The Indiana Pacers are just two wins away from an NBA Finals appearance, and things may only just be getting better. On Tuesday, NBA insider Shams Charania said that the Pacers "are turning into a real destination." Additionally, he cited Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam as two of the biggest reasons why.
"[The Pacers] are turning into a real destination," Charania said on the Pat McAfee Show. "I think players look at Tyrese Haliburton, look at Pascal Siakam, and what this front office has done such a good job of...they've done everything they can to scout players that they know wanna win and wanna compete, and that's becoming a big trendline in the NBA."
It seems unlikely the Pacers will make any type of major move in the offseason (aside from potentially re-signing Myles Turner), but this is still interesting regardless. In 2023, the Pacers were 35-47 and missed the postseason entirely. Just two years later, Indiana has established themselves as legitimate title contenders, and it seems like their window has only just opened.
The Pacers can make history this year
The Pacers have never won an NBA Championship (though they have three ABA Championships), and they have only made the NBA Finals one time in 2000. However, there are plenty of reasons to believe this could be the year that changes for them. They have dominated all throughout the playoffs so far, and they have turned into one of the most well-rounded teams in the NBA.
There are some legitimate obstacles still in Indiana's way. Their conference finals battle against the New York Knicks is not over yet, and even if they do advance to the NBA Finals, they will have a difficult matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Minnesota Timberwolves. Still, the Pacers have proven time and time again that they love the challenge, as being doubted has gotten them this far anyway.
What makes the Pacers such a unique team is that they don't have a "superstar." More specifically, they don't have a legitimate MVP candidate. Haliburton and Siakam are great players, but it's not likely that either of them will win the MVP award anytime soon. Even so, they are such a competitive team because of how well they play together. How far that will take them this year is something that will be worth monitoring.
It remains to be seen exactly what comes of this, but Charania's report is incredibly promising for a Pacers team that has made the conference finals in each of the last two seasons. It might not mean much right now as the Pacers should be more than happy with the team they currently have, but if things change in the near future, they may be a team to keep an eye on in the market.