3 reasons why the Pacers’ decline could be a blessing in disguise

3. Check the Pacers’ lottery odds right now!

Notably poor seasons from Houston, San Antonio, Detroit, and Charlotte might get you thinking that the Indiana Pacers have won too much to even try to bottom out in hopes of landing a good draft positioning in the star-studded 2023 NBA Draft, but you might be surprised to find out that the team actually has the sixth-best odds of nabbing the first overall pick — the exact same spot which allowed them to draft Mathurin last year.

As of speaking, the Pacers have a nine percent chance at snagging Victor Wembanyama, who is perhaps the best NBA prospect ever. That shot may not be that convincing to some, but that is still a pretty un-ignorable chance that can arm Indiana with a transcendental piece for years to come.

The Pacers are just 1.5 games behind Orlando to climb up in the lottery ladder, and while they are unlikely to catch up — or down — to the four teams at the nadir, the fact that the team can still be rewarded despite already having a solid young core should be something to look forward to.

Tanking has never been associated with Indiana in the past despite some subtle hints at subscribing to it, but with Wemby at the finish line, any team with a reasonable shot should grind as hard as they can.