The Indiana Pacers have had a terrible season from a competitive standpoint, touting the association’s fifth-worst record at 25-54, but if there is any silver lining to take away from this campaign, it’s the franchise finally realizing the need to change gears.
From the 2022 NBA Draft, the trade market, and free agency, the Pacers have a lot of ways to traverse in the offseason as they attempt to make a swift pivot back to competitive basketball after two seasons of plunging down the standings and missing the postseason.
The Indiana Pacers have enough wiggle room to make considerable moves in the free agent market
Unlike in recent seasons, where the Pacers sort of neglected the offseason as a gauntlet to make substantial roster changes, Indiana now has the room to be a key player in free agency, being one of the five teams with considerable cap space to spare in the offseason.
Taking that into account, the Indiana Pacers clearly have a lot of holes on the roster to patch up if they want to jump back to relevancy as soon as next season. Thus, here are the team’s three biggest needs in free agency.
Disclaimer: No, the Pacers are not in the running for a superstar (almost no one is available anyway).
3. The Indiana Pacers need a reliable backup big
As the roster currently stands, the Indiana Pacers have an exciting one-two punch in the frontcourt with Isaiah Jackson and Indy staple Myles Turner leading the way, but beyond that, the depth chart is loaded with uncertainties.
Goga Bitadze’s future with the Pacers is very iffy at the moment, while Jalen Smith’s market could prove to be too stout for the team’s limit on how much they can offer him. Hence, loading the bench with a reliable big man who could step into the starting lineup in case of injuries will be very important, as their projected frontcourt starters are both injury-prone.
While the 2022 free agency class is not the most inspiring crop, the Pacers should have various options to fill in the bench big role. Former Pacers Thaddeus Young could be gettable, though he could prioritize playing for a contender at this point in his career. Another is Montrezl Harrell, who has a reputation for being a statistical monster as a sparkplug rim runner and mobile defender, while limited as a rim protector.
If the Pacers are to be more ambitious, Bobby Portis could be a lucrative addition, with the Bucks’ payroll cramping up. Indiana could also settle for reclamation projects such as Marvin Bagley III, Chris Boucher or make a run for Nic Claxton, who has shown promise in Brooklyn.
2. The Indiana Pacers need a locker room boost
In recent seasons, the Indiana Pacers’ locker room has been average at best. After being models of resilience from 2017-2019, the team’s status off the court has been far from galvanizing, with last season even pointing to some surprising mishaps along the way.
The following campaign will be crucial as the Pacers’ young core aim to develop chemistry and kickstart a dash of familiarity, and having a veteran presence who can sort of piece the team together as they rummage through the high’s and low’s of a young team will be pivotal to their development.
However, signing a commemorative veteran to fill this role is not ideal. What Indiana needs is an established veteran who can command attention while being a ready contributor when needed. The pacers already have an in-house solution with Lance Stephenson, who is an important figure in the franchise’s culture and should be a lock to be re-signed to another deal.
Other realistic veteran options for the Pacers include JaMychal Green, Jeff Green, Trevor Ariza and James Johnson. All these players should come cheap, though enticing them to help lead a young squad could be tough. Also, it remains to be seen if he can remain a steady contributor even in spurts, but Paul Millsap could function in an 2018 Al Jefferson-like role for the Blue and Gold.
1. The Indiana Pacers badly need another rangy defender
First of all, the Indiana Pacers are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA this season, so this should be a no-brainer. Simply put, if the Pacers remain a putrid point-preventing unit next season, you can already bid adieu to their playoff chances in 2023.
The Pacers have Oshae Brissett, their best perimeter defender this season, but one man cannot change a team’s fortune, especially on defense. Indiana has largely gone with undersized wings to man the small forward spot in Chris Duarte and Buddy Hield, who are no defensive savants, justifying their meager defensive rating, all things considered.
Re-signing TJ Warren to a favorable deal could help solve things, but coming off an injury, relying solely on his defensive ascent with the Pacers in the 2019-20 season could be a frail prayer. Clearly, Indiana needs outside help to bolster their defense.
Fortunately, some rangy defenders who can guard multiple positions are gettable for the Pacers. Robert Covington, one of the league’s best help defenders and above average as a one-on-one defender, could be enticed with a slight overpay. Kyle Anderson, while an awkward fit pace-wise, has long been a positive asset on the defensive end. Jae’Sean Tate could be a younger option who fits the team’s timeline. Cheaper options include Derrick Jones Jr. and Josh Okogie, Minnesota’s seldom-used defensive specialist.