We really have no idea how good the Indiana Pacers are or can be this season as T.J. Warren has still not returned from injury but the front office decided to keep the crew together. As the NBA trade deadline passed, the Pacers stood firm with their current roster.
There were plenty of rumors floating around that Indiana could sell some of their bench assets, most notably Aaron Holiday and Jeremy Lamb. While those two have lost plenty of playing time as of late, the Pacers did not want to get rid of them if the price was not right.
Indiana Pacers stand pat at the deadline
Indiana is currently sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and seems to be well behind the competition in terms of contention this season. They have not performed well in big games and the other big dogs in the East have the firepower to compete right now.
Until we see the Pacers at full strength, there is no reason to believe they will reach that level again this season. Aaron Holiday is still young and could benefit from a fresh start that would allow him to see the floor but the Pacers elected not to move him.
The crowded backcourt, paired with a two-big lineup and lack of wing defense, makes this even more jarring of a deadline. Indiana hardly ever makes a splash at the last minute but this year it was even more shocking to me. Sure, they acquired Caris LeVert earlier this season and he is finally getting his legs under him, but the Pacers should have done something more this week.
Indiana still has questions at the backup four spot and on the perimeter but they feel comfortable with the roster they have. The next few months could be a big audition for Edmond Sumner, Goga Bitadze, and some of the other bench guys.
This isn’t shocking news because it’s the Pacers but it is concerning given the shape of the roster and state of the team so far this season.