The Indiana Pacers have a tremendous team that has brought them to the conference finals appearance for the second consecutive season. What makes the team especially stand out, however, is their ability to take an asset and keep its value alive for the long run. They are arguably the best in the league at doing so, and it is exactly why they are in the position they are in.
This Pacers team is young, contending, and in a great financial situation. While a lot of their success has to do with the players on the court, a lot of it can also be attributed to the front office and head coach Rick Carlisle.
Indiana has done a tremendous job in recent years of getting the most out of their players, even the ones who had little to no expectations on the team. This is the perfect recipe that will allow the Pacers to compete not just this year, but for the long term as well.
The Pacers know how to maximize their talents
Nearly a decade ago, the Pacers traded then-franchise player Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder and acquired Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis in doing so. The Pacers then turned Sabonis (who had a forgettable rookie season despite starting 66 out of 81 games before becoming an All-Star in Indiana) into Tyrese Haliburton, who was just a young guard with potential as a member of the Sacramento Kings.
Haliburton has blossomed into one of the top point guards currently in the league, and he is essential to the Pacers' success. He continues to get better every year, and he is already building a reputation as a bit of a playoff hero as he made the conference finals for the second time in as many chances.
In addition to Haliburton, the Pacers turned quite a few of their other acquisitions into key players. The Pacers bought low on T.J. McConnell in 2019, and he has since developed into one of the best backup point guards in the NBA.
Additionally, the Pacers acquired Aaron Nesmith, who was considered a throw-in as part of the Malcolm Brogdon trade, in the 2022 offseason, and he has developed into one of their most important players. This could also be said for Obi Toppin, who the Pacers traded for from the New York Knicks in 2023 in exchange for two second-round picks. It is also important to remember that they drafted Andrew Nembhard in the second round in 2022.
The Pacers know how to see talent and how to get the best out of their players, and it is exactly what has gotten them this far. They have done a fantastic job of changing the roster around and still becoming more successful. An NBA Finals appearance feels inevitable for the Pacers. Whether they can do it later this year is something that will be important to monitor.