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Here’s 3 New Year’s resolutions for the Indiana Pacers

By William Furr

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 10: Thaddeus Young #21 of the Indiana Pacers is seen during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 10, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 10: Thaddeus Young #21 of the Indiana Pacers is seen during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 10, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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The Indiana Pacers need to hit the reset button as they go into the new year, but they can’t do anything drastic just yet.

January 1st is the time when everyone is making resolutions for the new year; ways to better themselves, changes that need making, and tasks that need accomplishing. NBA teams are no different. The new year is an approximate halfway marker for most teams. That makes it a perfect time to assess what needs to be done moving forward, including the Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers have 3 goals they should carry moving into the 2018 calendar year.

Don’t mortgage the future for the now 

This Pacers team is F-U-N. Watching Victor Oladipo go ham night in and night out is more fun than any Pacers team since the Pacers were battling LeBron James in the Eastern Conference Finals. The balance the team displays daily is a great change from the “superstar does superstar things” hero ball style play the team had devolved into in recent years.

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6 players are averaging double digits, and any of Victor Oladipo, Myles Turner, Bojan Bogdanovic, Darren Collison, Thad Young, or Domas Sabonis can look like the best player on the floor for any given game. However, this team has cratered from 5th to 8th in East in Victor Oladipo’s absence. It’s clear they are likely a lower tier playoff team.

An inspired run could lead to a first-round playoff victory, but that’s likely the best this year’s team can hope for (and well more than most expected coming into the year!). It would be tempting to flip the first-round pick for veteran help to capitalize on the good feelings this team is engendering, but it would be a huge mistake. The Pacers core going forward should be Victor Oladipo (25), Myles Turner (21), and Domas Sabonis (21). Even if you throw in Lance Stephenson (27, and I know some of you want to), the core of this team is either not quite in their prime, or just entering it.

Trading for a vet would interfere with the ability to build around the true keys of the Pacers moving forward.

Expand the rotation beyond 8 guys

Nate McMillan has been better about this as of late (Oladipo’s injury may have forced his hand on this), but the Pacers were winning playing only Lance Stephenson, Domas Sabonis, and Cory Joseph off the bench.

Expanding the rotation might cost the Pacers a game or two throughout the season. The drop-off between CoJo/Lance/Domas and guys like Joe Young, T.J. Leaf, Damien Wilkins, and Alex Poythress is significant currently. The Pacers can’t keep playing only 8 guys though, as evidenced by the fact that we’ve already seen injuries to every Pacers starter a mere 37 games into the year.

Playing the back half of the bench might be a detriment for 4-5 minutes in some games, but not nearly the detriment that losing guys like Oladipo or Turner for multiple games would be. There is an important side note to this: Glenn Robinson III’s return from injury should help alleviate this some, as he’ll soak up the minutes that Poythress and Wilkins would otherwise get (and will likely steal some from Lance as well).

The Pacers should see what they have in their young guys. Glenn Robinson III, T.J. Leaf, and Joe Young deserve a look. If the season starts to crater, Alex Poythress, Ike Anigbogu, and Edmond Sumner should get some run as well.

Find out what Thad Young and Cory Joseph intend to do about their contract options and proceed accordingly 

Thad Young is awesome. He’s been great in the locker room from everything I’ve heard, and he’s a very good compliment to Myles Turner in the modern NBA. If he wants to stay (either to re-sign or pick up his 13.8 million dollar option next year), the Pacers would be lucky to have him. If they start to fall out of playoff contention though, some contenders may come calling for his services with an offer that’s hard to refuse.

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Thad has been very good for the Pacers, on and off the court, but his possible impending free agency and age (he turns 30 this year) make him a potential odd man out, as does the presence of Domas Sabonis, who will need minutes. If Thad is intent on testing his value on the free agent market, it might be in the Pacers best interest to find out what he might return on the trade market.

The situation with Cory Joseph is similar but has a few different variables. CoJo’s age (26)  is more in line with the Pacers core, and he’s never had a chance to start in the NBA. The Pacers have no discernible future solution at point guard. Darren Collison has had a nice season, but is 30 and on 5th NBA team (including his 2nd stint with the Pacers). Small point guards that rely solely on quickness rarely age well, and DC is almost certainly not the llong-termanswer.

Cory Joseph has looked lost at times when trying to create but is a very good defender. He’s also shooting nearly 41% from deep this year. If he’s willing to opt in next year at 7.9 million, the Pacers should give him a long look at the starting unit.

Even if he’s looking to opt out, the Pacers should try to gauge his value on the free agent market. If they feel he’s going to get pricey for an unproven asset, shopping him to a contender might be something the Pacers would be smart to look into.

Bonus: If they fall out of playoff contention, shop Bojan Bogdanovic and Darren Collison for picks and youth. 

Both Bogdanovic (1.5 million) and Collison (2 million as of 7/1/18) have very team friendly guarantees for next season, as both can be cut loose for a minimal cap hit. It’s worth noting Zach Lowe predicted the Pacers will trade one or both this season.

Next: Potential New Years’ Trades for the Pacers

They can also potentially help a team this year as firepower off the bench. Trading either hurts the current team and likely won’t bring a big return, but if the season goes into the tank, a small return is better than none.

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