The Indiana Pacers have flown under the radar for the casual fan over the past twenty years. Without the Paul George, Danny Granger, and Roy Hibbert years, you must revisit the Malice at the Palace days for Pacers relevance. Not anymore. Equipped with newly appointed All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers have one of the league’s most exciting offenses.
Additionally, they traded for former All-NBA player Pascal Siakam (as the dismantling of the entire roster and coaching staff of the 2019 NBA Champion Toronto Raptors is nearly complete). The team is set to zoom past last year’s 35 wins. Despite these accomplishments, the Pacers are currently sitting at the sixth seed, with teams on their heels. Are more roster changes on the way?
The Tyrese Haliburton Effect
There’s nothing like a premiere player to juice the interest in your franchise. The Indiana Pacers toiled for a while with good but not great players. Efficient but not brilliant coaching. Tradition, but no identity. Tyrese Haliburton changed everything. Yes, the Pacers did have to give up a good player in Domantas Sabonis, but the trade with the Kings two years ago has proven valuable for both sides. Haliburton has blossomed into a player who can attract others to join him in Indiana. Pair that with former championship-winning head coach Rick Carlisle, and you have a dangerous playoff contender.
Take the NBA’s newest creation, the In-Season Tournament, for example. For a young team with little to no playoff experience, the round-robin tournament with knock-out stages mimics a playoff atmosphere early in the season. The Pacers, led by Haliburton, ran the table to the tournament finals in dramatic fashion.
Haliburton made a big-time shot to beat the Milwaukee Bucks. He even stole (borrowed) Bucks superstar Damian Lillard’s signature Dame time celebration to ignite the crowd. A new star was anointed. The Pacers eventually succumbed to future Hall-of-Famer LeBron James and the LA Lakers in the final game, but the Pacers put the league on notice. Indiana is hosting the NBA All-Star Weekend this year, and the Pacers have a young NBA star representing them.
Pascal Siakam Trade
The Pacers have already made a significant trade to improve the team. A three-team trade with the Raptors and the Pelicans brought in Pascal Siakam. The former NBA Champion slots seamlessly into the starting rotation and has been a boon for the team. Twenty-two points, seven rebounds, and five assists per game are solid numbers that can quickly scale up as the season progresses.
Roster injuries, however, have made it difficult for the complete roster to develop chemistry. Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, and Jalen Smith have all missed significant time since the trade. The Pacers have won five games and lost six in the Siakam era.
The Pacers should be commended for the systematic way they build, but the East is vulnerable, and their offense is potent. They should look to make another deal before the trade deadline on Thursday.
Trade Options
As of this writing, the Pacers lead the league in offensive rating, and their prolific scoring should translate to the postseason. They still have coveted roster pieces, and a trade for defensive-minded vets could shore up weaknesses. Players in the mold of Patrick Beverley and Nic Claxton are examples they should target, with Pacers sharpshooter Buddy Hield as the centerpiece of any exchange. An Andrew Wiggins type of player would be helpful against a matchup with Boston’s Jayson Tatum or Miami’s Jimmy Butler. The Pacers had to give up three first-round picks to acquire Siakam, so a trade on the margins or the buyout market would be the only path to improvement.
Regardless, the Indiana Pacers have begun to impress again. They will be a force to be reckoned with sooner rather than later.
Photo Credit for featured cover image: Getty Images.
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