The Indiana Pacers surprisingly made the conference finals before being swept by the Celtics. They traded for Pascal Siakam midseason and have two stars. Indiana believes they can keep building, but it will take improvements to avoid being the 2021 Hawks.
The Pacers' top offseason priority is signing Siakam to a long-term contract. It will likely take a max deal, which hampers Indiana's future spending. If they plan on adding another key piece, now is the time. It may push them over the tax aprons, but that is the price of having a contending roster.
What if everything breaks right for the Pacers this summer? Their starting five gets an upgrade and the franchise looks primed to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference for years to come. The focus should be on adding some defense and versatility to make it the ideal offseason.
PG: Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton is not going anywhere. He begins a five-year $245.3 million extension in the 2024-25 season and is still improving. The 24-year-old led the league in assists in 2024 and is a two-time All-Star. Piloting the Pacers to conference finals only improved his stock, but Haliburton still has room to grow.
Indiana has no plans of letting him go. Hali figures to be one of the best point guards in the world for the next decade-plus. The Pacers traded for Siakam to put a contending roster around their young star and it immediately worked.
Can Haliburton improve his defense and become a superstar? That is the next step for the 24-year-old. He keeps getting better, so do not rule it out. The 6’5 guard has the size and athletic ability. It is all about improving without running out of gas to orchestrate the Pacers' offense.
Who starts in the backcourt next to Tyrese Haliburton? It was a question heading into the playoffs, but a young talent solidified that spot with an impressive run.