Indiana Pacers: 5-step plan for a perfect offseason

Step 5: The Indiana Pacers should be very active in the trade market

Surely, fans would be mad if the Indiana Pacers simply run it back, right? Of course, and rightfully so. The emergence of other rising teams in the Eastern conference is a sign that simply regaining health and banking on continuity will just help them hang around, which is a perfect euphemism for mediocrity.

Blue Wire Podcasts’ Alex Golden perfectly sums it up:

The easiest path to retooling is making roster changes, but Indiana, given its cap situation and the summer’s thin crop of free agents, does not have a lot to spend in free agency. Hence, they should instead focus on being at the crux of the trade market.

The Pacers have a lot of likeable and tradeable players who have reasonable salaries. Jeremy Lamb’s expiring contract is the easiest to move, but even those with ample roster control such as Malcolm Brogdon, TJ Warren, and the Turbonis duo will all accrue sizeable interest across the league. Also, they each figure to net some great immediate returns for the Blue and Gold. Luckily, Indiana should have leverage on most talks.

Ultimately, one thing’s for sure: the Indiana Pacers cannot banner the same team and hope that continuity can hoist them toward the upper echelon in the league. Consistency is good, but good can only take you so far. Perhaps this turbulent season was a blessing in disguise in that it will force the team to go off-tangent from their usual course of action and realize that the Blue and Gold will only be ripe for success if they refrain from walking on eggshells.