The Indiana Pacers are struggling this season, but many expect them to be right back in the title picture once they get Tyrese Haliburton back. While they should be able to compete for a championship down the line, the Pacers still have a ton of problems that Haliburton's return alone will not fix.
The Pacers have a lot of problems to address
Without their star guard, the Pacers have struggled greatly offensively. And given how elite their offense has been over the past few seasons, this is far from ideal.
According to Basketball-Reference.com, Indiana ranks last in offensive rating (108.7) and 29th in points per game (109.8). Additionally, the team is shooting 32.5% from deep this season, which is the worst in the league, according to NBA.com.
A big reason for the Pacers' offensive struggles is the absence of Haliburton. He is their offensive engine because of his elite facilitation and presence as a scoring threat. However, being without their star guard is far from the only reason they are struggling, and they will have a lot of work to do in the near future.
Another major reason Indiana has struggled this season is that not many players have stepped up in their new roles. This season was essentially going to be all about experimentation for the Pacers and taking fliers on numerous players in hopes that they would take a leap and establish themselves as legitimate contributors. Unfortunately for them, this mostly hasn't been the case.
Bennedict Mathurin had a red-hot start to the season as Indiana's new starting shooting guard, but he is averaging just 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.9 turnovers while shooting 40.8% from the field and 34.2% from deep in the month of December.
Additionally, Jarace Walker has mostly looked like a disappointment, and Isaiah Jackson, while looking solid, hasn't made the jump the Pacers were hoping he would when they named him the starting center on opening night.
Getting Haliburton back should help as he constantly elevates his teammates, but the Pacers' depth, which played a big role in their recent success, could quietly be an issue next season.
Plus, the Pacers' center situation remains murky. Jay Huff has looked solid as Myles Turner's replacement, but it's safe to assume that they don't trust him to be their starting center of the future, given that they are reportedly looking to add an upgrade ahead of February's trade deadline. Whether they will be able to do so or not is the ultimate question they must answer, however.
There is a lot to like about Indiana's long-term outlook. The team still consists of young and talented players who should be able to contribute. But they still have some problems to work out, even once they get their star guard back on the court.