NBA expert David Aldridge recently ranked the Indiana Pacers' offseason as the third-worst among all the teams in the league (only ahead of the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors, whose offseason he deemed "incomplete"). While Aldridge's ranking doesn't tell the whole story of the Pacers' offseason, it is still a fair assessment.
This summer, the Pacers lost Myles Turner in free agency after 10 seasons with the team. As if his leaving the team high and dry wasn't bad enough, he joined Indiana's division rival, the Milwaukee Bucks. Furthermore, the team acquired Jay Huff to help replacement. Though Huff should be a solid addition to the Pacers, this is still far from ideal.
The Pacers are in a strange situation. With Tyrese Haliburton on the shelf for all of next season, the team's timeline to compete has slightly shifted. Because of this, it makes sense that the Pacers chose not to spend big this offseason, especially if it meant they would move into the luxury tax for the first time in two decades. Even so, there is no denying that the team's offseason is far from flashy, and it is safe to say the team got worse, even if their long-term outlook is still solid.
The Pacers should still be long-term contenders
Even if their offseason hasn't been the best, there is still a lot to like about Indiana's position. Despite Haliburton being out next year, the Pacers still have a talented team and could make some noise in the Eastern Conference.
It is fair to assume Indiana will go through their ups and downs next season. Not only will they be without their star guard, but they will have to figure out how to navigate through life without Turner as they still need to determine their long-term center solution. However, the Pacers should also get big boosts from guys like Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin, who could each be in line for career years.
The Pacers are still a young and talented team that should be a mainstay in the title picture for the foreseeable future. Their outlook for next season looks a bit bleak, but there is still a lot to like about what they have to offer. Most notably, on top of having a good roster, they still have one of the best coaching staffs in the league, led by Rick Carlisle, who is one of the greatest offensive minds the NBA has ever seen.
Things are strange in Indiana, but it is far too early to say their championship window is closed. While Aldridge is right about his criticism of the Pacers' offense, the team is still in a solid position and should be even stronger once Haliburton makes his return.