NBA: Re-seeding the Eastern Conference after blockbuster Lillard trade

11. Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are an intriguing team for many reasons and I believe they’re going to be competitive in the Eastern Conference this season, but I still believe they’re a year or two away from being in the conversation for a top 6-8 team in the conference. Their young core of Tyrese Haliburton, Benndict Mathurin, and Jarace Walker is strong. Add in Myles Turner, who is still just 27 years old, and it’s easy to see how one could be excited about them.

One reason why I don’t believe the Pacers will be able to break the top 8 in the East this season is the fact that they seem to be preparing to trade Buddy Hield. The writing was probably on the wall when they signed Bruce Brown this offseason, but it finally became a reality earlier this week.

The Pacers have a chance to be a pesky team and if their young players continue to develop at a rapid pace, there’s reason to believe that they could be in the conversation to sneak into the Play-In Tournament this season. However, they still may need another year of experience and another veteran or two to be taken as a serious threat in the East.