As the Indiana Pacers enter what feels like one of the most important seasons in the franchise's history, and certainly in recent years, there is one question that stands out: How fast will they play?
The Pacers of yesteryear, the ones that nearly won a championship in 2024-25, ran constantly. They moved in transition, prioritizing fast-break points, and they were known across the NBA as a team that would run you to death.
That was largely done by committing four players at all times to being open and willing participants in that full-court offense. Myles Turner, for all his flaws, did the best he could in this role as a center, often getting set up for trailing threes, even if his playoff run was abysmal.
No, it was this constant commitment to producing as many easy buckets as possible that made running all game easy and identity-setting.
However, the Indiana Pacers went a different direction last year. They made a massive trade for Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline.
With Zubac in the fold, the Pacers will now be forced to play a far slower game. Pacers GM Chad Buchanan focused on this point at a press conference at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Zubac is known as an excellent half-court player. He is a bruising post presence combined with an incredible screen setter and a passer who is often underrated for his touch. Defensively, as a rebounder, Zubac is amongst the best at winning the possession battle for his team.
However, it's safe to say that the play style between the player and team does not align as well as it could. To that end, some compromise is necessary. The Pacers will have to balance many different opposing ideas in the coming season.
So much to do, so much to change
Tyrese Halliburton will be coming back from an Achilles tear, and as such, less should be placed on his shoulders. The superstar point guard can't possibly be expected to carry the load that he did the last time he played.
However, the Pacers without Halliburton running the show are often rudderless and engineless. If Indiana wants to keep up in the stacked Eastern Conference, they will have to do so by putting more on Halliburton and hoping to regain the level they were once at.
Beyond that, Zubac himself will need to speed up as an individual player, while the Pacers will need to slow down to help him with that transition.
However, that middle ground of identity often leads to a team that is good at doing many things, but in fact lacks a top gear they can get to. The Zubac trade was a home run option from a value perspective, bringing in a talented player that would not have been available to the team had they waited until the offseason. However, these questions about fit still remain.
For Zubac's part, he will need to improve greatly as an outlet passer. If he can't run the break, then he should at least be the one starting it.
The Pacers, to their end, will need to move away from their constant motion offense and add in some more pick-and-roll plays.
While Halliburton can surely run these, it seems like the first time he'll be paired with a true pick-and-roll threat since he was playing with Richaun Holmes in Sacramento.
There is no reason the Pacers can't be among the league's best this year. However, there are still questions that remain about whether this team can truly figure out all of the little problems they will need to find answers to sooner rather than later.
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