The Indiana Pacers have a flurry of roster decisions to make. With the 2019 NBA Draft and free agency looming, here’s how they’ll have a productive summer.
After another first round playoff exit in 2019, the Indiana Pacers are asking themselves questions about how to get past the hump in 2020.
If rehab goes well, they’ll start the season with a healthy Victor Oladipo, who’s emerged as their star. Myles Turner will be coming off a season where he led the league in blocks and was an arguable All-Defensive team snub. And Domantas Sabonis will still be a lethal offensive weapon they can trust to lead the second unit, should they choose not to start him.
Aside from from those things, nothing is certain for this Pacers squad come October, since more than half the players on last year’s roster will be free agents this summer. Players like Bojan Bogdanovic, who had his coming-out party this season, are going to be tough re-signs if the Pacers want to consider trying to attract some of the talent in this year’s free agent pool.
What’s also at play is the strength of the 2019 NBA Draft class, and whichever prospect Indiana chooses with its 18th pick in the first round could notably affect the team’s roster if it chooses to develop that pick with extended minutes.
Indiana hasn’t yet been targeted in the whirlwind of 2019 free agency talks, but as a competitive playoff team in the Eastern Conference, the Pacers could very well be a dark horse to sign a player that could elevate them and give them an edge to make a deep playoff push in 2020.
With the summer only just starting, the Indiana Pacers have some time to dwell on what they can do to return next year as a better team. Here are some moves the team should consider.