How will the Indiana Pacers fare in a more competitive Eastern Conference?
What a roller coaster of emotions this offseason has provided Indiana Pacers fans. From the very start, rumors were hot that Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner could’ve been on the move from the team. From moving players for draft picks to the recent talks in acquiring the newly signed Charlotte Hornet Gordon Hayward, rumors were steady in Indiana. The dust settled and at the end of the day as no one was traded besides T.J. Leaf.
It seems like Kevin Pritchard and the front office have decided to run it back with this team one last time. The pressing question is how will this Pacers team compete in an Eastern Conference that is getting much better. Can this Pacers squad make some noise in the playoffs baring everyone being healthy or are they destined for another first-round exit? Let’s dive in.
Offseason Moves for the Indiana Pacers
Since the very moment that the Finals were over, it seemed someone associated with the Pacers was mentioned in rumors. Everywhere I looked it seemed as if report after report was coming out with how disgruntled Victor Oladipo was with the organization and was looking to get out of Indy.
Myles Turner was being included in almost any deal that was being talked about, from the Pacers possibly looking at the number 2 pick to possibly acquiring Jrue Holiday. The draft came and passed and both players remained as a Pacer. Free Agency began and the Pacers tried to acquire Gordon Hayward via a sign and trade around Myles Turner. A couple of days later and Myles Turner is still with the blue and gold.
The offseason for the Pacers is more of what they didn’t do rather than what they did do. To me, the Pacers were smart with not moving on from Turner for deals that didn’t make much sense for the Pacers. Gordon Hayward is a very good player in his own right but the concern with his injury history and the amount of money he commanded was a turn-off.
Turner is still 24 years old and has room to develop into a better player. Giving that up for 4 years of someone riddled with injuries on a massive deal was something the Pacers needed to avoid.
What the Pacers did in the offseason shouldn’t be overlooked. I believed once the offseason began that priority number one was to re-sign Justin Holiday and the Pacers did just that. The Pacers signed Holiday to a 3-year deal worth around 18 million. This is a great contract for the Pacers with a player that was a vital part of the bench last season.
Holiday shot a career-high 40.5 percent from three-point range last season while averaging 8.3 points per game. Holiday also possesses the ability to guard multiple positions on the floor as a wing, which is a high priority for any NBA team.
The Pacers could possibly have found a steal in the draft at pick 54 when they selected Cassius Stanley out of Duke. Nate Bjorkgren said his system will utilize a lot of movement and Stanley’s uber athleticism should be a perfect match for what our new head coach is looking for. Stanley will shine in the fast break as he can jump out of this galaxy making him a lob threat and also has a nice three-point shot.
The Pacers moved T.J. Leaf and a future 2nd round pick in exchange for Jalen Lecque. Pacers fans have been increasingly disappointed in Leaf who came from the loaded 2017 draft class. The Pacers finally move on from Leaf and in return get a very exciting young athlete in Jalen Lecque.
Lecque, whose nickname is “Baby Westbrook”, is a jaw-dropping athlete at the guard position. Lecque definitely fits the mold of athleticism that the Pacers front office has been targeting this offseason.
How will the Indiana Pacers fare running it back?
Kevin Pritchard had a video press conference today and touched a little bit on the offseason. He said he felt comfortable bringing back this team who was the 4th seed in the playoffs and riddled with injuries last season. With limited cap space this offseason I believed this would most likely be the move for Indiana barring an Oladipo trade.
In a stronger Eastern Conference, I still project the Pacers to do quite well. A lot of people forget the Pacers, without Oladipo, were on pace to be a 50-win team before the season was abruptly halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Pacers return all the core players from last year’s squad, which only one of those core players will not be available opening week, Jeremy Lamb.
The new coaching staff and system should breathe life into this talented Pacers team. The Pacers have looked stagnant on offense under former coach Nate McMillan but newly hired head coach Nate Bjorkgren promises lots of movement on both offense and defense.
It should be refreshing to see the Pacers in a more modern offensive scheme. One Indiana Pacer, in particular, I’m excited to see in the new system is Myles Turner. Turner seemed to be underutilized in the system from last season. Kevin Pritchard said in his conference today that Myles has the green light to shoot from deep this season. I would like to see more of Myles from deep and not just stuck in the corner.
Barring any major injuries, I fully expect the Pacers to be a top 5 or 6 team in the East, even with the added competition. The biggest question is can the Pacers get over the hump and actually get out of the first round.
I think if fully healthy, this team could give any of the top teams in the East trouble. In the playoffs it all comes down to matchup and the biggest variable will be who they are matched within the Playoffs. The goal has been set and it’s time for the Pacers to meet those goals.