Pistons could benefit from Indiana's wing logjam

The Detroit Pistons will be looking for two-way depth on the wing and could target a team that has a logjam at the position. 

It would be a nice problem to have, as the Pistons have too many one-way guys who are either good defenders who can’t shoot or vice versa. They need players who can shoot and handle the ball who aren’t also defensive liabilities. 

The Pacers have the opposite problem, as they have a wealth of depth at the wing/guard spot with Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, TJ McConnell, Ben Sheppard and even Obi Toppin if you count him as a jumbo wing. 

With Haliburton coming back and Zubac on board, there may not be minutes for all of these guys, and there is a clear target if the Pacers want to balance their roster with more frontcourt depth. 

Ben Sheppard could be the odd man out 

Nembhard, Nesmith and McConnell are all under contract beyond next season on team friendly deals that the Pacers have no motivation to move. All three are outplaying their contracts and will be important to keep as their payroll gets more expensive at the top. 

Sheppard has just one year left on his deal at $5 million, so he too is an inexpensive contributor who played 21 minutes per game and gave the Pacers solid 3-and-D production. 

He’s not a high-volume 3-point shooter, but he hit over 36 percent, has good size at 6-foot-6 and can reliably defend multiple positions. He plays hard on the defensive end and would fit right into JB Bickerstaff’s ethos. 

Maybe the most intriguing part is that he has improved across the board every year he’s been in the league. He’s only 24, so there may be more there in a bigger role. 

He’d be a nice depth addition for the Pistons, who lack wings that can shoot, and Sheppard has upside as a shooter without taking anything away on defense. 

What would it take to get him? 

Ah, here is the rub. 

The Pacers wouldn’t be motivated to trade Sheppard, who represents cheap impact on the wing, unless they were getting something useful in return. 

Otherwise, the Pacers can just let Sheppard go to restricted free agency and deal with him next summer, as they plan to compete next season with Haliburton back. 

The Pistons would be reluctant to deal from their center depth unless the Pacers were interested in Tolu Smith (they do need rebounding), so this would almost have to be a move where the Pacers just wanted to cut money in exchange for future draft consideration. 

The Pistons will make some bigger swings, but they also have to sniff around for undervalued players who could provide some of the quality depth they need. 

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