Post-Mortem: 2021-22 Indiana Pacers

[ElectricMayhem]

Despite a victory against the Rockets, the Pacers were the 4th team to see their championship hopes vanish when Atlanta toppled Memphis. We shall now cut them open and see what's inside...

Here is the data from last year's Post-Mortems:
Post-Mortem Results I: GM Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results II: Coaching Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results III: Performance Compared to Expectations
Post-Mortem Results IV: Rising/Treadmill/Waning

Team Name: Indiana Pacers
Record at Time of Death: 24-47 (.338)
GM: Chad Buchanan (2017- ) (Kevin Pritchard more well known and more involved? as President)
Coach: Rick Carlisle (2021- )

Offensive Rating: 27th
Defensive Rating: 30th
Rebound %: 28th
Turnover %: 30th

GM: Change or keep?
Coach: Change or keep?
Relative to expectations, how did they fare this year?
Rising, falling, or treadmill?
If you were in charge, what would you do this offseason?

Notes:
Players under contract next year:
Malcom Brogdon ($23m)
Buddy Hield ($21m)
Myles Turner ($18m)
T.J. McConnell ($8m)
Goga Bitadze ($5m)
Tyrese Haliburton ($4m)
Chris Duarte ($4m)
Isaiah Jackson ($3m)
Oshae Brissett ($2m) (Partially Guaranteed)

Team Options:
Jalen Smith ($5m)
Keifer Sykes ($2m)

Player Options:


Free Agents:
Ricky Rubio
T.J. Warren
Lance Stephenson
Justin Anderson
Terry Taylor
Duane Washington Jr.

Dead Money:


Previous Post-Mortems:
30. Orlando Magic
29. Detroit Pistons
28. Houston Rockets

[ElectricMayhem]

I missed this one yesterday. Indiana has now been ruled out of the playoffs too.

I have an unusual voting pattern with them. Underachieved, but keep both GM and coach, and a rising team. I was tempted to put them at treadmill again, but getting Haliburton for Sabonis helps their long term prospects. I am very surprised the Pacers actually got worse from last year, which was considered a disastrous year with a bad coach. Bring in Carlisle, things should get better, right? RIGHT? Maybe Pacers fans can tell me what happened. I've been on team Carlisle since forever, but I don't know how to explain this season.

[MrGoat]

Performed worse than expected. Carlisle's only been there one season and the GM just had a great trade deadline though so no reason to lose either. May still need to make some moves to get off the treadmill though. Need to hit on this next draft pick and choose the right free agents

[Sofia]

They have a bunch of guys that seem like that could be nice pick ups for teams looking to compete, they should’ve really been looking to get the young player and mid to late 1st exchanges going for half the roster prior to the past deadline.

[Topofthekey]

This season is simultaneously one of the worst but also the most exciting season they've had in a very long time

[DroseReturnChi]

they need to pick a lane whether to contend playoffs or tank or tank for half a decade.
hali makes it tricky hes too good to get a top pick but it is questionable if he can be a franchise cornerstone player given that sac dumped him for fox. i say sacrifice the whole season for hali and evaluate him whether he is worth building around or dispose for someone like a jaylen brown.

[Ice Trae]

keep
keep
underachieved
falling

Just blow it up already. That roster is not going to accomplish anything meaningful. Put Hield, Brogdon, and Turner on the market and see wht you can get for them. If Carlisle isn't down for the rebuild just get rid of him if need be

[RoyceDa59]

The Halliburton trade was a fantastic move and sets them up for a proper rebuild.

I’m also optimistic about Duarte. They’re headed in the right direction.

Going younger and securing lotto picks in the next couple drafts is the move here. Carlisle will get this team playing the right way, just need to trade the rest of the pieces, draft well and complete the rebuild.

[slicedbread2]

Keep
Keep
Worse
Fading

Honestly it's for the best. If the Pacers are smart this off-season, they flip Brogdon, Turner and Hield if possible. T.J. I like as you need a good vet for a rebuilding squad plus his value is low due to the wrist injury and being out since December so no point in trading him while the value is low.

Indiana should get what they can for the aforementioned, resign Jalen Smith to a 3/15M(some weird rule in the CBA that limits him to that due to the Suns declining his team options) and give the young guys major burn to see what they can do. Hopefully the lotto balls are on their side and they get a decent pick as this one is gonna be crucial. They are overdue for a long-term rebuild that could take a couple of years at least and honestly I see the Pacers fan base being happy for it as the team needs to get off the damn treadmill and rebuild.

As for their free agents, I'm sure Lance would be brought back if the price is right. Probably best to let the other dudes go as T.J. Warren can't stay healthy(maybe they bring him back for the right price although I'd move on preferably) and Rubio will probably go to a contender and take on a smaller role while rehabbing his value+body.

I got faith in Carlisle as he's had a good track record in this league.

[Topofthekey]

Remember how people were shouting about how Raptors needed to get rid of Siakam?

Well, they didn't and they're doing just fine right now, and they'll probably be even better next season

In the same vein, I don't understand the need to get rid of Turner. Or even Hield. Turner is a great piece to have, and Hield is turning into a positive asset. If somebody wants to make a good offer for them? Sure, Pacers should listen. But I don't see why they can't be part of the team. I don't see any pressure on the Pacers to trade them

Brogdon, OTOH, I can understand the argument for trading him. Mainly in order to make Haliburton the undisputed PG of the team. It's still an ongoing experiment. In theory Brogdon can thrive playing next to Haliburton. But in practice the results have been somewhat inconclusive. The reasonable approach would be to give the team more time to gel. But I can see the argument that Pacers are better off just trading him in the off-season

[Bobbymcgee]

I was surprised by how poorly the Pacers played after the Haliburton trade. I guess they still need to make some more trades.

