The Indiana Pacers marched to the NBA Finals, although after a devastating injury to Tyrese Haliburton and a heartbreaking loss, the Pacers will have a long road back.
Since joining the NBA in 1976, the Indiana Pacers have made two Finals, although they have fallen short in both appearances.
In 2000, the Pacers lost to the Shaq and Kobe Lakers. In 2025, they ran into a historically dominant Oklahoma City Thunder team, taking them to seven games before losing in the last possible contest, 103-91.
In the first quarter of Game 7, Tyrese Haliburton appeared to suffer a torn Achilles, which could keep him out for all of next season. Indiana also doesn’t have a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, so their retooling process to get back to the Finals will be tricky, to say the least.
However, with savvy moves and weaker competition in the Eastern Conference, the Pacers could make a lot of noise next season. Here are three moves they must make.
This offseason, 10-year Pacers veteran Myles Turner will be an unrestricted free agent. For several seasons, he has been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and other contenders, although he has only ever known Indiana basketball.
Turner averaged 15.6 points and 6.5 rebounds in the regular season, although in the Finals posted only 10.6 points and 4.4 rebounds. Still, he is an integral part of the Pacers’ success and culture.
Despite interest around the league, Turner is expected to return to Indiana. Outside of Turner, only James Johnson and Thomas Bryant are unrestricted free agents, and neither of them played a massive role in either the regular season or the playoffs.
If Indiana fails to retain Turner and loses Haliburton for the season, without a first-round draft pick, it’s safe to say that they will take a step back, and keeping their window open needs to be a priority.
Since 2005, the Pacers have managed to avoid the luxury tax. It’s a given that if they bring Turner back, they will snap their 20-year frugal streak.
With Haliburton out, the Pacers need to bring in some added scoring. Andrew Nembhard can certainly carry a larger playmaking load, and TJ McConnell gives them some backcourt depth, so they don’t necessarily have to add a point guard, although Malcolm Brogdon, who played for the Pacers for three seasons earlier in his career, would be a solid acquisition.
Owner Herb Simon has led the Pacers since 1983, and has come close to hoisting a title only twice before. Simon is 90, so his clock is ticking, and he certainly has the motivation to spend now.
Simon stopped fielding a luxury tax roster in 2005, after it was clear that the roster was talented, but not elite enough to fight for a title.
After running the Eastern Conference table this season, the Pacers can run it back with the same roster and hope Haliburton will return before the playoffs, although Simon might need to go deep in his pockets.
This season, the Pacers suffered injuries in the first ten games. Second and third-string centers Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman both tore their Achilles early in the year, leaving Turner as the only true center.
Indiana would later trade for Bryant and sign Moses Brown, Jahlil Okafor, and Tony Bradley to ten-day contracts, with Bradley being brought on for the postseason.
Bradley has a $2.9 million team option for next season, while Jackson and Bryant are both free agents. Bradley proved capable, although he might not be worth nearly three million, especially with the team going over the salary cap.
Brook Lopez, Clint Capela, Andre Drummond, and Kevon Looney are all free agents who should be affordable and capable of backing up Turner.
No matter who the Pacers sign, entering the season with Turner as the only true center on the roster is not a recipe for success, and bolstering the frontcourt depth should be priority number one this summer for the Eastern Conference champions.
