Now that the trade deadline is officially in the rearview mirror, the Indiana Pacers do not have many options to make any more moves on the roster. The most notable method for teams to bolster their roster this late in the season is through the buyout market.
Usually, veterans looking for a better situation (whether it be related to playing time or team success) are prime buyout candidates. Recently, the Pacers were reportedly on the path to signing big man Alex Len, who had just been bought out by the Washington Wizards. However, that fell through and he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers instead. The Pacers quickly pivoted and signed former top-three draft pick Jahlil Okafor to a 10-day contract instead.
The Pacers still have one roster spot available. With the second half of the season almost underway, it could make sense for them to browse the buyout market and add reinforcements in preparation for a playoff run. However, it might be better for the Pacers to just stand pat and promote from within instead.
Pacers will have no legitimate buyout options
The projected buyout market is uninspiring for the Pacers. This is especially true since the center market (which is likely where they would dip into) is relatively slim. Some potential candidates include Cody Zeller (who is an Indiana native), Mo Bamba, and Kelly Olynyk. However, none of these players would fit well in the Pacers' system.
Furthermore, it would make more sense to look internally at potential roster options. Ultimately, whoever the Pacers bring in would likely not be a regular in the rotation. In this case, the Pacers should keep doing what they are doing (whether it be to keep Jahlil Okafor around or convert the contract of a player like Enrique Freeman into a standard deal), especially since it would be better for them financially as well.
After the Pacers signed Okafor to a 10-day contract, head coach Rick Carlisle spoke about "taking care of our own" and re-paying loyalty (subscription required).
"He can rebound. He's a guy that can score, he can finish," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "We're taking care of our own here. There were other options, but we elected to bring somebody on board that has been with us for the entirety of the Mad Ants season."
Based on Carlisle's comments, it seems that the Pacers are prioritizing the players already in the organization over external options. Given that there are no clear must-have players on the market, this is a good move by the Pacers. Additionally, they were quiet at the trade deadline, so it makes sense for that to carry over into the buyout market.
The Pacers still have a few days before they take the court again, and there is still a good amount of time left before the season is over. However, as it stands, it seems like the Pacers are going to stand pat (for the most part), and rightfully so.