The Indiana Pacers could face a difficult roster decision involving Ben Sheppard, who is expected to miss most or potentially all of the season after undergoing surgery to fully repair a torn left meniscus.
According to Tony East of Forbes, Indiana may have to consider trading the fourth-year guard before the February trade deadline as the team deals with several significant injuries.
The Pacers are already without Johnny Furphy, who is recovering from a torn ACL.
Keeping two players with long-term injuries on the roster could limit Indiana’s flexibility as it looks to compete for an NBA championship.
Sheppard is also approaching restricted free agency next summer, provided the Pacers extend him an $8 million qualifying offer.
Meanwhile, Indiana has gained enough financial flexibility to sign another player without exceeding its first-apron hard cap.
The Pacers currently have an open 15th roster spot, although East suggests that waiting to fill it could be the better approach.
Leaving the position vacant would allow Indiana to maintain additional financial flexibility while evaluating its roster needs.
However, further injuries could change that approach.
Adding a player on a minimum contract would give the Pacers a full 15-man roster, potentially helping them qualify for a hardship exception if more players become unavailable for an extended period.
