Recently, Kevin Pelton of ESPN gave the Indiana Pacers a 'D' grade for their offseason so far. This is justifiable given that the team lost Myles Turner to the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency, and how they will replace him is still a question that needs to be answered. Whether it is a fair grade or not is debatable, especially considering that the team is in a bit of a weird situation ahead of a potential gap year, but it is fair to see where he is coming from, especially since Turner was such a big part of the team's system.
It was never going to be easy for the Pacers to replace their long-time big man, and it seems that they know that based on their moves this offseason. Rather than committing to a one-for-one replacement, Indiana is running a committee and giving multiple players a chance to shine: Jay Huff, Tony Bradley, Isaiah Jackson, and James Wiseman. This is probably a good idea on paper. However, none of these guys are established full-time centers, especially for a team like the Pacers, who are looking to remain in title contention.
The Pacers will have a whole season to figure it out, but as it stands, their center situation is a problem.
There is some upside at center for the Pacers
Even though Turner's departure is a big loss for Indiana, there is still some intrigue regarding their center situation. Jackson, the team's presumed starter for next season, is still incredibly young and looked fantastic last year before suffering an Achilles injury. Most of the same could be said for Wiseman, as well, who could have a great opportunity to finally shed his "bust" label.
There is also a lot to like about Huff, who Indiana acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies in July. He had a breakout season last year, and he has proven that he is ready for a bigger role. Additionally, while not at the same level, he has a very similar skillset to Turner, which certainly bodes well for him. The North Carolina native can stretch the floor and brings positive defensive value. He is also on a very cheap contract.
As for Bradley, his situation is probably the most interesting. Currently, it seems likely that the Pacers will not roster four centers going into the regular season. Bradley is on a non-guaranteed deal, and he provides the least amount of intrigue among all the big men on the team, making him a realistic cut candidate. Regardless, he came up big numerous times in the playoffs for Indiana and proved he deserves a legitimate shot at making the team. Whether he will or not remains to be seen, but he remains a name to keep an eye on.
While they look to navigate through what most expect to be a gap year, there are a lot of questions the Pacers must answer. This includes what is next at center. It is not ideal at all, but they can make some magic happen with their big men as they aim to shock the basketball world (again) and stay in title contention in 2026.