It could be a pretty busy offseason for the Indiana Pacers as they prepare to make some heavy changes after a good season, but one that fans shouldn’t be content to stay at. The team was an abundance of riches in terms of veteran players and draft picks that could allow the team to make some major moves and shake up a team that needs to continue improving.
Here are six things the Pacers must do to keep progressing towards their goals.
6. Decide on the future of Buddy Hield
One name that continues to get floated around in trade discussions and discussions of the long term vision of the team is Buddy Hield. The team needs to decide and communicate what the plan is for Buddy moving forward.
He certainly is a valuable piece to the Pacers’ franchise. He is already one of the most accomplished three-point shooters in franchise history and clearly has a close relationship with franchise cornerstone Tyrese Haliburton.
However, the team is going to have to make some pay decisions moving forward, and Hield may not be the best place to use those dollars. Haliburton, Mathurin, and others are going to be getting pay increases eventually, and Hield may not be the strategic choice.
5. Fix their defensive struggles
Sine Nate McMillan’s staff left the Pacers, the team has struggled on defense. Hopes were that Carlisle, who is traditionally seen as an offensive minded coach, could bring in other coaches that could elevate the team’s defensive performance, similar to what Dan Burke did for the team for years.
However, the team continues to struggle on the defensive side of the ball. Some of this could be a function of pace and something that we are willing to accept. This season the Pacers had a better pace early in the season than the majority of teams in the NBA, which can lead to some defensive lapses.
But the Pacers finished the season with the 28th defensive rating, a number that is wholly unacceptable if we are going to compete near the top of the league. As long as the Pacers are unable to stop people of scoring, they will continue to lose games. It’s really as simple as that.
4. Figure out their guard rotation
The Pacers have so many guards, which is a good problem to have. They have a plethora of both point and shooting guards that can run both their first, second, and even sometimes third unit. They have multiple guards coming off the bench that are starter-level players already such as Mathurin and Nembhard. So there are no complaints from us on obtaining more guard pieces for the team.
The problem is, how do we play them all and what is their natural “fit” in the offense? For example, this season Andrew Nembhard spent a lot of time playing the shooting guard position, even though he is probably a bit more of a traditional point guard. And when he was able to run the point in Haliburton’s absence he thrived.
On top of all of this is the presence of TJ McConnell. TJ is clearly a valued veteran on the team, but one that is increasingly looking not-needed for the day-to-day rotation. What the long-term trajectory of TJ McConnell will be is part of this question as well.
3. Talk to Tyrese Haliburton about his upcoming extension
Star players are hard to come by, and the Pacers appear to have one in Tyrese Haliburton, who made the all-star team for the first time this season and had a breakout campaign. Yet, those great moments come at a cost in terms of the upcoming contract. The Pacers have said they would like to involve Haliburton in some of the high-level decision making of the club, a decision that shows long-term commitment.
But these things, when drawn out, can lead to rifts between star players and teams (see any of the numerous hold-outs and contract disputes in recent years). The Pacers need to proactively be talking to Haliburton and his camp about what they are hoping for in the next contract so that there are no surprises for either party down the road. Set expectations for both sides and follow through, and Haliburton will be in Indy for years to come.
2. Look to bring in a high-upside piece with extra draft capital
The Pacers have a ton of draft capital in the upcoming years. So much so that we probably need to think about consolidating some of it into tangible assets that can help the team soon. There are many free agents and trade candidates on the market, such as Cam Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets, and Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors.
And while the Pacers may have to overpay a bit in a deal, it would be worth it as there are only so many roster spots we can use at a time. You want to have both bench depth, but also have high-end talent. The Pacers aren’t going to go out and make a run at a superstar like Damian Lillard, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make a big impact in free agency with some of our first-round picks.
Too often the Pacers sit the sideline and watch other teams flip assets for top players, while we continue to “trust the process” as our friends in Philly like to say. Something has to change and this offseason will be the perfect time to do it.
1. Get the power forward we have needed for years through the draft
The. Pacers. Must. Draft. A. Power. Forward.
I’m not sure there is anything more important they could do this offseason than fill the chasm that is the four spot on the roster. It’s a position we haven’t truly filled since Thad Young left years ago. And the draft this year is full of potential power forwards, with players such as Jarace Walker, Cam Whitmore, and the Thompson brothers rounding out the top of the draft board.
The Pacers MUST walk away with a power forward with their top pick this year, and there is no winning the draft if they don’t. While the “best available” approach often works, it often leaves us with wasted assets like Goga Bitadze, who we never were able to develop because he always had two centers on the roster ahead of him. He may develop into a player yet, but it won’t be for the Pacers.
At some point, you have to go with what your team needs, not with what your team COULD need in the future.