Everybody knew the Indiana Pacers' center situation had issues heading into the season. But now, one game in, fans are left with more questions than answers as the team looks to navigate through the post-Myles Turner era.
Isaiah Jackson's biggest flaw came back to bite him during Indiana's season-opening loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder as he picked up four fouls in just eight minutes. He did not play at all after the third quarter.
Jay Huff and Tony Bradley also failed to impress with Jackson mostly on the bench. In the loss, they combined for seven points on 3-for-5 shooting, three rebounds, three blocks, and four fouls in 22 minutes.
On top of all of this, James Wiseman didn't log a single second of playing time, which may indicate exactly how little the team trusts him to contribute immediately.
There were always going to be downsides to running a center-by-committee for the Pacers. None of their big men are established starters on championship-level teams, and they would each be backups on most teams around the league. Still, there were some reasons to be optimistic about the committee, with the most obvious one being that each player will have an opportunity to solidify themself as the best starting center option.
Unfortunately for them and the Pacers, this didn't happen in their season opener.
There is still a lot of basketball left, and it's too early to definitely say this experiment is going to fail. But, given that there was already some skepticism about the situation, fans have every reason to doubt Indiana's outlook at center for the rest of the season.
The Pacers need one of their centers to stand out this season
It's not ideal, but there's a reason the Pacers are utilizing a center-by-committee with these four specifically: they each provide value in different areas.
Jackson is the most athletically gifted center on Indiana's roster (and he may even be one of the most athletic bigs in the entire league). Additionally, he has experience in this team's system, having been on the roster since 2021, and fits the Pacers' timeline at just 23 years old.
Huff can stretch the floor and protect the rim, which is exactly why the Pacers traded for him in the offseason. It remains to be seen if he can do it at the same level, but the Virginia alum has a very similar game to Turner, and he could be their best long-term option given that he can essentially take on the same role.
As for Bradley, he is a tremendous rebounder and legitimate paint presence on defense. And Wiseman, despite his DNP to begin the season, has tremendous size as a seven-footer and brings a lot of energy on the floor.
For one reason or another, all four of these big men are being trusted to help solve Indiana's center problem. With this season being all about experimentation for the Pacers, it is fair to assume they will all get their fair share of opportunities. However, the team will still need one of them to solidify themselves as a legitimate contributor as Indiana looks to re-enter the title picture. If not, the team may be active in the trade market before the end of the season.
The Pacers are still looking to compete for the long haul, but without a legitimate center option, they will constantly have a major problem they need to address that could impact their long-term outlook.