Many players on the Indiana Pacers’ roster are in the midst of an expanded role this season. However, very few, if any, are proving that they have what it takes to step up. Given that Indiana is trying to re-establish itself as a title contender sooner rather than later, this is far from ideal.

Without Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner this season, a lot of eyes were on the rest of the Pacers to make up for their absences. Andrew Nembhard was slotted to be the team’s full-time point guard this season, and players like Isaiah Jackson and Jay Huff were going to have their opportunity to shine and prove they have what it takes to be a starting center on a championship-caliber team.

Plus, this was going to be the time for Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker to prove they can be long-term contributors in Indiana.

Wins and losses weren’t expected to matter much this season (which is a good thing considering the Pacers began the season 4-17). But the experimentation and seeing all their guys develop and take that next step was always going to be a big deal.

Unfortunately for Indiana, it seems that nobody is truly taking that leap so far. And maybe, just maybe, the team doesn’t have as much potential as they thought they did.

The Pacers’ young ‘stars’ have been disappointing

There are only two young Pacers that fans should feel confident are (mostly) meeting their expectations: Nembhard and Mathurin.

They each missed time early in the season due to injuries, but when they have played, they have mostly looked as advertised.

In 13 games this season, Nembhard is averaging 17.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists while shooting 41.6% from the field and 34.8% from beyond the arc. Additionally, he is still playing solid defense, and he is showing that he has what it takes to take it up another level as a playmaker and ball-handler for Indiana. Even once Haliburton comes back.

As for Mathurin, he is averaging 21.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 44.2% from the field and 39.7% from deep. He has come back down to earth a bit following his scorching hot start, but he is making it clear that he can handle a bigger role and should stick around for the long run despite his impending restricted free agency.

Beyond these two, though, the rest of Indiana’s guys are leaving a lot to be desired.

Jackson and Huff are finally starting to look good in the Pacers’ center-by-committee. However, it still remains to be seen if either of them is truly a Turner replacement, or if they’re just long-term backups at best.

Ben Sheppard had a lot on his plate early in the season, having to take on point guard responsibilities without Haliburton, Nembhard, T.J. McConnell, Kam Jones, and Quenton Jackson. However, he didn’t step up and has struggled throughout the start of the season, shooting 33.1% from the field and 24.7% from beyond the arc.

Easily Indiana’s biggest disappointment has been Walker. A lot of fans had been clamoring for him to get playing time in his first two seasons, and it was finally going to happen this year. Though he’s shown flashes (like in his performance against the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons, when he recorded 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal), he has mostly looked disappointing.

The Houston alum had a lot on his plate earlier in the season, and it’s not easy going from essentially two straight years of riding the bench to having to do it all so suddenly. Even so, he still looks lost on both sides of the ball, his shot is inconsistent, and he doesn’t have the confidence or decisiveness the team needs from him.

It could all work itself out in the end, but for now, Walker is giving the Pacers more reasons to believe he is closer to a trade asset than a real contributor.

The season is still young, and the Pacers have a lot of basketball remaining on the schedule. But as it stands, they have a lot of work to do, and it all starts with their young guys.