Are the Pacers in the worst possible spot?

[Grang33r]

Tyrese has been the brightest thing that could have happened to this franchise. It feels like the Pacers have a future again. Nembhard and Mathurin obviously goes without saying look like excellent draft picks and Nesmith i've been impressed with.

But the Pacers could only win one game without Tyrese in the lineup, i think that's telling. We currently sit 9th worst in the entire NBA, but also in 10th place which is the play-in match up games. We're on the fence of where we will be picking, within a couple of game difference, our draft selection could be somewhere in the 7th range or 15th range. In reality, we are probably nowhere as bad to pick 7th but also not good enough to be picking 15th.

On top of that, our two best assets is our first round picks weve received. But at current moment, Boston is 2nd best and Cleveland is 7th best. Both extremely low values.

It is what it is, but just stings Pacers havent gotten any luck from the basketball gods.

Rant over.

[boomershadow]

One, I definitely think the Pacers hot start changed some expectations of where the team should be. At the beginning of the year if we heard the team would have their current record, I don't think anyone would have been surprised or disappointed.

Two, in the last few years we saw the team be pretty conservative about trying to improve the roster. I hope that after one really positive trade that they don't fall back into the same habit. KP at the Turner press conference said this is a good beginning of a core. I hope that's how they really view it. I would like to see at least one move to improve the roster. Counting on Haliburton to drive the ship while waiting on growth from rookies seems like the way to end up right back at "well, we we were gonna be good, but then injuries...."

[Topofthekey]

They just need Duarte to be at 100% again

Rookie Duarte was someone who could shoot, create for himself, play decent defense, and hit some very clutch shots

They can probably draft a long term PF in the draft, Jarace Walker's name has been bandied around

[basketballwacko2]

Late #1 picks can become great players, remember Jimmy Butler was the 30th pick as was Desmond Bane. Very good players fall to later picks and into the 2nd round, Dre Green, Middleton, and Jokic all 2nd round picks.

The team has to do it's home work and scout these guys to find those later round diamonds.

[Grang33r]

Late #1 picks can become great players, remember Jimmy Butler was the 30th pick as was Desmond Bane. Very good players fall to later picks and into the 2nd round, Dre Green, Middleton, and Jokic all 2nd round picks.

The team has to do it's home work and scout these guys to find those later round diamonds.

Yes, for sure. And Pacers hit on Nembhard.

But the odds are not that great. But def possible.

[Wizop]

On top of that, our two best assets is our first round picks weve received. But at current moment, Boston is 2nd best and Cleveland is 7th best. Both extremely low values.

It is what it is, but just stings Pacers haven't gotten any luck from the basketball gods.

Rant over.

You left off an asset - we will have cap space in free agency and Pritchard has clearly said he's going to be aggressive.

Another possible asset is a bunch of players happy to be here together. They could be recruiters.

That said, we're certainly on the bubble sitting 10th basically tied with Toronto and Washington who are 11th and 12th. Even if we climb to 7th or 8th, we could still lose in the play-in and fall back into the lottery. It's hard to say whether climbing to 6th or falling to 12th would be better in the long run.

It's pretty clear that we can't use 4 rookies. We could Euro-stash a player or two, try and trade 2023 picks for 2024, try to move up, or include picks in a trade for a player.

"May you live in interesting times," is a Chinese curse.

[Grang33r]

You left off an asset - we will have cap space in free agency and Pritchard has clearly said he's going to be aggressive.

Another possible asset is a bunch of players happy to be here together. They could be recruiters.

When have the Pacers ever signed a good free agent?

Top UFA's this summer-

Nikola Vucevic
Harrison Barnes
Jerami Grant
Bojan Bogdanovic
Dillon Brooks
Christian Wood
Seth Curry
Reggie Jackson
Kelly Oubre
Will Barton
Max Strus

[Scoot McGroot]

You left off an asset - we will have cap space in free agency and Pritchard has clearly said he's going to be aggressive.

Another possible asset is a bunch of players happy to be here together. They could be recruiters.

When have the Pacers ever signed a good free agent?

Top UFA's this summer-

Nikola Vucevic
Harrison Barnes
Jerami Grant
Bojan Bogdanovic
Dillon Brooks
Christian Wood
Seth Curry
Reggie Jackson
Kelly Oubre
Will Barton
Max Strus

When have they ever signed an absolute top tier free agent? Closest you could say is the offer sheet to Ayton last year. But they’ve wielded cap space pretty well over the last decade or so to really improve the roster. Cap space is still a positive tool for a team like Indy.

[Pacers Forever]

You left off an asset - we will have cap space in free agency and Pritchard has clearly said he's going to be aggressive.

Another possible asset is a bunch of players happy to be here together. They could be recruiters.

When have the Pacers ever signed a good free agent?

Top UFA's this summer-

Nikola Vucevic
Harrison Barnes
Jerami Grant
Bojan Bogdanovic
Dillon Brooks
Christian Wood
Seth Curry
Reggie Jackson
Kelly Oubre
Will Barton
Max Strus

Only FA on that list I’d consider paying for would be Harrison Barnes.

