Pacers have yet to address biggest need ahead of the 2024-25 season

The Indiana Pacers had a pretty quiet offseason this summer. However, based on how the team played the last time we saw them, this could prove to be the right call.

Last season, the Pacers enjoyed their best campaign in years. Their 47-35 record was their best since the 2018-19 season. Furthermore, they made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2014, ultimately losing to the eventual champion Boston Celtics in a sweep.

This summer, the Pacers committed to bringing their core back together instead of making any dramatic changes. They re-signed Pascal Siakam, Obi Toppin, and James Johnson in free agency. Furthermore, they signed Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell to long-term contract extensions.

As for external additions, the only two notable moves they made were signing James Wiseman from the Detroit Pistons and drafting forward Johnny Furphy. Both players have a chance to contribute to the team immediately as they aim to make another deep playoff push.

All things considered, the Pacers probably made the right decision by keeping at least the heart of the team together. Next season, they will have a full year with Siakam for the first time, and the team should have a more prominent role for Nembhard. In theory, the Pacers should be even better next year than they were last season. However, there is still one major need they failed to address.

The Indiana Pacers are still in need of legitimate defense

It is no secret at this point how big of a problem Indiana's defense is--and not in a good way. Last season, they finished with a 118 DRTG (seventh-worst in the NBA), and they allowed 120.2 points per game (fourth-worst in the NBA).

On the perimeter, the Pacers do not have a single lockdown defender or anything close to one. The closest is possibly Aaron Nesmith. He provides good size at 6'6" and brings good energy. However, he is far from a lockdown defender.

Furthermore, despite having a two-time blocks champion on the team in Myles Turner, the Pacers are not much better inside the arc. Last season, they allowed 58.4 points per game in the paint. This was tied with the Washington Wizards for worst in the league. They did improve following the addition of Siakam, but they still finished as a bottom-three team in this area after the All-Star break.

The Pacers have solid defenders, which makes this interesting. However, it is clear they have yet to piece it all together. At this point, the team seems to be banking on natural progression to become a better defensive team.

In addition to Nesmith, Nembhard has looked solid on defense. Furthermore, Jarace Walker, who could be in line for more playing time next season, is another possible candidate to become a perimeter stopper.

Regardless, it is a bit concerning that the Pacers front office did not address their defensive weaknesses this summer. However, the team has a lot of talent on paper. In the words of Joel Embiid, it may be best to just "trust the process."