AMES, IOWA - OCTOBER 07: Ben Sheppard #26 of the Indiana Pacers looks to pass defended by Zyon Pullin #15 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter of the preseason game at Hilton Coliseum on October 07, 2026 in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Tyler Clouse/Getty Images)

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INDIANAPOLIS – While Ben Sheppard didn’t project to be more than a backup for the 2026-27 Indiana Pacers, his recently-revealed injury that will lead to a long-term absence this season is a problem for the franchise.

Sheppard, 25, injured his left knee during the Pacers season opener in New Orleans. Before the team’s next game, head coach Rick Carlisle said that the fourth-year guard would be out for “a little bit,” as he nursed the injury.

It was listed as a torn meniscus, and Carlisle shared that it could sideline Sheppard for a few weeks.

But things changed in the following days. The Pacers went to Brooklyn to take on the Nets, and instead of travelling with the team to its next game in Milwaukee, Sheppard stayed behind and had surgery in New York. That procedure altered just about everything for the Belmont product.

Instead of a simple cleanup that would keep Sheppard on the same timeline that Carlisle noted, the surgery revealed a need for more. “Sometimes that film can look a little worse than what it was. So they did a full repair,” Carlisle said of the change.

“He’s expected to make a full recovery which is great news… It’s going to be months. I don’t know how many,” Carlisle added of Sheppard when discussing a possible timeline.

While no specific number of months was mentioned by the Pacers head coach, another NBA team can provide some insight. Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in August, and the Blazers announced that Sharpe would be re-evaluated in six months. Sheppard and Sharpe are different people, and it isn’t clear how similar their procedures were. But Portland’s announcement does provide at least some clarity: Sheppard is going to be out for a long time.

The Pacers have made no statement suggesting that Sheppard will miss the rest of the ongoing season. But if his timeline matches Sharpe’s, his re-evaluation wouldn’t come until April of 2027. That’s about when the regular season ends.

“We obviously miss [Sheppard],” Carlisle said, pointing to Sheppard’s ability to chase around shifty ball handlers on the perimeter. “He should do great. He’s a young guy, first time he’s ever had any issue with his knee.”

Sheppard projected to be the Pacers 10th or 11th man entering this season. He had three points and one rebound in his lone appearance, a win against the Pelicans. He was needed that night as starting wing Aaron Nesmith was out.

Given how many injuries the Pacers have dealt with so far, missing Sheppard has been a short-term challenge for the roster. They could use just about any healthy players right now.

What does Sheppard’s absence mean for the Pacers off the court?

Long term, Sheppard’s absence is difficult in that he’s a young player who will lose development time – and he can’t help the Pacers win along the way. But bigger picture, Sheppard’s injury will lead to more subtle considerations elsewhere, both from a roster and financial perspective.

On the roster front, the Pacers first apron hard cap presently leaves them with 14 players on standard contracts. While they can now afford to add another one, every dollar counts for the blue and gold – being patient with an addition makes good sense. But with Sheppard out, the Pacers roster crunch gets tighter. Adding a player makes more sense than it did before the season started.

He joins Johnny Furphy (torn ACL) as players who are out for multiple months – meaning that for a while, the most healthy standard-contract players the Pacers can have in a game is 12. Recently, it’s been far fewer than that. Indiana has been using two-way contract players frequently, and Sheppard’s injury is part of the reason that’s been necessary.

The Pacers will be down on options without two different guards/wings for a few months. Financially, this is equally tough for the team. Beyond their first apron concerns, the Pacers are over the luxury tax – a rare position for the franchise.

Every dollar matters to a team over the tax. The Pacers are spending over $5 million for Sheppard’s services yet will get no production from the injured guard for a while. That’s a tricky spot for the team to be in.

If Sheppard’s absence lasts well into 2027, the Pacers may need to consider trades involving Sheppard’s contract – not because they don’t value the things he can do in games, but because their roster crunch and financial outlook makes every dollar spent important. He’s a solid reserve, and he could be a restricted free agent after this season. That makes the value of a swap difficult to determine. But his new injury outlook might force the Pacers to have some difficult conversations since his contract expires at the end of this league year.

It’s early in the season. Things could change with the Pacers long-term outlook, spending clarity, or roster crunch. But Ben Sheppard’s injury puts the team in a tougher spot than the one they were in on opening night. The front office might eventually have to do something about it.