The Indiana Pacers are one of the best front offices in the NBA, yet they get no credit for it.
Recently, Sam Vecenie of the Game Theory podcast shared this same sentiment. He specifically called the Pacers a top-five front office in the league, but they continue to get glossed over (h/t the Game Theory Podcast).
"When they made the Finals, we brought them up as the most underrated front office in the NBA. I think that's 100% right. I think the Pacers are probably a top-five front office in the NBA that gets no credit for being a top-five front office in the NBA somehow. Everyone just kind of glosses over them," Vecenie said.
Vecenie brings up a fair point. There are plenty of amazing front offices in the NBA, and it would be tough to put the Pacers at the top of the list. However, they at least deserve the same recognition that some of the other top front offices get.
The Pacers just made it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000, even though nobody expected them to. Furthermore, they were four wins away from making it to the Finals just one year prior. It is also important to note that they did all of this without having to pay the luxury tax, which they have not done in roughly two decades.
Indiana's future is bright. While they have a talented roster and a great coaching staff, a lot of that credit deserves to go to their front office, which knew when to strike and made all the right moves to ensure the team's success.
The Pacers have done a tremendous job of building their roster
What makes Indiana's recent success so interesting is that they did it with a lot of guys who were not on other people's radars or were just simply castaways. The best example of this is star guard Tyrese Haliburton. While he looked solid at the beginning of his career, the Sacramento Kings opted to keep De'Aaron Fox over him and traded him to Indiana instead. Since joining the Pacers, the Wisconsin native has become one of the best point guards in the league and has been crucial to their success.
Additionally, the Pacers got huge performances during the playoffs in each of the last two seasons from guys like Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin, who were unwanted in Boston and New York, respectively.
The Pacers have been excellent at buying low in trades, but a lot of their success also comes from the draft. In 2022, Indiana drafted Andrew Nembhard in the second round. Despite being drafted so late, the Pacers clearly saw something in him, and he has turned into a key player on the roster.
Indiana is in a great position to compete for the long run (even with Haliburton's injury). Not only do they have an incredibly young and gifted roster, but they are also still below the luxury tax threshold and will most likely be for the foreseeable future. While a deep playoff run next season is unlikely, the Pacers still have a lot going for them, and as long as their front office continues to make magic happen, they should be able to re-establish themselves as legitimate title contenders in no time.