The Indiana Pacers' center situation is far from ideal, but they have two (maybe three) centers who could be starters on other teams. Plus, their center depth is solid, and with James Wiseman being their third-string center, this is not the worst thing in the world for them.
Following Myles Turner's shocking decision to leave Indiana after a decade and join the Milwaukee Bucks, the Pacers immediately found themselves in a tough position.
The Texas native was far from flawless, and this was especially evident during their latest playoff run. However, he had been with the team for a long time, was a fan favorite, and, most importantly, was a fantastic fit in their system.
Turner made an impact on both sides of the ball, and the Pacers are going to have a difficult time replacing that. However, while it is not perfect, the Pacers have put together a plan to figure out how to navigate through life without Turner, and it may be better than some fans are realizing.
The Pacers have center depth, even if it's not star-studded
As it stands, Indiana is going to run a committee at center. This would allow them to rely on multiple players to replace Turner's impact instead of committing to a one-for-one replacement. Because of this, instead of having one clear-cut start and some backups, the team now consists of a group of players who are somewhere in between, which could be a great thing.
Currently, the Pacers have Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman, and Tony Bradley rostered. All of these players provide intrigue and value in their own ways, and just about all of them have a legitimate case to be the team's next starting center.
It is fair to say that none of them are All-Star-level players, and they probably never will be. However, the Pacers only had one All-Star for the 2024-25 season, and they made it to the NBA Finals anyway. They don't need household names; they just need players who can buy into their system and contribute, and they have four of them at the center position alone.
For the Pacers to re-establish themselves as legitimate title contenders, it would probably be in their best interest to commit to one center as their starter down the line. However, for the time being, this center-by-committee could work.
The best-case scenario for Indiana would be that each big man takes a step forward to make their center situation a strength down the line. However, if nothing else, they at least have good depth during a season where it's all about experimenting with the roster and with different lineups.
Indiana is still a good team with a bright future, even if next season's outlook looks bleak. A third consecutive deep playoff run seems highly unlikely, but there is at least a look for the team and for fans to look forward to and be excited about. Though there are reasons for and against this being their center situation, the pros may outweigh the cons.
Pacers fans shouldn't expect the team to immediately decide who their center of the future will be, but at the very least, they have a few players currently on the roster fighting for that nod. What comes of it remains to be seen, but the team's center problems aren't the end of the world, and it could prove to be a positive when all is said and done.