The Indiana Pacers have improved this season after winning only 25 games last year. The Pacers have reason to be optimistic, but their roster is far from complete. Here we will look at the three major offseason fixes that the Indiana Pacers must make to reach the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
The Pacers had a promising start to the 2022-23 season. They won 23 of their first 41 games and positioned themselves well for a playoff run. However, the team's fortunes took a drastic turn when Tyrese Haliburton, their star point guard, suffered an ankle injury on January 11. The Pacers struggled mightily in his absence. They won only one of their next ten games and fell out of the playoff race altogether. Over a longer stretch, from January 11 to February 13, they went just 2-16. That's just a difficult record for any NBA team to overcome.
Despite this rough patch, the Pacers have shown flashes of potential. They could be a playoff contender with some fine-tuning and added talent. Although they may have exceeded expectations early on, there is hope that under the guidance of coach Rick Carlisle, Indiana can return to the postseason. However, the team will need to continue developing its young core and add more talent to its starting lineup in order to make a sustained run.
Now, let's look at three major offseason fixes the Pacers must make.
1. Get a legitimate starting PF
To start the season, the Pacers gave Jalen Smith the starting power forward position. Smith had previously shown potential as a rim-protecting player with good floor-spacing abilities when he came to the Pacers via trade from the Phoenix Suns in 2022. During his time with the Pacers in the previous season, Smith had a decent average of 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.0 block per game. He also shot 53.1 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from beyond the arc in 22 games. Since Smith was only 22 years old, many believed he could make significant progress in his career.
Unfortunately, Smith struggled at the beginning of the season. This was particularly evident when playing with Myles Turner. His three-point shooting was also inconsistent. As a result, the Pacers replaced him with Aaron Nesmith, a smaller player at 6'5. Although Nesmith is an effective defender, the team lacked size with him at the four spot.
Looking ahead, the Pacers should benefit from acquiring someone like John Collins from the Atlanta Hawks. He would be a great fit for their team. Collins is versatile, but he excels as a rim-running big with strong interior presence. Keep in mind that he had a career year when playing center for the Hawks. At that time, he was given the freedom to dominate the paint on offense, despite the team's poor record. He would be a good fit alongside Turner up front.
JOHN COLLINS. đ€Żđ€Ż
â Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 10, 2023
2. Part with Buddy Hield
The Pacers should also trade veteran shooting guard Buddy Hield during the offseason. He is limited by his size and lacks versatility on the court. Although Hield is an elite shooter, the other wings on the roster are bigger, more versatile, and more impactful defenders. Thus, moving Hield would benefit the team in the long run.
While a team like the Los Angeles Lakers has been previously linked to Hield and center Myles Turner, Indiana may need to look elsewhere for a trade partner. The Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls are teams that could benefit from Hield's caliber of shooting. If traded to the Pistons, Hield could start alongside Jaden Ivey and Cade Cunningham. Both are talented playmakers but not reliable outside threats. On the other hand, if traded to the Bulls, Hield would play alongside a strong perimeter defender in Alex Caruso, Lonzo Ball, and Patrick Beverley. He would also likely be their most dangerous scorer after Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan.
3. Acquire more a high-quality SF
Lastly, the Pacers are in need of a top-tier small forward to replace Hield. We believe Jerami Grant could be the ideal player for the job. The team should keep a close eye on his situation with the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason. Grant has reportedly turned down an extension offer from the team. This could mean that he either wants more money than the Blazers can offer or he wants to leave Portland.
If the latter is the case, the Pacers should be ready to pounce on the opportunity to sign Grant. He would be worth the big bucks based on his fit with the team alone. He is also a known commodity compared to taking a chance on a draft pick. Grant could be a potential game-changer for the Pacers next season. He could be the difference between a playoff-caliber team and an also-ran.
Follow Us
Subscribe