It was never a secret that the Indiana Pacers have been in need of a new starting center after Myles Turner joined the Milwaukee Bucks last summer. But that only became even more clear after their 118-114 loss to the Houston Rockets, when they were out-rebounded 56-33.
To be fair to the Pacers, the Rockets lead the league in rebounds per game (49.4), while they rank 22nd with 42.9 RPG. Rebounding hasn't been their forte in quite some time, and a lot of that has to do with how important spacing is in their system. However, that doesn't mean it's not a problem, and it's one they must address.
The Pacers need to address their rebounding concerns
Rebounding was a problem for Indiana even when Turner was around. He was never much of a rebounder himself (he is averaging a career 6.7 rebounds per game), but even in his absence, this problem remains for the Pacers.
The easiest way for them to solve this is by getting a new starting center, which could happen ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. Jay Huff, who has started the most games at center for the Pacers in 2025-26, is averaging 3.8 rebounds per game, and even that ranks 10th-best among all players to play for them this season.
Indiana has been linked to numerous big men ahead of the trade deadline, including Ivica Zubac, Daniel Gafford, and Walker Kessler (with the small possibility it can land Jarrett Allen, who could be on the move this week). All of these players would drastically improve the team's presence on the boards, and that's exactly what they need.
The Pacers have proven they can compete even without being a strong rebounding team. Their 30.4 rebounds per game last season ranked 24th-best, and they were one win away from winning their first-ever NBA championship.
However, it's clear that losing the rebounding battle can put them at a disadvantage moving forward as teams continue to get bigger and faster. There is a lot to like about the team's long-term outlook, but they are far from a perfect team, and they won't be one even after Tyrese Haliburton makes his return to the court.
And if they want to re-enter the title picture and re-establish themselves as legitimate contenders moving forward, they need to become a more well-rounded team, and it all starts with fixing their issues on the glass.