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3 reasons why Pacers will benefit from bringing last year’s team back

By Dylan Hughes

SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 29: Darren Collison #2, Victor Oladipo #4, Cory Joseph #6 and Thaddeus Young #21 of the Indiana Pacers face the Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2018 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 29: Darren Collison #2, Victor Oladipo #4, Cory Joseph #6 and Thaddeus Young #21 of the Indiana Pacers face the Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2018 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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SACRAMENTO, CA – MARCH 29: Darren Collison #2, Victor Oladipo #4, Cory Joseph #6 and Thaddeus Young #21 of the Indiana Pacers face the Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2018, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.  (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA – MARCH 29: Darren Collison #2, Victor Oladipo #4, Cory Joseph #6 and Thaddeus Young #21 of the Indiana Pacers face the Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2018, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.  (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Kevin Pritchard is playing for today and tomorrow, and he will eventually be rewarded for his patience.

As always, the rumor mill was churning heading into the offseason. “The Indiana Pacers could do this! The Indiana Pacers could do that!”

Most of those things didn’t happen. After a season of incredible overachievement, Indiana had opportunities to make big moves this summer. With the ability to open up enough cap space to throw a large contract at a star, the Pacers could have really shaken things up.

Instead, Kevin Pritchard and Co. decided to hold things together — for the most part.

With Cory Joseph and Thaddeus Young picking up their player options to return for one more year, Indiana no longer had the cap space to throw around max money. The Pacers fully guaranteed the contracts of Darren Collison and Bojan Bogdanovic, meaning most of Indiana’s playoff rotation from last season would be returning.

The team option of Lance Stephenson was declined, clearing the path for him to sign with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Glenn Robinson III wasn’t made a priority and went on to sign with the Detroit Pistons. Joe Young and Al Jefferson were cut and eventually signed in China. Trevor Booker also went on to sign in China.

Indiana added a shooter early on, snatching Doug McDermott up for a three-year deal. Tyreke Evans was added to fill Stephenson’s role as the bench creator. Kyle O’Quinn will be a rotating backup 4/5. Aaron Holiday and Alize Johnson were also added in the draft.

Sometimes a lack of change may be boring, but it can also be the right way to go. Maintaining continuity among other things will be beneficial in the short-term and long-term for multiple reasons.

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