Predicting the NBA Eastern Conference standings: Indiana Pacers
CEILING: Top-4 seed, second-round exit
FLOOR: Play-in tournament, first round exit
The Pacers were plagued by injuries last season, and were poorly coached on top of that. Nate Bjorkgren was fired after just one season at the helm and replaced by Rick Carlisle, one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in the NBA. That move alone could vault Indiana a tier or two up in the standings.
When healthy, the Pacers have both the talent and depth to field a B-level contender. Myles Turner is an elite rim protector, while Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon are complementary offensive engines. Caris LeVert’s arrival, paired with the looming return of T.J. Warren, gives the Pacers two capable shot-makers on the wing. It’s a fairly balanced and dynamic roster, with lineup optionality and a nice mix of different skill sets.
Indiana is not without issues. There are valid questions about the future of a Turner-Sabonis frontcourt. If the Pacers move Turner elsewhere, what does the return look like, and how gravely does the defense suffer? Those are questions Indiana must ponder.
Last season ended with a nine-seed finish and a play-in tournament defeat. That was not what fans (or the organization) expected. It’s easy to chalk it up to injuries, a spectacularly ill-prepared coach, and COVID. Before last season, Indiana was a perennial contender in the 4-6 range. Sabonis is an All-Star, Brogdon and LeVert are borderline top-50 players, and depth is generally a strength for Indiana. Perhaps a rebound season is on the horizon.