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?
Which acquisition will help the Pacers the most: Jeff Teague or Thad Young?
Furr: Thad Young. Jeff Teague might be a more valuable overall player, but Thad Young is shoring up what was a massive hole for the Pacers all last year, while Teague is replacing a position with steady production. Young’s ability to guard stretch 4’s will be huge for this Pacers team.
Barth: Thad Young. You have to remember that Lavoy Allen started 28 games for the Pacers last year at PF. Give Thaddeus those minutes, grab yourself a margarita and enjoy the new show.
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Eggers: Probably Thaddeus Young. George Hill is a great player – Lavoy Allen not as much. Upgrading the “true 4” spot from Allen to Young is a much bigger deal than upgrading the point guard spot from Hill to Teague (or Ellis to Teague depending on your perspective). Teague will be an exciting point guard, and the Pacers seem to think he’s the best (attainable) point for what they’re trying to do. But Young averaged 9 boards a game last year. The Pacers haven’t had a guy do that since Troy Murphy in 2009 (the closest Hibbert got was 8.8 a game). Pairing Young with Myles Turner just feels less clunky than the frontcourt of Ian Mahinmi and Turner last year. The impact will be seen a lot more clearly with Young.
Medworth: I actually am more excited for Thad Young. I’ve always been a big fan of his. He averaged 15 and 9 last year and he’s versatile. I’m really looking forward to the energy he’ll bring to this team.
Neal: Teague. The team wanted to get faster and Teague is a good match for that style. That doesn’t mean Young doesn’t match it because I think he does, but the Pacers needed a point guard that could consistently break down the defense off the dribble on pick and roll or in isolation. Teague, when healthy, does that with good results.
Next: Will Myles Turner and Thaddeus Young Both Start?
Will Myles Turner and Thaddeus Young be the starting big men for the Pacers on opening day?
Furr: They’d better be unless the Pacers work some kind of magic and sign Kevin Durant.
Barth: Yes. This is the prototype for Bird’s frontcourt vision: two fast, athletic big men who can score. The defense is another matter, but that’s why Dan Burke is the man. Ian Mahinmi will likely be making $60+ million somewhere else next season, so it’s safe to assume Turner and Young are penciled in.
Eggers: Almost assuredly. I don’t see the Pacers making any other moves for big men other than rotational signings. Young is a solid, solid power forward, and Turner is ideally a star center for the next decade. I wouldn’t even expect the Pacers to re-sign Mahinmi at this point, as his services will be too expensive to put him on the bench. Young’s services are too expensive for a bench guy as well, actually. The Pacers made good moves the past two years to get their frontcourt. No need to mess it up.
Medworth: I think so. Indications are that Larry has moved away from Ian Mahinmi at this point and will go with Thad and Myles and I think I’m okay with that. But the bench will need some help.
Neal: Yes. It seems the team has turned the rim protection duties over to Turner. I can’t see how they can bring back Ian Mahinmi for the money he would get on the open market and round out the roster. If they do bring Mahinmi back, he would have to start, which means either Turner or Young would be on the bench and that doesn’t make much sense. I think the Pacers roll with Turner and Young and fill out the front court in free agency.
Next: Is Jeff Teague better than George Hill?
Is Jeff Teague better than George Hill?
Furr: Overall, no. Hill is a better shooter, defender, and rebounder. Teague is a better ball handler and passer. It is probably close, but I prefer Hill’s all-around game and marksmanship in a vacuum. For this Pacers team, Jeff Teague might be the better fit, though.
Barth: As a point guard with good court vision and an overall scorer? Yes. As a defender and versatile guard? No. It was time to explore a world where the Pacers had a distributor though and see if he can get PG and company some easier shots. The offense was mud-like during the Vogel era and a change was definitely necessary. I’ll miss George Hill because Utah got a really strong player under the radar, but I’m excited for Jeff Teague and adding a new dimension to the offense. Everybody wins.
Eggers: They’re both great players in this league. They both fit different roles and excel in different facets of the game. I’d say Jeff Teague is a better point guard for what the Pacers are trying to do. I’d say Teague is better offensively. I’d say he’s worse defensively. Who’s better, purely as a question of a player against a player? Looking at it from a completely objective standpoint, I’ll give Teague the advantage because he had the All-Star year. Keep in mind, however, the Jazz could’ve traded their pick straight up for Teague, but they didn’t. Also, Hill was Gregg Popovich’s favorite player. So who knows?
Medworth: They’re different. I’m not ready to say Jeff Teague is better. George Hill is a fantastic combo guard who plays great defense. Jeff Teague is a true point guard but his defense isn’t as good. I can’t say Jeff Teague is better at this time.
Neal: Yes, but with a caveat. For the style the team wants to play, Teague is better. I appreciate what Hill brought to the team the last four years — even as most fans bash him on his way out of town — but he’s not best suited to run the style of offense that the team wants going into next season. Teague makes a living getting into the paint and collapsing defenses. Hill didn’t do that as consistently, which makes the trade for Teague palatable enough for me.
Next: Can the Pacers Still Play Defense Well?
Can a team that starts a backcourt of Jeff Teague and Monta Ellis have a good defense?
Furr: Sure. The 76ers could win the next 3 NBA Titles too. … Ok, that’s a bit harsh. The Pacers defense should be ok, with Paul George and Thad Young swarming, and Myles Turner protecting the back line. I’m expecting Turner to have an issue with foul trouble, though, given Ellis and Teague’s inability to stop the ball at the point of attack. If Turner becomes too foul prone to protect the rim and the Pacers don’t have another rim protector behind him, things could go downhill quickly.
Barth: No. Paul George will have to become one of the better defenders in the league to cover up for the defensive liabilities the Pacers now have in their starting backcourt. It’s shaky now for sure, but if Turner can become (dare I say) a Hibbert-like rim protector this season and PG can provide help defense on players who consistently blow by Teague and Ellis, it could be doable.
Eggers: 2 out of 5 is 40%. Jeff Teague and Monta Ellis are not a bad enough 40% to ruin a defense. Both have been a part of great defensive teams. It might take some work from Dan Burke, but there’s no reason with 2-time All-Defensive Team Paul George and block party Myles Turner that Teague and Ellis will cause the defense to collapse. Am I particularly excited about it, though? Not really. I would be open to other ideas.
Medworth: Here’s hoping Dan Burke has some magic left in his defensive playbook.
Next: The Indiana Pacers New Starting Five… Maybe
Neal: Before last season, I would have thought any team with Monta Ellis would have a hard time having a good defense. The Pacers were a top-5 defense last year, so anything is possible. On the surface, however, the answer is no. I think the team needs to acquire a 3-and-D wing that moves Ellis to a sixth-man role or move Ellis for a wing. It’s much easier said than done than it would help the roster if such a move was made.