Indiana Pacers: 5 takeaways from 2017-18 NBA season

2. Pacers could chase big names

No major changes…what they hell’s the fun in that?!?

Let’s assume for a moment that both Young and Joseph opt out and the Pacers buy out both Collison and Jefferson. The Pacers could wind up wth something in the neighborhood of $50 million in cap room. Indiana has never been a primo free agent destination, but there are a scant few teams with significant cap space this summer, and the Pacers’ money is as green as anyone’s.

The most fun scenario would have them taking a meeting with the free agent most likely to change teams, old buddy Paul George. While that may sound insane, the Pacers are a lot closer to contention than the Los Angeles Lakers (or the Oklahoma City Thunder, for that matter). If LeBron James can come back home, why not PG-13?

If that’s just a bit too farfetched, another consideration might be restricted free agent Aaron Gordon. He and Oladipo have experience playing together from their time with the Orlando Magic, and he’d fit in nicely with this young core. If the Pacers come at him with a max offer, there’s no guarantee Orlando would match.

Finally, could there be a better fit for Indiana basketball than current Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart? The shooting is obviously a concern, but with Oladipo being a pseudo-point guard for the starting five, Smart would fit in nicely alongside him. Good luck scoring with those two manning the perimeter.

All of these players would have to consider the Pacers as a viable option thanks to one man — a player who singlehandedly changed the trajectory of the franchise he’s wanted to play for since he was a kid.