4 team needs that the Indiana Pacers have to address on trade deadline

2. The Indiana Pacers have to double down on athleticism

Athleticism is far from an ordained requisite in the basketball world, but it is certainly close to being a recipe for winning in today’s fast-paced game. The problem? The Indiana Pacers have a roster almost completely devoid of springy legs who can give them a wider margin of error in their scoring attack and more switchability on defense.

Helmed by heady, methodical players like Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon, the Pacers simply lack the spry legs that some teams have an abundance of. Caris LeVert, one of their better athletes, has declined on that aspect as he builds up from his injury. Turner, who has a great vertical as evidenced by his monstrous block numbers, is ironically more of a nimble big on offense.

And it’s certainly a problem if an NBA club’s most athletic player is a rookie who has barely touched the floor, if at all.

Finesse and skill carry more weight in the grand scheme of things, but having more athletic ability on the roster is a way to open up more opportunities on the floor on both ends. I’m not asking that Indiana becomes a Lob City overnight, but the team has long lacked vertical spacing on offense and rangy, disruptive defense on the perimeter—two main areas where added athleticism could help.