The Indiana Pacers are trying to get back into the championship mix next season, but the road in the Eastern Conference is only getting steeper. And if LeBron James ends up in the East, that climb gets a lot nastier for Indiana - especially if he lands with Jaylen Brown and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Philadelphia already looks loaded after swinging a deal with the Boston Celtics that sent Paul George, two firsts, and two seconds to Boston in exchange for Brown. The Sixers would then be lining up with Brown, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid, a group that already projects as one of the strongest in the conference and maybe one of the best in the league.
Add James to that mix, and the ceiling changes again. That kind of talent would only make the East more crowded at the top and make Indiana’s path back to the NBA Finals that much tougher.
The Pacers still have a shot. Last season showed that much, as long as Tyrese Haliburton is on the floor and healthy. Of course, that health still has to be proven again next season.
If Haliburton is right, Indiana should still be in decent shape. The roster remains solid and looks almost unchanged from the group that made its Finals run in 2025.
Ivica Zubac is now in place of Myles Turner, but the rest of the core depth is familiar: Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, TJ McConnell, Obi Toppin, and, maybe most important of all, Pascal Siakam, who was excellent for the Pacers in the playoffs.
Even so, the East has clearly improved since a year ago, and next season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive the conference has seen in a while.
That’s why James matters here. If he joins Brown in Philadelphia - or lands anywhere else in the Eastern Conference - it raises the difficulty level for Haliburton and the Pacers as they try to make another Finals push.
The Pacers still have a chance. It just gets a lot harder if James decides to join the party.
In Other News...
Pacers Just Cleared The Path For A Backcourt Move Fans Wanted
The Pacers opened up some breathing room on the back end of the roster when they waived guard Ethan Thompson on Aug. 14, a move that created a two-way spot and put one more piece of offseason business in motion. Thompson has since landed with KK Partizan of the EuroLeague on a two-year contract, leaving Indiana with a clearer picture of how it wants to shape the guard mix heading into camp and beyond.
What makes the move noteworthy is the timing. Indiana has roster and salary cap flexibility to keep in mind if it wants to chase veteran help later in the season, so every two-way decision carries a little extra weight. The expectation now is that Braden Smith will fill that opening on a two-way deal, which would give the Pacers another young backcourt option while they continue managing the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Still Have One Roster Need That Could Raise Their Ceiling
The Pacers have built one of the leagues most dangerous offenses around Tyrese Haliburton, and the talent around him gives Indiana plenty of reasons to believe it can keep pushing higher. But even with Aaron Nesmith and Ben Sheppard offering useful perimeter defense, the roster still lacks the kind of true stopper who can take the nights toughest assignment and let everyone else settle into cleaner roles.
For a team trying to raise its ceiling, that missing piece matters. Indiana may have to find it through a trade or in free agency, though the path is not simple with financial limits and limited assets to work with. Even so, the need is clear enough that it could shape how the Pacers approach the rest of the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Haliburton Shared The Trade-Day Moment That Changed Indiana
Tyrese Haliburtons arrival in Indiana has already become one of the defining moments of the franchises recent run, and the story behind it still carries a little extra weight. He came over from Sacramento in the deal that sent Domantas Sabonis to the Kings, a swap that instantly changed the Pacers direction and gave them the kind of lead guard around whom they could build.
Haliburton has since spent an entire season on the sideline while recovering from an Achilles injury suffered two years ago, and Indiana felt that absence. The Pacers struggled without him, but there is a clear sense that a healthy Haliburton changes the outlook, especially now that Ivica Zubac is in the mix as well. What makes the trade story linger is the moment Haliburton says stuck with him on the day everything shifted to Indiana. [Read more 🡒]