Indiana Pacers: 5 free agents to help reach the next level
By Ben Bundy
The Indiana Pacers were one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams until the injury of star guard, Victor Oladipo, set the team back. With Oladipo’s return next season, a talented young frontcourt and enough money to target big names this offseason, the Pacers could make a run for the Eastern Conference title next season
The Indiana Pacers were a team last season that exceeded everyone’s expectation two separate times. First, the team played well enough for the first half of the season to sit at the third seed in the East, ahead of teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics. Then, after losing star guard, Victor Oladipo, to a ruptured quad tendon the team managed to maintain a playoff pace and finished the season as the fifth seed in the East.
The Pacers were believed to be a team on the rise, but in both instances last season, Indiana outperformed expectations. The team showed a bright future in an Eastern Conference top-heavy with teams of championship caliber. Next season those teams will have to make room for the Pacers to join them.
All signs point to Oladipo making a full recovery, which alone could propel the team to fourth seed range. If Indiana’s talented frontcourt of Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis continue to get better, the team could be looking at a top three seed. However, if Indiana decides to be big spenders in this year’s deep free agency market they could jump to one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Pacers could go into this offseason with an estimated $43 million in cap space, which would give them plenty of options this offseason. Here are five free agents the Pacers could sign to help the team reach the next level.