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The Indiana Pacers will play their final two games of the season against the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks, respectively.
After that, the real work will begin. For the first time in several years, there is a palpable sense of hope surrounding the franchise. The emergence of All-Star Tyrese Haliburton and rookie Bennedict Mathurin, along with Myles Turner putting together the best season of his career, has brought about optimism regarding the Pacers fortunes next season.
However, the team cannot just rest on the growth from this season and expect it to translate to more success in the next one.
First and foremost, the Pacers must improve on the defensive side of the ball. Their inability to get stops has cost them repeatedly this season, most recently in their loss to the Knicks, which saw them put up 129 points and still lose by 9. While Turner is a defensive anchor at the rim, there is a definitive need to improve on that side of the ball. Certainly, there is the expectation that Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, and others will continue to grow their game, the Pacers could certainly look to add new pieces through the draft or free agency to aid in that.
Alex Golden, host of the Setting The Pace podcast, joined JMV on Friday! The two of them discussed how impactful this offseason is going to be, with the Pacers more than likely having 4 draft picks in the top 32. They also talk about the presence of Tyrese Haliburton, and how that may lead to the team being able to attract notable free agent names to Indiana.
Listen to John’s conversation with Alex and more below!
