Milwaukee Bucks: Ranking top East teams following key free agency deals
By Adam McGee
3. Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers’ season will hinge on how well they can stay afloat until Victor Oladipo returns from injury, which will likely be around the turn of the calendar year. Having said that, there’s reason to believe they could do more than simply tread water in his absence too.
Milwaukee fans will need no reminder of the biggest splash the Pacers made this summer, as they managed to prise Malcolm Brogdon away from the Bucks in a sign-and-trade deal. When Brogdon was introduced in Indiana, both he and head coach Nate McMillan made no secret of the fact they see him playing as a point guard.
That role will apply both with and without Oladipo, but other key offseason additions such as Jeremy Lamb and T.J. Warren should help to round out a really solid Pacers starting five alongside Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis.
Indiana’s commitment to starting that frontcourt duo together may well lead to moments of discomfort, but it makes sense from a talent perspective, and both could be set to take significant leaps forward too.
Health will be crucial to the Pacers, particularly as their depth isn’t as strong as some of their rivals, but they look set to remain one of the toughest opponents in the NBA on any given night, and this year they may also come equipped with a considerably higher ceiling than they had last year.