They may never say it expressly, but the Indiana Pacers are clearly off-track from their usual escapade to chase as many wins as possible, despite the ceiling. With a forgettable campaign on the wins department behind them, the realization of a bigger and more valuable goal still makes this season a jot down on the list of things to celebrate somehow.
The Pacers may be in for a long process of embracing the wave of a rebuild (or a retool, or whatever nomenclature defines their current state), but in the NBA, rooting success on the waiting game is a pretty viable thing to bank on. And last night, Indiana witnessed it first hand in an ugly loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Indiana Pacers could learn a lesson or two from the upstart Memphis Grizzlies
Sans franchise star Ja Morant, the Grizzlies remained a formidable bunch, beating the Pacers handily before they even knew it. People may give them the hark of doubt about their chances on a championship this season, but the very fact that they’re even in the discussion after treading through mediocrity in recent years is evidence that with the right moves and a dash of luck, rebuilding can take you places.
While more definitive favorites surround them left and right, one edge that Memphis has is the solid backing of a brighter future. Veteran championship cores have a shelf life to them, and with Father Time still unbeaten at large, the Grizzlies have the makings of a great force for a long time.
Envious? Well, the Pacers could learn a thing or two from the Grizzlies blueprint.
The Grizzlies’ smart rebuild gives hope to the Pacers’ youth movement
Like the Pacers, the Grizzlies were perennial playoff contenders since 2010. While their title window was never resolute, Memphis was in the competitive scene for a lengthy period. Also like the Pacers, they perhaps overrode their chances by trying to extend the lifespan of the former Grit N’ Grind from 2015-2019.
But unlike the Pacers, the Grizzlies quickly recognized the art of thinking bigger. With the dynastic Warriors still at the helm at that time, Memphis picked the best time to lie low and start from ground zero.
Now, look what happened. Boy, did it work.
From picking top prospects in Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., finding gold in the draft with Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, and hunting positive supporting pieces in Kyle Anderson, Tyus Jones, and De’Anthony Melton, among many others, the Grizzlies made the most out of their quick rebuild despite the overarched limits of a small market.
Now, Memphis is the envy of teams stuck in the bottom. Their roster may still not wow you enough to blindly tab them as contenders, but this is a culmination of patience, luck, culture-setting, and youth development all at once.
The Indiana Pacers have a realistic way to be relevant again in the near future
Ordinal numbers be damned, while Indiana is late to the break-up-the-core-with-the-limited-ceiling party, they are finally here. Now having a foundational piece to build around in Tyrese Haliburton, this is the best time for the Pacers to fully commit themselves to the plotting stage and build their way up from the ground.
With better-than-before chances at a top pick in the upcoming draft, the Pacers can easily turn the franchise around with a little stroke from lady luck. From there, the team could look at the Grizzlies and see what pushed them to the current juggernaut they are. By investing in young prospects, quickly moving away from commodities that hinder the youth movement, and chasing culture movers, an organic path to being formidable is pretty realistic.
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Significant contributors like Malcolm Brogdon, TJ Warren, Buddy Hield, and TJ McConnell are clear win-now players who could help the Pacers carve out wins, but is the trade-off between their contributions and the chance to foster younger prospects while accruing assets in return for them worth it? This is just one of the questions that the team has to answer moving forward.
Fans may be in for a not-so-pretty ride in the near future, especially with the East still jampacked by veteran contenders up top, but like the Grizzlies before them, this is actually a good chance to turn their struggles into gold.
However, to do that, the Indiana Pacers have to double down on their youth movement and realize that in the NBA, sometimes, the way to move forward is to take a step or two back, and wait for the perfect chance to strike the iron once more.