4 Free agents the Pacers should target over bringing Paul George back to Indy
The Indiana Pacers are a team that is just a couple of pieces away from being a true contender. Adding these pieces would be beneficial over bringing back Paul George.
The Indiana Pacers are on the cusp of trying to achieve their first NBA championship in franchise history. The Pacers have entirely given the keys to the Kingdom to Tyrese Haliburton with hopes of him achieving his potential with the franchise. With Haliburton as the franchise centerpiece, the Pacers still need more star power. The 2024 offseason will be the most crucial in franchise history as Indy tries to bring in new blood and potentially old.
A name that has been coming up is former Pacers player Paul George. George will have a player option this upcoming offseason and many will be garnering for one of the best two-way players in the league. Pairing George with Haliburton could put Indiana straight into contention with PG13, boosting Indiana's defensive level. Still, several free agents could be a better addition than George.
Four players who would be a better option for the Pacers than Paul George
Demar DeRozan is a top option, as he will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. DeRozan would add a veteran presence to the locker room with his years of playing for the Spurs, Bulls, and, most notably, the Raptors when he went up against Lebron James in the Eastern Conference Finals.
DeRozan is still one of the best mid-range shooters in the league. Despite being 34 years old, according to Basketball Reference, he is averaging over 22 PPG, about 4 rebounds RPG, and over 5 assists APG while shooting over 47% from the field. The veteran could be a good mentor for Bennedict Mathurin, as they have a similar playing style.
Jrue Holiday is a cheaper free agent who could take the Pacers' defensive issues and make them their strength. The former NBA champion plays a scrappy ball style and can consistently knock perimeter shots down. Adding another rotation player like Holiday could make him and T.J. McConnell the best backup backcourt in the NBA.
Miles Bridges has turned his career around this season, averaging a career-high 21.4 PPG and 7.3 RPG, according to Basketball Reference. Bridges would be an excellent young fit, with him only being 25, and it would give the Pacers a small forward that the franchise could build around.
The Hornets just drafted Brandon Miller with the 2nd overall pick in last year's draft, and they could go ahead and invest everything in both Lamelo Ball and Miller. This would give the Pacers a better chance at landing the talented young player.
The obvious choice for the Pacers is to resign Pascal Siakam to a max contract. Siakam is the type of player you want leading the front court and playing intense defense every single play. We have seen a small sample size of Siakam and Haliburton playing together, with Tyrese going down earlier in the year with a sprained hamstring. As things currently stand, the Pacers are in a big logjam with five other teams from 5th to 8th in the standings. Signing Siakam will depend on whether the Pacers can hold their spot and make the playoffs.
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Indiana will get the feel of who Tyrese Haliburton wants to bring in, and they will try to make it happen. Getting free agents who can turn this young Pacer team into contenders right away should be Kevin Pritchard's main goal going into this offseason.