The Indiana Pacers have won three of their last four games (which includes a 117-114 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 23) and are 7-8 since the turn of the calendar. With this "hot streak," Indiana no longer owns the worst record in the NBA, and it is just 1.5 games behind the Utah Jazz, who own the sixth-worst record in the league.
On one hand, it is encouraging knowing that the Pacers are still able to win games. This season has been an ugly one without Tyrese Haliburton, and their 13-36 record reflects that. But knowing that last year's NBA Finals team is still in there somewhere is something fans should be happy about.
However, the Pacers also have a great chance to secure a top pick in a loaded NBA Draft. And given that they could be ready to compete for a championship once again as soon as next year once Haliburton comes back, this could be a great opportunity for them.
But the more they win, the worse of a position they put themselves in to land a top player in this year's draft, which is far from ideal.
Pacers have a unique opportunity this season
There are a lot of incredibly talented players in this year's draft. Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Cam Boozer would each be No. 1 overall picks in most years if they weren't all in the same draft. Additionally, UNC's Caleb Wilson is making a case for himself this year as well.
Indiana would immediately get a huge boost if it were to land any of these four players. All of them provide immediate value for one reason or another, but they all also have the potential to be a franchise player. While they likely wouldn't reach that status with the Pacers because of Haliburton, this could still be a great chance to partner him up with someone who can extend their championship window.
There is still a lot of basketball left, and the Pacers are certainly going to add many more losses to their record. But if they go on another stretch like the one they have been on (or better), they find themselves picking a player around the 5-10 range instead of the 1-4 range.
Could Indiana still get some talent in that spot? Absolutely. Is it going to be a player who could truly change the trajectory of its future? Probably not.
It's good to see that the Pacers can still win games without their star guard, but they're approaching dangerous territory. Even one more solid stretch of games could completely change their spot in the standings, which is something they must avoid at all costs.