Victor Oladipo and the Pacers have already shared one memorable run together, and there’s a case for giving that partnership another shot.
Back in 2018, Oladipo was the face of an Indiana team that pushed LeBron James to seven games. He had arrived in Indianapolis as the main piece in the Paul George deal, a return that was widely viewed as underwhelming at the time, especially with Domantas Sabonis also coming back in the trade.
But Oladipo quickly flipped the script. He emerged as Indiana’s top option, played like the player many had hoped he’d become, earned All-NBA third team honors, and helped lift the Pacers to the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
That season ended with Indiana running into James, who had to carry what was described as the worst supporting cast of his career and played all 48 minutes in the Game 7 closeout.
Then came the injury that changed everything. Oladipo’s career-best year was followed by a devastating patellar tendon injury, and he never fully got back to that level.
He later spent time with the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets and even the Wisconsin Herd, the G-League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks, but the old version of Oladipo never returned. Now he’s looking for a way back into the NBA.
For the Pacers, the fit is easy to understand. His first stint in Indiana was a homecoming of sorts, since he spent his college years as a Hoosier.
This time around, the expectations would be much smaller. On the bench, he could pair with old teammate TJ McConnell and help stabilize a second unit that just needs to hold its own.
Indiana’s reserves are short on real creation, and the backup wing spot remains a problem, even if there’s a likely answer there. Oladipo could help on both fronts right away.
The real question is whether a diminished Oladipo is worth using an extremely valuable final roster spot on. If the answer is even close to yes, bringing back the former franchise centerpiece makes sense, whether that’s on a two-way deal or an exhibit-10 contract.
Difference makers don’t grow on trees. Neither do storybook endings.
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