Everybody knew the Indiana Pacers were going to take a step back this season. Even so, there was still some belief that they would treat the season no differently than any other, rather than a "gap year," which most people called it.
So far, this no longer looks to be the case.
The Pacers are 1-10 to begin the season. They are tied with the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards for the worst record in the NBA, and they are statistically one of the worst teams in the league on both sides of the ball (Basketball Reference has them ranked as the second and eighth-worst team in offensive and defensive rating, respectively).
Tyrese Haliburton isn't coming back this season, and Myles Turner isn't walking through that door.
Indiana is getting healthier, and it may improve its outlook for the rest of the season. But the team has dug itself too deep a hole to climb out of, and their best option may just be to commit to developing players rather than focusing on wins.
The Pacers are not going to compete this season
If the Pacers have proven anything to anybody in the last couple of seasons, it is that they can never be counted out. They always exceed expectations and do their best when their backs are up against the wall. However, even the Pacers are bound to struggle for real at some point, and that's happening right now.
In a recent appearance on "The Zach Lowe Show," Fred Katz of The Athletic spoke about Indiana's season, confirming what many have anticipated.
"The Pacers now know this is a gap year, and they're going to treat it like a gap year," Katz said.
The Pacers have dealt with numerous injuries this season, even beyond Haliburton, which has probably played the biggest role in their struggles.
Andrew Nembhard missed of couple of weeks due to a shoulder injury (though the severity of the injury never really became fully known). T.J. McConnell made his season debut against the Utah Jazz after suffering a hamstring injury in preseason, yet he only played 11 minutes and didn't see the court in the second half.
Plus, Bennedict Mathurin and Obi Toppin are out due to a toe and foot injury, respectively, and exactly when they will return remains up in the air.
There isn't a lot the Pacers can do at this point. Even once they get fully healthy outside of Haliburton, they are going to struggle. The team clearly misses him and his on-court impact, and they will never be truly competitive without him.
Instead of trying to shock the basketball world again, Indiana should just focus on determining who and what can stick around once it does aim to re-enter the title picture. And as it stands, it is fair to assume the team will do exactly that.