Predicting where the Pacers will finish in the Eastern Conference next season

5. Indiana Pacers

The No. 5 seed is not much of a jump from last season, but it is a jump nonetheless. The Pacers did not make enough external moves to jump above the four teams ahead of them this offseason. However, that is not necessarily a bad thing.

The Pacers have a fantastic roster and should be even better next season than they were last season. Indiana will have a full year of Siakam on the roster, and they should enjoy natural progression from players like Haliburton, Toppin, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith.

Ultimately, the one major weakness holding the Pacers back is their defense. Last season, they finished with the seventh-worst DRTG in the NBA. And despite their poor defense, the team did nothing to address it this summer.

It is possible the team is hoping for natural development from their players to become a better defensive team, but it is unknown whether that will work as soon as next season or not.

There are plenty of other teams that could take this spot away from Indiana. This includes other up-and-coming teams like the Orlando Magic or the Cleveland Cavaliers. Ultimately, the Pacers' youth and overall offensive style should make them a more successful team next season.

It is going to be a competitive conference next season, but the Pacers definitely have what it takes to exceed all expectations again and make another deep playoff run.