Let's pretend that the Indiana Pacers' first-round pick falls to No. 5 or 6 during next month's draft lottery, it goes to the Los Angeles Clippers instead, and they miss out on the opportunity to land a potential All-NBA player in AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, or Caleb Wilson.
Obviously, Indiana wouldn't be happy with that, but it still has a good roster regardless. But is it good enough to compete for a championship as soon as next season? That's a question the team needs to figure out at some point this offseason.
The Pacers should be in a good spot to return to contention next season with Tyrese Haliburton coming back and Ivica Zubac now on the roster, but does the rest of the team hold up? Should they feel comfortable giving Ben Sheppard, Jay Huff/Micah Potter, or even Jarace Walker real minutes in the playoffs?
As they look to re-establish themselves as legitimate title contenders, these are the questions they need to answer, especially if the lottery doesn't go in their way.
The Pacers need to decide if their roster is good enough to compete
It was only a year ago that Indiana was in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, but things are already completely different.
Myles Turner is gone. Bennedict Mathurin is gone. Isaiah Jackson, who played a pretty big role in the Pacers' 2024 playoff run, is gone. T.J. McConnell isn't getting any younger. And, obviously, Haliburton just missed all of this past season due to an Achilles injury.
There is still a lot going the Pacers' way. They have a talented roster, an elite coaching staff and front office, and an incredible offensive system that will be back on display next season. But they also have a lot they need to figure out.
Indiana's depth has been a big part of its recent success, but it's not as strong as it was, especially without Mathurin on the roster. Adding someone like Dybantsa would be a huge help, but if this opportunity doesn't come to fruition, they have other decisions to make.
The Pacers could make some notable moves in the offseason (most likely in free agency), but that would inevitably push them into the luxury tax, which they haven't paid in over 20 years. They could also stand pat and trust that natural progression and Haliburton's return will bring them back to contention, but the jury is still out on whether the rest of their roster is good enough to do that.
Indiana's offseason really isn't going to start until May 10, when it finds out whether it will have a draft pick this year or not. But it's not too early to figure some things out. The team is talented, but is it championship-caliber? That's for them to decide and subsequently act on.
Add us as a preferred source on Google