At this point in the season, wins don't mean anything to the Indiana Pacers (at least not anything positive). They've been officially out of the playoff race for a while, and their eyes are set on just ending the season as healthy as possible and hoping the lottery luck goes their way this year.
But at the very least, they are finally getting some good performances out of some players who have something to prove, which is essentially what this whole season has been about.
It remains to be seen if any of them will be legitimate contributors next season, but guys like Micah Potter, Jalen Slawson, and Kobe Brown are showing the Pacers that they can provide value and belong on the team. And that's exactly what Indiana was hoping to see this season: a group of unproven players take it to another level and put their talents on full display.
The Pacers are getting boosts from surprising players
There hasn't been a lot to be happy about if you're a Pacers fan this season. The team has been a big disappointment (even under the circumstances of Tyrese Haliburton's injury), Johnny Furphy tore his ACL in February just as he was looking more comfortable, the center-by-committee to begin the season wasn't great, Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson got traded, injuries ran wild like Hulkamania in the 80s, and they might actually lose out on a top pick in one of the most stacked NBA draft classes in recent years.
However, if nothing else, the team and fanbase can be happy with some recent performances from a few players who are sending a message and could be real assets when it matters next season.
Potter has been solid throughout his entire Pacers tenure this season, but he's looking like a lock to stay with the team despite having a team option for next season. On Apr. 5, the Ohio native scored 21 points on 6-for-10 shooting while also recording 12 rebounds and four assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers. And this was just a little over a week after he scored 21 points on 7-for-9 shooting in a win against the Miami Heat.
His ceiling may just be a backup to Ivica Zubac (but most likely just a third-string center also behind Jay Huff), but Potter can hoop. And he is proving that he can help Indiana in the future.
Jalen Slawson has also been making a positive impression lately, averaging 8.8 points on 50% shooting from the field and 56.3% from beyond the arc, 5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks. This includes a 17-point, 7-rebound game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Mar. 18 and a 19-point, 7-for-11 shooting night against Cleveland.
And Kobe Brown, who was essentially a fill-in in the Zubac-Mathurin trade, has also been playing incredible basketball for the Pacers. Since the beginning of March, he has averaged 9.3 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 52.3% from the field and 44.8% from deep in 17 games. He is looking like he can be a real contributor beyond just this season.
What the future of each of these players looks like remains to be seen. But as it stands, the Pacers should be ecstatic with what they have shown as the end of the season approaches.