Contenders and Pretenders: Making sense of the NBA’s crowded field

Notable Exclusions: Indiana Pacers 

The Indiana Pacers have been one of the NBA’s most surprising success stories in recent years. Tasked to lead the franchise’s post-Paul George iteration, head coach Nate McMillan has exceeded expectations, leading Indiana to a top-five seed in the Eastern Conference each of the last two years.

Much of this success is due to a deep, balanced roster and Victor Oladipo‘s transformation into a bona fide star. However, with Oladipo injured and Bojan Bogdanovic headed to the Utah Jazz, the Pacers will likely be in a transitional state until their star returns about halfway through the season.

The Pacers are not classified here simply because they are an unknown commodity. If Oladipo returns to form and the team can stay afloat until his arrival, Indiana could be a dark horse contender in the Eastern Conference.

However, if his injury lingers and the Pacers lack a go-to scoring option in his absence, this could be a team that finds itself near the bottom half of the Eastern Conference playoff field.