Also, giving Turner a max deal or anything close to that would be a mistake. Sabonis was traded and Turner didn't step up.

The Pacers should go full rebuild mode around Haliburton and Duarte. The team needs to get lucky in the draft to add some real long-term talent around those two players.

[8305]

Pacers do need to get lucky in the draft. Smith, Banchero, Murray are all clear fits with Halliburton. Probably won’t get that lucky. I think they make every effort to resign Turner. The max he can get without becoming a free agent is about 25mil/year. A solid two way center still only 25 at that price makes sense to me. I’m not up for a full on tank but, I think roster moves should target an age range of 21-25. That makes Brogdan and Hield available and I’m pretty indifferent to the question of resigning Warren.

[gumbercules]

Sabonis was traded and Turner didn't step up.

Not that I think he is going to step up, but to be fair, Turner hasn't played a single game since the Sabonis trade. Can't step up if you're out, injured.

[Michael Jackson]

Pacers do need to get lucky in the draft. Smith, Banchero, Murray are all clear fits with Halliburton. Probably won’t get that lucky. I think they make every effort to resign Turner. The max he can get without becoming a free agent is about 25mil/year. A solid two way center still only 25 at that price makes sense to me. I’m not up for a full on tank but, I think roster moves should target an age range of 21-25. That makes Brogdan and Hield available and I’m pretty indifferent to the question of resigning Warren.

I think you are right and I think Murray might be a great fit with Hali. His stock didn't raise in the tournament at all so he should be getable for them IMHO. Age and style wise I love Murray on the Pacers, the culture there is great for those guys. It isn't some instant championship type team but the Pacers generally build smart. That being said I would have moved Turner rather than Sabonis as I really like Sabonis. Turner wasn't getting them a player like Hali though so it makes sense. I think this team can get back in the mix sooner rather than later, I don't think they need a full rebuild but they have to make a few tweaks for sure. I don't like tanking as it doesn't work anymore and I don't think the Pacers are the type to go full tank anyway, their Culture is not built that way.

[GSP]

Rick Carlisle got EXPOSED this season

was hard for him without Dirk or Luka

[Clav]

I was pretty impressed with some of the games I caught of Indy, definitely were shooting well and moving the ball more. I think every game I've caught they were decently competitive - It's just hard to close in the NBA and from a little digging - Pacers had some issues vs. the teams they should have beaten. (Although beating Portland currently by over 15 points and have looked good!)

Losing record with rest advantage and rest disadvantage (0-3 with +4 days rest, too). That's the fine line in the NBA. Your team may be rested and prepared, but every night is a chance to make a statement. Their roster for much of the year had Sabonis and a lot of mis-matched parts in and out of the lineup, Brogdon, Turner, and Warren all missing major time. That's just not going to cut it.

With their full roster this team is competitive for a 8-10 seed. Without that, and a few untimely losses, and you're eliminated. Indy needs to regain an All-Star, hopefully Haliburton will do it.

Haliburton and Turner + Draft pick and consider what to do with Brogdon (keep/trade for wing) makes this team much more balanced.

They have their backup PG (McConnell) and SG (Hield) so, it's about putting together pieces to make the Turner/Haliburton machine operate smoothly.

[tcheco]

Hard to complain on the coach, warren and Brogdon didnt come to play this year.
I think pacers should trade brogdon, hield and not bring Warren back. Get as much as you can from those two, and build around haliburton, turner and Duarte.
Throw some max money at Lavine or any other prime FA, if not, get some bargains or 1yr deals to keep cap space.
Draft BPA that is not PG.

[BuddyBuckets]

I like the core of Hali/Duarte/Hield/McConnell in the back court.

Move Brogdon for a decent draft pick and a bad contract maybe?

Turner is a core piece.

They uncovered some nice players this year. Just need to find a couple of stars at SF/PF and they'll be dangerous.

[miamiheat319]

I feel like Haliburton is gonna step it up in the future just to prove that Sacramento was wrong for trading him. I think he actually really liked it there and being traded lit a fire under him. Duarte was a good pick last year but he seemed to be doing better at the beginning of the year although in all fairness I haven't been paying as much attention as I was then. Trade Hield to a team that needs him. Hold on to Brogdon unless you can get something really good. If his play doesn't go back to what it was his first year there trade him. Let Turner try to figure it out with Hali for the year but he might have to go soon if he can't take a leap. (Just looked it up and he's only 25 so he's not even in his prime yet. Curious to see how he improves the next few years). Would love to see Lance finally stick around. Seems like he and the fans embrace each other and despite his behavior in the past he seems like he could be a good locker room presence. Brissett has really impressed me these last few years and I think he could be a good bench piece for the future. Their two way guys have looked good as well, for the team's sake I hope they continue to do a good job developing their young guys. I know they're a team I should hate since they were the Heat's rivals back in the Heatles days but for some reason I have a soft spot for them. Always kinda hope they do well.

[Topofthekey]

I was surprised by how poorly the Pacers played after the Haliburton trade. I guess they still need to make some more trades.

Also, giving Turner a max deal or anything close to that would be a mistake. Sabonis was traded and Turner didn't step up.

The Pacers should go full rebuild mode around Haliburton and Duarte. The team needs to get lucky in the draft to add some real long-term talent around those two players.

How many games has he played since the trade?