning he will miss significant time. Sheppard's injury will open the door for multiple players to earn more minutes and replace him, with Jalen Slawson being the frontrunner to benefit from Sheppard's absence.
Sheppard has shown growth during his time with the franchise and has had his moments. The Belmont product has averaged 5.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists throughout his career, while shooting 41.8% from the field. Sheppard has emerged as a consistent rotational piece, but has never leaped to the next level.
A 2023 first-round pick, Sheppard was entering a make-or-break season with the Pacers, considering he is in the last year of his contract. Sheppard needs to prove he can be a bigger contributor in the rotation if he wants to stay in Indiana. Sadly, his injury will likely hurt his chances of being re-signed. While he has slowly developed, he has never proven to be an essential part of the Pacers' rotation. Now, his injury comes at an inconvenient time and hurts his chances of staying with the Pacers. On the bright side, it does create more opportunities for the up-and-coming Slawson.
Oct 13, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Jalen Slawson (18) slips on a drive against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Slawson is currently on a two-way contract with Indiana. Slawson proved he was NBA-ready during Summer League by averaging 20.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 3.2 blocks while shooting 45.1% from the field. Slawson played 13 games with Indiana during the 2025-26 season, proving to be an athletic, versatile forward. Now, he shows continued improvement as a rebounder and defender, and has slowly contended for minutes with Sheppard, now getting the chance to earn more minutes with Sheppard out of the lineup for a prolonged period of time.
Slawson has already jumped at the opportunity the Ben Sheppard Injury provides, and had a good performance when he saw time against the Dallas Mavericks. In 16 minutes of play, Slawson recorded four points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks. Slawson was one of only two Pacers players to record a positive plus-minus during the contest against Dallas. Early on, Slawson is already proving that Indiana's offseason move , signing him to a two-way deal, was well worth it.
Slawson's game against the Mavericks shows that he is a versatile and competitive defender who can produce in the spot of Sheppard. Slawson is great at rebounding and forcing stops on defense as a forward, but needs to become more consistent on defense. Ben Sheppard, on the other hand, is not a very strong rebounder or blocker and does not record many steals, but does play strong on-ball defense. Sheppard's defensive effort has high impact, but does not show up in the box score often. While he may be better on-ball, Slawson has a bigger impact all around.
At six-foot-six, 190lbs, Sheppard's size can limit him defensively. He is a high-effort perimeter defender who does not foul often, but his size can prevent him from consistently rebounding or blocking. This gives Slawson another advantage over Sheppard.
Slawson's size, at six-foot-seven and 215 lbs, allows him to be more competitive on the glass and gives him better reach for blocks. Slawson can provide solid on-ball and perimeter defense, but it is not as good as Sheppard's. Instead, Slawson excels at rim protection and wing defense, giving Sheppard and Slawson different but impactful defensive roles that create strong competition for rotational minutes. Now, with Sheppard out, Slawson can take full advantage of his extended time.
The Ben Sheppard Injury negatively impacts Indiana. They lose a strong, relentless defender in the rotation who has been consistent on the team for years, and Sheppard's future with the team becomes uncertain because of it. However, Slawson, a flashy player who has shown much potential, benefits from it, giving him the ability to take advantage of extended minutes to blossom into a bigger role and develop into a more essential part of Indiana's rotation.
Featured Image: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
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