The Indiana Pacers reportedly have interest in free agent guard Malik Beasley, and the team needs to do whatever they can to sign him. Regardless of whether it is the right call or not, the Pacers are not going to tank during what most are considering a "gap year," and bringing Beasley in would help them greatly.
Recently, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report opined that the Pacers should avoid signing the 28-year-old and commit to losing "enough games to stay in the lottery." Given that Indiana will most likely not compete for a title next season, this could make sense. However, even in their current situation, the Pacers are too good to tank, and they would be better off being as competitive as possible.
"Indiana needs to embrace the fact that this could be a 'gap year' while Haliburton recovers, lose enough games to stay in the lottery and hope for a good pick in 2026. Adding Beasley would frustrate that possibility," Bailey wrote.
Signing Beasley alone would not make the Pacers legitimate championship contenders next season, but he would help elevate the team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Additionally, he fits Indiana's timeline and could be a valuable contributor for a long time.
It remains to be seen what exactly is next in store for Beasley, but if he is even slightly interested in joining the Pacers, the team must find a way to make it happen.
The Pacers can still make some noise in the East next season
Though they were just one win away from winning their first-ever NBA Championship back in June, it is highly unlikely that the Pacers will go on another deep playoff run next season. They have a talented team, but they are going to feel the absence of Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner.
Despite their situation, the Pacers still have a decent outlook for next season. They may not be in line for another NBA Finals appearance, but they can still exceed expectations and make an impact. Again.
Next year, the Pacers are expected to slide Andrew Nembhard to the point guard role full-time. Additionally, they will insert Bennedict Mathurin into the lineup as Indiana's starting shooting guard. While this is not as dynamic as what Pacers fans are used to, there is still a lot to like about the pairing. They were each already big-time contributors to the team, but now, they will have an opportunity to showcase what they can do on a bigger scale.
The Pacers will need some backcourt depth, and that is where signing Beasley would help. He is an elite shooter who provides decent defense. He will never be the team's most valuable player, but there are far more pros than cons to potentially bringing him into the mix.
With the start of next season still a couple of months away, the Pacers still have a lot of time to finalize their roster and set their goals for the year. However, one thing seems set in stone: they are not going to tank. Whether it's the right call or not remains to be seen, but if this is how it's going to be, then the Pacers must bolster their roster as much as possible, and that would include signing Beasley.