It's only preseason, but the Indiana Pacers already know what it looks like when all their centers are slumping in the same game. Given that each center currently rostered is unproven in big-time minutes, this could be a constant concern throughout the season.
After Myles Turner shockingly left the team after a decade to join the Milwaukee Bucks, the Pacers immediately pivoted to Plan B: run a center-by-committee.
These committees aren't always pretty, but they can work. And, specifically under Rick Carlisle during his time with the Dallas Mavericks, they have.
While he was far from a perfect center, there was no denying how impactful the Texas native was in the Pacers' system. He could run the length of the court while also stretching the floor and protecting the rim at a high level. Given that Indiana's system relies heavily on pushing the tempo and spacing, this made Turner an excellent fit with the team.
With him gone, however, the Pacers may not be able to find a one-for-one replacement for him anytime soon. Because of this, the committee at center is the team's best option. At least for now.
Pacers' center-by-committee leaves a lot to be desired
Currently, the Pacers have Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, James Wiseman, and Tony Bradley at center. Whether they will keep all four of them heading into the regular season or not remains to be seen, but for now, that is what they're rolling with.
On paper, there is a lot to like about Indiana's center situation.
Huff is essentially a Turner-lite who has an opportunity to replicate his value and impact for the team (on a much cheaper contract as well). Additionally, Jackson has been with the team the longest, is incredibly athletic, and has already proven he can work well in the team's system because of his energy and ability to run the length of the court.
While the other two centers are both likely on the roster bubble, they each provide value as well.
Wiseman has size and looked solid for the Pacers last season before suffering an Achilles injury very early on. As for Bradley, he is a presence defensively and on the boards. Plus, he came up big multiple times during the playoffs and may have indirectly sent Thomas Bryant out of town.
The Pacers have options here as they look to navigate the post-Turner era. Unfortunately for them, none of these options are too convincing, especially if they want to make another NBA Finals run sooner or later.
Every center the Pacers have on the roster is not established, especially on championship-caliber teams.
Jackson is a career backup, Huff is on his fifth team in as many years, Wiseman is still considered a bust, and Bradley was out of the league for two years before joining the Pacers last season.
For all the flaws Turner had (which were very noticeable), at least he was a trustworthy big man the Pacers could deploy constantly. He may have essentially disappeared in the NBA Finals, but he at least played a major role in the team's playoff run up to that point.
Indiana will have a lot of time to work its center situation out. Plus, maybe with more time, it may turn out to be fine in the end. However, until then, this is a very real problem they must monitor.
They already got a glimpse of how bad it can get. The question is, though, how will the Pacers play this as they look to remain competitive this season?