While not flashy, Barnes may be a smart option.
Barnes could start while Jarace develops into an NBA player. Additionally, Barnes won’t command a really large salary or length of his contract and it could be lined up with the Turner extension so that the Pacers can make some key decisions all at once.
Of course, the Pacers should only pursue Barnes if a better player (such as OG Anunoby) is entirely off the table. Barnes would likely only be a short-term fix to a long-term need and the Pacers would need to evaluate how the team is functioning in the coming years. It’s entirely possible that Walker could develop into a long-term starter in the next two years, making any free agent power forward useless for the starting lineup.
Strus on the other hand? Will be hoping for a longer deal and plays a position that we have too many of in the first place.
Our opinion?
Buy on the Harrison Barnes rumors and sell on the Max Strus rumors.
What do you think the Pacers should do? Let us know on @8pts9secs
Indiana Pacers: Updated roster and projected rotation after the draft
The Indiana Pacers are coming off of the 2023 NBA draft and so you might be wondering what the roster now looks like and what the rotation will be.