Not sure if Strus is a good get ? I see he has had some good scoring games. Of course we don’t need guards unless we move Duarte and Hill.

Bogdanovic on the cheap for a second unit scoring threat from 3.

[Grang33r]

When have they ever signed an absolute top tier free agent? Closest you could say is the offer sheet to Ayton last year. But they’ve wielded cap space pretty well over the last decade or so to really improve the roster. Cap space is still a positive tool for a team like Indy.

You're right, i didn't put that into thought but Ayton definitely the biggest to agree and that should be noted. And it was just last summer.

[SmashMouthRod]

I believe its the opposite. Haliburton is a growing superstar player at PG. Myles Turner is one of the best at the C position. The roster already has a couple of good enough options at the 2. Maybe Math makes a big leap in development (defense) to take over the starting SF position at some point. The roster spots that need settling are mainly the two forward spots (especially PF). The team has plenty of draft capital and cap space. A deal for guys like Kenyon Martin Jr or Larry Nance can easily be made this summer using picks. Maybe Ben Simmons can be acquired and moved to PF. Maybe you bring back Bojan in free agency and trade for a Larry Nance or Ben Simmons. Nance/Simmons play making, rebounding and defense next to Turner would improve the team dramatically.

Haliburton
Hield
Bojan or Math
Nance/Simmons
Turner

[Wizop]

I believe its the opposite. Haliburton is a growing superstar player at PG. Myles Turner is one of the best at the C position. The roster already has a couple of good enough options at the 2. Maybe Math makes a big leap in development (defense) to take over the starting SF position at some point. The roster spots that need settling are mainly the two forward spots (especially PF). The team has plenty of draft capital and cap space.

I followed you to here but I want to see what the draft gives us before I think about trading our draft capital for another teams unwanted players. tankathon currently has us getting Cam Whitemore at 7. There's Brandon Miller projected at 4. Jarace Walker at 11. Kris Murray at 17. GG Jackson at 20. Taylor Hendricks at 21. I expect the draft to give us someone to push Nesmith and Nwora.

patience.

[Tom White]

Ben Simmons

I wouldn't go near Simmons. Not even with a ten-foot pole. Between the physical fragility and the frailness of his mental/emotional make-up he is a warning sign flashing bright.

[Wizop]

Ben Simmons

I wouldn't go near Simmons. Not even with a ten-foot pole. Between the physical fragility and the frailness of his mental/emotional make-up he is a warning sign flashing bright.

there was a time when I thought Simmons could be a good fit at 4 for us. that time has passed.

[basketballwacko2]

You left off an asset - we will have cap space in free agency and Pritchard has clearly said he's going to be aggressive.

Another possible asset is a bunch of players happy to be here together. They could be recruiters.

When have the Pacers ever signed a good free agent?

Top UFA's this summer-

Nikola Vucevic
Harrison Barnes
Jerami Grant
Bojan Bogdanovic
Dillon Brooks
Christian Wood
Seth Curry
Reggie Jackson
Kelly Oubre
Will Barton
Max Strus

Bojan signed a 2 year extension with the Pistons a few months ago. Bogdon is with the Hawks and he has a PO so he might be a free agent.

Grant is gonna want a big raise he turned down his i20% vet extension from the Blazers

Vucevic is of no use to the Pacers as are none of the guards on this list.

Grant and Dillon brooks might help and Barnes might too but I'd keep the contacts shorter and lower rather that the 4 year maxish stuff.

Cap space can be used in other ways that just signings, you can take players from other team who are in the tax and get paid off to do it. And as we saw you can use it to renegotiate and extend a player.

[basketballwacko2]

I believe its the opposite. Haliburton is a growing superstar player at PG. Myles Turner is one of the best at the C position. The roster already has a couple of good enough options at the 2. Maybe Math makes a big leap in development (defense) to take over the starting SF position at some point. The roster spots that need settling are mainly the two forward spots (especially PF). The team has plenty of draft capital and cap space. A deal for guys like Kenyon Martin Jr or Larry Nance can easily be made this summer using picks. Maybe Ben Simmons can be acquired and moved to PF. Maybe you bring back Bojan in free agency and trade for a Larry Nance or Ben Simmons. Nance/Simmons play making, rebounding and defense next to Turner would improve the team dramatically.

Haliburton
Hield
Bojan or Math
Nance/Simmons
Turner

Bojan is Not a free agent, he signed and extension with the Pistons on Oct 22, 2022 for 2 yrs and $39 million.

And I would not have Simmons if the Nets wanted to gift him to my team, we don't need a head case screwing up our young players. He's $37.8 million next season also! If the Nets gave us 2 #1's I might consider taking Simmons but still think he could be a problem in the locker room.

[Grang33r]

And I would not have Simmons if the Nets wanted to gift him to my team, we don't need a head case screwing up our young players. He's $37.8 million next season also! If the Nets gave us 2 #1's I might consider taking Simmons but still think he could be a problem in the locker room.

Yeah, hard no on Simmons. lol