Worst case scenario for the Indiana Pacers this season

The Indiana Pacers could be in for a dreadful summer again

Having a down season and missing out on high odds in the NBA Draft Lottery would be quite the bummer for Indiana. While the 2022 NBA Draft is months away and we should not get too invested yet, it would be disappointing to see Indiana pick in the middle of the first round once again.

The worst possible outcome in the lottery would be the Pacers falling out of the top-10 yet again but that will be a concern for another time. For now, let’s look at how a bad season could affect the current roster.

Missing the playoffs would almost certainly mean one of two things: either T.J. Warren got hurt again or he did not return to his old self. Given that he is in the final year of his contract, a bad season from him or Indiana would likely urge him to get out of Indiana and seek a big contract elsewhere.

It also means the end of the never-profitable two-center lineup which we have been hoping to move away from for years. Either Myles Turner or Domantas Sabonis has to be traded after next season if it proves to once again be a bad idea.

With two straight playoff absences under their belt, the Indiana Pacers may as well decide to tear things apart once and for all. Malcolm Brogdon, Caris Levert, T.J. Warren, and both centers could all be available for other teams via trade as the Pacers start their rebuild.

Will they actually get better one of these years or will the Pacers be stuck in mediocrity for eternity?