The Indiana Pacers made some headlines recently when it was revealed that they were seriously considering going into a rebuild. It surprised a lot of people around the NBA as the small market Pacers have never executed a full teardown.
They have always been a team that tried to rebuild on the fly, evident by the fact that the last top-10 pick they made was 1989 when they selected George McCloud out of Florida State No. 7 overall. Paul George was the 10th overall pick in 2010, which is the closest they have come since.
The hiring of Rick Carlisle as head coach would seem to indicate an organization that thought they were good enough to compete but didn’t have the right leader in place. Carlisle wasn’t going to join a team that would embark on a rebuild less than halfway through his first season on the sideline.
But, at 13-18, it is clear something isn’t working with the Pacers. They have been a team many people thought have needed a shake-up for years. Indiana hasn’t won a playoff series since 2014 when they lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Trade Targets For Indiana Pacers To Re-Tool Roster
So, when it was revealed that they were seriously considering a rebuild, it made sense. Making players such as Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner and Caris LeVert available would certainly shake up the team.
Recently, owner Herb Simon cleared up the intentions of the team. He wanted to make sure people knew they weren’t going to go into a Sam Hinkie-Esque rebuild, but that some changes would be made even if it ended up costing them a win here and there.
“We’re not a franchise that’s going to dump (games) to get a better (draft) pick. We’re going to try to win every game. Sometimes, we’ll develop rookies who may cost us a game, but we’ll never go into a game to lose while I’m an owner. I don’t believe in that. Some teams do, but I don’t believe in that.
“If you remember, going back to Donnie (Walsh), we always built without tearing down. We built on the go, and we can do the same thing again. We can have a good team, and (the goal is to) get better rather than break it up. … As a fan, I don’t want to do that, and I don’t believe our fans deserve to see a team that’s purposely losing. … I don’t ever want to be accused of that.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Trade Targets For Indiana Pacers To Re-Tool Roster
That is a rebuild that makes more sense for the Pacers given the head coach that they have and their history. Changing out some pieces could help unlock the team’s potential, as they should be challenging for a playoff spot with the talent that they have.
