8p9s Roundtable: A Very Different Indiana Pacers
By Ben Gibson
The Indiana Pacers made several offseason moves already, but did it make them better?
As free agency approaches, the Indiana Pacers have already started the makeover process this offseason.
Between letting Frank Vogel walk and trading George Hill, this season’s Pacers team will have a very different feel than in the past. Nate McMillan is now Indiana’s new head coach, and Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young, and Georges Niang are the newest members of the Pacers.
The biggest question right now is whether this team is better than last season’s edition. For the answers, we go to the 8 Points, 9 Seconds staff to answer this along with several other questions about all the changes.
Grade the Pacers offseason moves so far, and what was your reaction to the moves?
Will Furr: Mostly positive. I think George Hill is a better player than Jeff Teague, but Teague is likely a better fit for what Larry Bird wants the Pacers to be. Snagging Thad Young for the 20th pick was a brilliant move. There were a couple of interesting players left when the Pacers would’ve picked (Skal Labissiere and Dejeounte Murray come to mind), but Bird wants to win now, and the franchise needs to convince Paul George to stay when his current contract ends. Teague/George/Young/Turner is 4/5 of a very good starting lineup
Ryan Barth: B+ My immediate reaction was that Bird was snagging two quality starters on reasonable contracts (for now) before the wildest NBA free agency period we’ve ever seen whips through like a tornado. I still find it hard to believe Thad Young was only worth the #20 overall pick and a future 2nd-rounder. Slow clap for Larry Legend!
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Ryan Eggers: I’m not going to put a letter grade on moves because in a perfect world you’d only make moves that are A’s. The NBA is not a perfect world, and you take what you can get. In that sense, I’ll grade the Pacers’ moves as “good”. This was a weak draft, and trading for someone that is a guaranteed reliable starter is a smarter bet than taking a chance at 20. The Pacers also finally found a way to get Jeff Teague, who if the mid-season rumors were true, is the ideal point guard for their new offense. Drafting Nieng was fine, also. I didn’t really expect much from the 50 spot, but someone who can be a part of a floor spacing lineup is good stuff. I don’t know how it will all work out come October, but everything has made sense so far. There hasn’t been I think I’ve disliked.
Whitney Medworth: I’m giving them a solid B. Like, you can’t get an A until you sign a top free agent so I think a solid B fits nicely here. Taking George Hill and the 20 and swapping it for Jeff Teague and Thad Young is very solid. Proud of Larry for this one.
Jacky Neal: B. Initially, I wasn’t overly excited about the trade for Jeff Teague. I guess my fandom of what George Hill brought to the table blinded me. However, after the trade to acquire Thad Young, I felt better about the Teague trade. The Pacers seem to be all-in on becoming a speedy, small-ball team. The change in personnel finally matches the change in philosophy.
Next: Better Addition? Jeff Teague or Thad Young?