The Indiana Pacers are going into this season hoping to return to championship contender status after a dreadful 19-win season just one year after making it to the Finals. They parlayed that gap year season into a trade for Ivica Zubac in pursuit of that one goal.
However, if the Pacers can't bounce back after their disastrous season, they are also perfectly set up for a retooling or a straight rebuild. They have aging veteran talent that teams all over the league would want and some young talent to build around.
The obvious disincentive here is that the Pacers won't have to rebuild if Tyrese Haliburton is good, and will need a full reset if he isn't. There is no reason to give up on being competitive. Either this era flies high or it falls flat.
But that answer fails to consider any of the nuance. Teams rarely stay all-in for long, whether it's because things fall apart or because of finances or something in that ilk. If that comes to pass, the Pacers still have the pieces to pivot.
Whether it's built around Haliburton or a part of the return in deals for veterans, Indiana is set up for success.
Giving up and getting better
Pascal Siakam, Ivica Zubac, and TJ McConnell could all help current playoff contenders. That should be obvious, but it bears repeating.
Honestly, the Pacers only got Zubac at the low price they did because they were willing to make a deal early. They could easily flip the 29-year-old center today for a better return than what they gave up, even though that deal included the fifth overall pick.
Siakam is a similar story. Indiana traded two mediocre first-round picks alongside Bruce Brown's filler contract and could expect real talent in return for what may be the most versatile second option in the league.
He has flourished as a scorer and as a playmaker, while also keeping his usage rate low. He could slot in as a team's leading scorer or do all the little things that teams usually struggle to find in their role players, let alone in their stars.
Even TJ McConnell, with his advanced age, could probably get back a handful of second-rounders and an intriguing prospect. Backup point guards show their value deep into the playoff, but especially when they are as good at winning the possession battle as McConnell is.
That would leave the Pacers with a core of Haliburton, Nesmith, and Nembhard, alongside even more picks, all but one of their own, and whatever young talent they get back from trading those three vets.
Imagine a lineup of Haliburton, Nembhard, Nesmith, Jarace Walker or Obi Toppin, and some acquired center along with the draft picks to make a big swing.
The changes to the draft lottery would also change the calculus of any rebuild, allowing Indiana to find quality young talent without falling all the way back in 20-win-season territory.
This is not to say the Pacers will throw in the towel on this era, but they have the option to make lemonade out of lemons if they decide they have to.
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