A big reason for the Indiana Pacers' recent success is their depth. They have been able to regularly go 10 players deep on any night (even in the playoffs, which is pretty unusual), and that has been incredibly helpful for them to be able to run their fast-paced, run-and-gun offense regularly.
And even with the loss of Bennedict Mathurin, who was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in February, Indiana should still have a ton of depth and use it to its advantage next season.
In a recent episode of the "Game Theory" podcast, Bryce Simon pointed out that, while the Pacers have an "awesome" starting lineup, they also have a lot of quality depth pieces that will be crucial in their roles moving forward.
"That starting lineup is awesome, and then you still have T.J. McConnell on a good contract off the bench. You have Obi Toppin on the roster. We talked about Jarace Walker recently. Guys like Jay Huff and Micah Potter and those guys slot into off-the-bench big roles where they're suited for. And then you add this potential pick," Simon said.
The Pacers' depth will be key to their success
What's so fascinating about the Pacers' style of play is how effectively they wear out their opponents. They're giving it their all and playing at such a fast pace throughout the entirety of the game, and because they're the only ones in the league doing it to that extent, it's harder for other teams to keep up.
But if Indiana wants to continue playing this way (which, by all means, it should), it's going to need to rely on its depth once again. Fortunately for the team, this shouldn't be a problem.
McConnell remains one of the best backup point guards in the league. Toppin is a big part of the Pacers' success because of his ability to stretch the floor, play some small-ball five, and give them some huge advantages from a pace perspective. Walker is becoming a real contributor to this team. Ben Sheppard is looking good. Huff looks like their ideal backup center. And Johnny Furphy is likely headed for a bigger role once he returns from his ACL tear.
On top of all of that, they have a real chance to add AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, or Caleb Wilson to the mix.
Everybody expects the Pacers to be good next season once Tyrese Haliburton returns, especially with the arrival of Ivica Zubac. But they might actually become the NBA's next juggernaut. On paper, they're loaded from top to bottom, and they also have an elite coaching staff and front office.
They're in a fantastic position to succeed in the short and long term. And if their depth is as good as it looks like it can be, then the Pacers may be a mainstay in the title picture for years to come.