Chemistry is intangible, but Victor Oladipo taking some of the Indiana Pacers down to South Beach is part of keeping the good vibes going into next season.
If nothing else happens in Miami with the Indiana Pacers this week, hopefully, they’re bonding over basketball, food, and maybe a trip to LIV.
It’s hard to know what to expect with some (all?) the Pacers down in Miami, but it’s hard to put a price on chemistry.
Last season, we saw how these summer sessions led to players like Thaddeus Young to see the team’s potential early on. We also know how a year before with different players on different pages can lead to uninspired play, even if there isn’t ‘bad blood’ being spilled left and right.
While Oladipo says “It’s the Indiana Pacers. Not the Oladipos.” in his interview with the Indianapolis Star‘s J. Michael, no one but Herb Simon has more ownership over this team right now. While a year ago it appeared that the franchise was in Myles Turner’s hands, it would take a most improved player type of season by him to achieve co-ownership with Simon and Oladipo.
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It was his idea to get the team together down in Miami. His positive attitude infected the entire team. It’s clear Oladipo isn’t just a leader because he is the best player, he is a leader because he wants to lead. And the Pacers have followed.
Oladipo is a big reason why Indiana’s chemistry comes up so often in conversation. The team is full of players pointed in the right direction thanks to a series of modest but important signings by Kevin Pritchard, but it’s hard to picture anyone else other than Oladipo getting them to this moment.
It’s why these days in Miami for the team feel so important. Indiana can’t settle for another 48-win season, as good as that might be.
Anything less than an improvement on last year’s finish is a failure. The Pacers can’t look at a first-round exit as anything but a disappointment.
And if they are going to improve on last year’s outcome, it started in earnest in Miami this week.