Indiana Pacers- Post 2024 NBA Draft

Moving away from my articles on the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, two teams that played for the right to call themselves NBA champions, I am going to focus on the runner-up in each of the conference finals. As I started this series by grading the offseason of the champs, Boston, so I think it makes sense to start with the team that lost to the Celtics a round prior, the Indiana Pacers.

Despite getting swept, Indiana lost games one, three, and four by a combined 11 points. That included an overtime loss in game one. A key footnote being that Tyrese Haliburton was injured in game two and did not play again for the remainder of the series. While I would not go as far to say that the series could have ended with the Pacers emerging victorious, they were a lot closer to making things interesting than a sweep would suggest. So, what has Indiana done to get themselves over the hump this upcoming season?

For starters, they took advantage of the new rule in which teams can negotiate with their own free agents before the league’s new year started on July 1st by signing forward Pascal Siakam to a 4-year, $189 million maximum contract. Siakam’s salary will mirror Haliburton’s for the next four seasons. This deal works for both sides. The Pacers are likely securing the rest of his physical prime during the deal by not handing out a fifth year. Siakam will have a chance at one more reasonably sized deal by entering free agency after turning 34-years-old.

Having won an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors during the 2018-2019 season, he has proved that he can be the second-best player on a championship team. Siakam held up his end of the deal in the conference finals, averaging 23.3 points per game on 55.3% from the field while also averaging 7.5 rebounds per game, all above his career averages. He elevated his game when it mattered the most.

Indiana also signed guard Andrew Nembhard to a 3-year, $59 million extension that kicks in next year. Nembhard performed strongly in Haliburton’s absence in the conference finals, despite not averaging 10 points or five assists per game in either of his first two seasons in the league. The hope is he made “the leap” in the playoffs and the Pacers will be getting a discount throughout his new deal.

In terms of the draft, Indiana used their 1st round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to help acquire Siakam, a move I am sure they do not regret. They did go into the draft armed with three, 2nd round picks. The Pacers emerged with wing Johnny Furphy (35th pick) via a draft night trade, guard Tristen Newton (49th pick), and forward Enrique Freeman (50th pick). Furphy signed a 4-year deal that has a team option in the fourth. He figures to add depth to their already crowded backcourt and along the wing. Newton and Freeman signed two-way contracts.

Furphy was regarded as one of the better three-point shooters in the draft. A native of Australia, he came on late for the Kansas Jayhawks last year, registering twelve of his fourteen double-digit scoring outings after entering the starting lineup in mid-January. At 6’9” he has great size for an off-guard/wing player and will still be 19 years old when the season starts. So, there is a lot of potential and Indiana likely believes can be molded into a rotation player down the line.

For a team that just made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals, they know that they are likely not acquiring a key piece for another deep run in the playoffs in the 2nd round. Although Furphy was thought of as a mid-to-late 1st round pick and the Pacers were able to trade for him after lasting just a few picks into the 2nd round. At that point, you might as well as there is very little risk.

I just have a hard time envisioning him getting a lot of playing time. Furphy will start the year behind Bennedict Mathurin and Ben Sheppard. With Indiana having invested 1st round picks in Mathurin (6th in 2022) and Sheppard (26th in 2023), with the former a true breakout candidate, it is hard to see a path to get and stay on the floor. Even if Doug McDermott does not eventually return on a much cheaper deal, it is hard to see him inheriting the 11 vacated minutes per game. My guess is that Nembhard (bigger expectations) and Mathurin (back from injury) will soak up those minutes, and Furphy will be joining Newton and Freeman in the G-League to develop. That is not the worst outcome.

The Pacers are basically running it back, banking on the experience of a conference finals and a healthy Haliburton to make up the gap between them and Boston. A full training camp with Siakam will certainly help as well. This is a pivotal season for Indiana. Both TJ McConnell and Myles Turner, instrumental in their recent success, will be looking for new contracts. With the Pacers likely to continue to be a tax paying team by signing either one of them long-term, especially Turner, the window to win it all is now.

Honestly, I am getting some 2020-2021 Atlanta Hawks vibes from this team. As I said, Indiana is banking on a healthy Haliburton to get them over the hump. I am not sure that is going to be enough because the Pacers did lose both of the games he played in during the Eastern Conference Finals. Additionally, he played well in both games even though his time in game two was cut short.

Yes, bringing back Siakam was a no-brainer as was rewarding Nembhard with a contract extension that might prove to be a bargain. No, the expectation was and is not that they were going to add a meaningful piece via the draft armed with just three, 2nd round picks. But it just seems like every other contending team in the East improved. The New York Knicks traded for Mikal Bridges. The Philadelphia 76ers signed Paul George. The Miami Heat will probably have Jimmy Butler in the playoffs next year. I am not saying that Indiana needed to make a lot of moves. I am just not sure that standing pat was the best strategy either.

Final Grade:  C+