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ESPN predicts 2 Pacers to finish as top award candidates for 2024-25 season

By Elie Deglaoui

Apr 9, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle looks on during the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 9, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle looks on during the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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Roughly two months before the beginning of the 2024-25 NBA season, ESPN has released their expert predictions for individual awards. Every year, ESPN gathers a group of NBA experts to weigh in on who they believe will win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, etc. And as always, it is a fun time to see where some Indiana Pacers stars rank in the eyes of the experts.

Last season, the Pacers did not have an award winner on the team. However, Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith finished ninth and 14th in the Most Improved Player voting, respectively, and T.J. McConnell finished seventh in the Sixth Man of the Year voting.

The Pacers have gradually improved as a team over the last few years and should only continue to get better. While nobody on the team won an award last season, this could be a different story next year.

Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell received some love from ESPN's NBA experts

According to ESPN's experts, only two Pacers are candidates for an individual award next season--Haliburton and McConnell.

ESPN gave Haliburton the eighth-best odds to take home the Most Improved Player award next season. Ahead of him are Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Williams (both tied for first), as well as Coby White, Cade Cunningham, Cam Thomas, Devin Vassell, and Alperen Sengun.

As for McConnell, the experts gave him the fifth-best odds to win the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award for the 2024-25 season. Malik Monk and Alex Caruso are both tied with the best odds according to ESPN to win the award. Additionally, Naz Reid, last season's winner, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. rank above the Pacers guard.

Both of these seem like real possibilities for the Pacers guards. Haliburton is coming off the best year of his career, but at 24 years old, he has improved each year up to this point and has unlimited potential.

McConnell, on the other hand, is considered one of the best role players in the league and is arguably the best backup point guard in the NBA.

Pacers fans already have a lot to look forward to next season as their team aims to repeat their success from last season. But with ESPN's recent expert poll, there may be extra motivation to watch the Pacers and their players take the court in 2024-25.

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