Pacers Off-Season
Free Agents:
Jeff Teague (PG) Unrestricted
C. J. Miles (SG) Opted out of Player Option
LaVoy Allen (PF) Team Option Decline
Aaron Brooks (PG) UnrestrictedCurrent Roster:
Paul George (Likely will be traded)
Myles Turner
Lance Stephenson
Thaddeus Young
Monta Ellis
Glen Robinson III
Al Jefferson
Kevin Seraphin
T. J. Leaf (Rookie)
Rakeem Christmas
Georges Niang
Joe Young
Ike Anigbogu (Rookie)
Edmond Sumner (Rookie)Goals:
1. Trade Paul George: Sunday, June 18th Paul George’s agent let the Pacers front office know that Paul would be testing the free agent market come the end of the 2017-2018 season, and his desire is to suit up for the Purple and Gold in LA. Indiana has been mentioned in several trade rumors since that day, but Kevin Pritchard has said they’ll be patient making a deal. Indiana would like to gain a draft pick back instead of a veteran player but with George expressing his desires to play for the Lakers, it’s giving the Pacers less leverage in negotiations. Meanwhile, it will be hard for this Pacers franchise to recover from losing its’ most talented player in franchise history, but Indiana is a good enough franchise to overcome this adversity.2. The Lance Stephenson Experiment: many Pacers fans jumped back on board with this team once they announced they’d be resigning fan-favorite Lance Stephenson. The Pacers need a game changer and Lance brought Indiana 5 straight victories to get into the Playoffs. The Pacers now have been talking about letting the 6’5″ wing, get some action at the point guard position. I like this idea for Indiana because without Paul George there will be less pressure to compete for a playoff spot so Lance will be able to play loose. He is the teams best passer and if you’re shortest starter is 6’5″ and he can defend, that’s an edge they’ll have on other teams. Regardless, Lance is a head case and will have to maintain his composure, especially if he becomes the leader (or co-leader with Turner) of the Franchise.
3. Turner Becomes the Face of the Franchise: Myles Turner is a 21 year old with a ton of upside. The Pacers selected Turner with the 11th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He was in and out of the starting lineup his rookie season, but was given the role of the teams starting center in the 2016-2017 season. Asking Myles to fulfill this role was a lot to ask a 2nd year player, but he did rather well for an inconsistent season by the Pacers as a whole. Turner expressed his willingness to become the leader of the Pacers franchise with Paul George expressing his desires to leave. He told Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype, “I’m really looking forward to our future. I feel like with the right pieces we can go young and build for the future. And I’m ready to lead this young movement.” Pacers fans have to love everything Myles Turner stands for. He loves playing in Indy, and he wants to be here. While his mind could change over time, Myles will be the focal point of the Pacers for at least 7 more years (the 2 remaining on his rookie deal and the 5 year Max he’ll likely sign afterward). Myles definitely has to improve his rebounding, lower body strength and basketball IQ. There were too many games last season where Myles was absent and it hurt the Pacers overall win-loss record. Now that Paul is gone, the pressure might begin to fall even more on his shoulders. However, the realistic chances of competing for a title are a long ways away, so Turner will have a few years to really grow into the star that Indiana hopes and believes will lead them to a Championship.
4. Glenn Robinson III: GR3 is going to have a great opportunity. Depending on what the Pacers get in exchange for Paul George, the young wing from Gary, Indiana could become a starter for the Pacers. Each season we’ve seen improvement from Robinson III and I don’t expect that to change any time soon. Glenn was in and out of the starting lineup but ultimately was the Pacers 7th-8th man. He has the right physical tools to be a solid starter and/or role player for this franchise for years to come. If he takes advantage of his opportunity here with Paul George leaving, he could compete to be the starting small forward/shooting guard for Indiana.
5. Trusting Kevin Pritchard: Indiana’s biggest change is clearly Paul George leaving the franchise, the 2nd biggest change is Larry Bird stepping down as President of Basketball Operations. Kevin Pritchard is now the man calling the shots and he’s been successful before in Portland. While Pritchard is different from Bird, he still will make sure whatever he’s doing is what’s best for the franchise. Pritchard is not one to tank, but rather build from within and drafting good quality players. He’s aggressive and wants to be a player on the trade market. Pritchard has a tall task this off-season for the Pacers but many believe he’ll get the best deal available. As the franchise continues to rebuild, Pritchard will be putting the pieces together to make sure Indiana gets back on the map as a serious contender. The timetable might be longer than he’d like, but overall, he’s fully devoted to bringing Indiana a basketball team that’s full of players who do things the Indiana way.
6. Free Agent Targets: Honestly, it’s hard to predict what the Pacers should do until we know what they get for George. However, looking at roster now, the Pacers have a gigantic hole at the 2 and 3 positions. Indiana could look to bring back Jeff Teague but it would be an interesting decision if they’re looking to rebuild and Teague is currently in his prime. Plus, Teague is a point guard and the Pacers need more help at the guard/forward spot. One name that pops in my head is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Another target could be Tim Hardaway Jr. These young guys are what the Pacers should look at if they’re wanting to form a youth movement. I am sure there’s plenty of options for acquiring young talent but the Pacers will have to shed some of their big men to free up roster space.
