They didn't win it all, but the Indiana Pacers were not in the NBA Finals last season by accident. The NBA is currently shifting to a league where depth is more important than having a clear top guy or two, and the Pacers are well aware of that.
In a recent interview with Caitlin Cooper of Basketball, She Wrote, head coach Rick Carlisle explained how the league is beginning to prioritize depth and having multiple good players rather than a "big three" or anything along those lines (h/t Cailtin Cooper on YouTube).
"It's not just being top-heavy with stars. Roster construction is changing. Now, it's become more important to have more good players than be top-heavy with two or three great players that get all the touches. Things are changing and everybody is constantly watching what's going on."
Maybe not to the same extent as the Pacers, but the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder also rely on this formula. Granted, they do have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who won this year's MVP award, but they were such a dominant team because of their quality depth and versatility.
With seemingly every team shifting their focus and caring more about depth than ever before, it is clear that the Pacers are in a good spot. Not only do they have the depth and versatility needed to compete for a championship in today's league, but they also have an incredibly young and gifted team. Next season may look a bit grim with Tyrese Haliburton on the shelf, but Indiana has a bright future, and another NBA Finals appearance down the line is still very likely.
The Pacers are still among the deepest teams in the NBA
With Haliburton on the shelf and Myles Turner now with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Pacers are going to look completely different next season. Some of their current starters are going to take on different roles, whereas the bench now looks a bit weaker with the team expected to experiment a bit with lineups and rotations, as well as guys like Bennedict Mathurin moving into the starting lineup. Regardless, the Pacers still have a deep team.
When fully healthy, the Pacers have multiple solid options at each position. This even includes their center position, though this is clearly the weakest group on the team at the moment. As they aim to re-establish themselves as title contenders, they will look to build on this for the long haul.
With next season looking like a gap year for Indiana, they will have a great opportunity to showcase some of their younger guys to see who can establish themselves as long-term contributors on the team. Furthermore, it will also give the Pacers a chance to see who or what does or doesn't stick, which should help them make some difficult decisions down the line.
The Pacers still have a bright future. After two consecutive conference finals appearances and an NBA Finals run, a gap year is less than ideal for the team next season. However, they will still have a good chance to make some noise, and they should be long-term players in the East. After all, they already have the championship formula. It's just a matter of making the most of it from here on out.