8p9s Roundtable: A Very Busy Offseason for the Indiana Pacers
By Ben Gibson
On paper, are the Indiana Pacers a top 5 team in the Eastern Conference?
Donahue: I don’t know. I’m not sure what the rest of the East will look like. Last year’s East looked like Cleveland and Toronto separated from the rest in the regular season. However, precious little separated the second through the seventh seed in the playoffs. A different injury here, some better bench play there, and it’s Miami, Charlotte, or even Indiana bowing to Cleveland in the ECF. LeBron will remain the best team in the East — barring a Kevin Durant announcement — but there’s a lot of movement with Atlanta and Boston and possibly Miami. Charlotte should remain good. While the Pacers made good additions, the departures of George Hill and Ian Mahinmi are not small losses. I’d say it’s a coin flip right now as to whether the answer to this question is “Yes” or “No.”
Medworth: Absolutely. A healthier Paul George and a sophomore Myles Turner should get you there alone. And with the new pieces they should absolutely be top 5. Anything less is bad for the idea that Paul George will stay here long term. And let’s be honest, that’s the main focus for the next two years. Be good enough for Paul George to stay.
Washburn: I think they have a good chance to finish in the 3-5 range, depending upon health and Myles Turner’s development.
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Eggers: Let’s break this down. The Cavaliers are obviously the best team, so that leaves everyone else fighting for second. As of today, I’m betting on the Heat (especially if Chris Bosh comes back okay), Raptors, and Celtics to all have a pretty good chance at finishing above the Pacers in the East. The Hawks and Hornets will be contenders as well, though I think the Pacers have an advantage over their rosters. The Knicks may pull something together, but I can’t trust them to perform until they do it. All things considered, I think the Pacers finish somewhere in the 3-5 range, so I’d say they’re a top 5 team as things sit today.