Central Notes: Walker, Sheppard, Swider, Buzelis, Cavs

With Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin back under contract with the Pacers on new four-year deals, there won’t be regular playing time available at power forward for 2023 lottery pick Jarace Walker anytime soon, barring an injury. That’s why, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) writes, Walker finds himself battling Bennedict Mathurin and Ben Sheppard for minutes on the wing this fall.

Walker made a strong case for a rotation role last Thursday against Cleveland, when he scored 12 points and was a +18 in 18 minutes off the bench. He was elevated to the starting lineup on Monday vs. Memphis with Siakam and a few other regulars sitting, and contributed 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists in 38 minutes. However, most of those points came in the fourth quarter against reserves, and head coach Rick Carlisle indicated after the game that he wanted to see more from Walker and his fellow starters.

“The first quarter was very poor,” Carlisle said, per Dopirak. “The guys who started the game pretty much eased into the game. (Memphis) is a smash-mouth team that puts physical hits on you both offensively and defensively. They play a clean game, but it’s a physical game. We got smashed in the face in the first quarter.”

As Dopirak writes, Mathurin seems almost certain to be part of the second unit, so Walker and Sheppard may be vying for the last spot in that group. Sheppard, who had a good game on Monday, earned a rotation role last season as a rookie and seems “too trustworthy when it comes the basics to be banished to the end of the bench,” Dopirak writes. So even if Walker receives regular minutes to open the season, he’ll have to continue to prove he deserves them.

Here’s more from around the Central:

• Cole Swider may have the edge on Kendall Brown for the 15th and final spot on the Pacers‘ regular season roster, according to Dopirak. Swider had a strong outing on Monday (10 points, five rebounds, three assists, +12), while Brown barely played. As Dopirak observes, Swider’s outside shooting is something Indiana doesn’t get from many other players at the end of its bench, which could help give him a leg up. Both players are on non-guaranteed contracts.
• Bulls lottery pick Matas Buzelis is impressing coaches and teammates alike this fall as he gears up for his rookie season, according to Kyle Williams and Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Head coach Billy Donovan referred to Buzelis as having “tremendous upside” and appreciated the fact that the first-round pick has expressed a willingness to do whatever it takes to get better — including possibly spending time in the G League. On Monday, the 20-year-old didn’t shy away from matching up against Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo on either end of the court. “He’s not scared of anyone or any moment, and I think for a guy to come into the league like that, have that confidence, it’s huge for him,” Bulls guard Josh Giddey said. “It’s easy for rookies to be shy, not take on challenges, but credit to him. (He’s a) very talented kid, and he’s going to have a helluva career in the NBA.”
• The Cavaliers broke ground on Monday on a new state-of-the-art training facility in downtown Cleveland, according to The Associated Press. Star guard Donovan Mitchell attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the 210,000-square-foot building, which is being funded by team owner Dan Gilbert and is scheduled to open in 2027. “Since I arrived here two years ago, I’ve just heard nothing but how serious Cleveland is about their sports,” Mitchell said. “And seeing it, shows how serious and how much they care about their players and the investment about their bodies. This is going to be huge for the longevity of our careers.”