The Indiana Pacers taught us a lot about themselves during this offseason.
Now that the NBA offseason has slowed down, we can take a bit of a deeper look at the Indiana Pacers and how they attacked the summer period. After missing the playoffs a season ago and seeming lost on their future, the 2021 summer has given fans a better idea of how the Pacers view themselves.
No major moves hit the headlines in the offseason up to this point despite a lot of early expectations. The core of the roster is still around with the exception of Doug McDermott who is now with the San Antonio Spurs.
Indiana has the depth to make some noise this season but with the same roadblocks in place as always, a lot of things will have to go in their favor first. A new head coach, an injury-plagued roster, and a deep Eastern Conference should make for an interesting but stressful season for the Pacers.
The Pacers have never been overly active in the summer unless they are dealing a star of their own who wants out of the small market. As of right now, the same boring but expected offseason has taken place in Indiana but it offers a much different perspective from the team’s standpoint.
What are the key takeaways from this offseason for the Indiana Pacers?
The Indiana Pacers believe they are ready to win right now
The firing of Nate Bjorkgren after just one season, paired with the hiring of Rick Carlisle, proves that the Pacers want to win right now. Rather than sitting and letting a first-time head coach learn as he goes, the Pacers moved on from Bjorkgren and looked for a proven head coach with playoff experience.
Rick Carlisle was the best name on the market as the Pacers began their coaching search this summer and they went all out to bring him back. They offered the former Mavericks head coach a four-year, $29 million deal to lock him into the squad this offseason. That is a massive contract for a head coach and one that would not be thrown around if the team was not on board with contending.
Even if we do not agree that the Pacers are at that level right now, that does not dispute the idea that they believe they have what it takes. They also hinted at that with the first of their two draft picks earlier this offseason.
Chris Duarte, a 24-year-old guard who is ready to contribute right now, was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Duarte will effectively replace Doug McDermott in the rotation while also bringing much more defense to the bench.
While he has shined in his first Summer League and looks to be an NBA-ready wing, there were questions about his fit with Indiana. He was projected as more of a bench contributor for a contender with the Lakers, Warriors, and others reportedly interested. Does that mean the Pacers want to be part of that group?
The Indiana Pacers have not moved on from a center yet
Yet another summer has nearly come and gone and the Pacers have yet to trade one of their starting centers. The baffling idea of starting two bigs in the current NBA has never made sense but it appears the Pacers are ready to try it again with a new head coach.
Carlisle has mentioned the idea of spreading Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis out by moving one of them to the bench, presumably Turner. That would allow the Pacers to have a more modern approach in the starting five while also leaving the bench with a very good big man to help carry the unit.
If that’s the case, Indiana needs to find a reliable option to fill in for that final starting spot, either Chris Duarte or Oshae Brissett while shuffling T.J. Warren to the four.
Indiana has not shown that running two centers will ever work and even a change of coaching staff proved to not be the answer. Heading into this season, it appears they hope Carlisle can be the man to figure things out which ones again leads me to believe that they are not ready to be taken too seriously in the Eastern Conference.
Until they decide to get smaller and get more immersed in the three-point game, the Pacers will not be ready to challenge the best teams in the NBA.
The Indiana Pacers do not have faith in Malcolm Brogdon
When the Pacers made it clear that they were interested in moving Brogdon for Ben Simmons, it was time for fans to realize Brogdon was not the guy moving forward. Simmons, who I agree is an upgrade over Brogdon, would not be worth the upgrade without risking the chemistry of the roster.
Indiana is not overly desperate to have Brogdon as the signal-caller on offense thanks to the return of T.J. Warren next to Caris LeVert and Domantas Sabonis. All three of those guys can carry the offense on their own while sacrificing a bit of the ball-handling that Brogdon brings to the table.
The only real value that Brogdon has over the others is his ability to extend beyond the arc and knock down shots from deep. While the others can do it, only Warren has shown the ability to do so consistently. Factor in Brogdon’s injury history, especially his troubles with soft tissue injuries, and the Pacers should not feel forced to build around him.
They very clearly showed an effort to move on from Brogdon as the starting point guard and even made an attempt to get a star in return for him when they reached out for Ben Simmons. Simmons would be an immediate upgrade on defense and as a slasher with size on both ends.
Indiana has plenty of capable players at their disposal this season and the future of Malcolm Brogdon should be just as questionable as Warren, Turner, and Sabonis.