Overhaul ignited Pacers’ playoff push
INDIANAPOLIS – The Pacers have managed to complete a near-total roster overhaul and turn a 25-57 team into not only a playoff squad, but one that is entering the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics after defeating the New York Knicks in a sevengame series.
Just three players who were part of the organization on Feb. 6, 2022, are on the current roster – centers Myles Turner and Isaiah Jackson, and point guard T.J. McConnell – and all three were inactive for the Pacers' loss to Cleveland that night. The starting five – guards Justin Holiday, Chris Duarte and Keifer Sykes, forward Torrey Craig and center Domantas Sabonis – have all been gone since at least July. Same goes for the bench.
In their place is a roster that led the NBA in scoring this season but also bench scoring, as the Pacers not only built a starting five good enough to contend, but depth that is the envy of most of the league.
The Pacers' personnel brain trust – led by president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard and general manager Chad Buchanan – constructed this team with moves shrewd and bold, with headline grabbing deals and others that barely made a splash, creating a group with talent and chemistry.
“Kevin and Chad have done a great job of not only collecting a group of young talented players but great people,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said.
What follows is a timeline of how the Pacers built this roster.
h June 25, 2015: When the Pacers drafted Turner at No. 11 overall, Frank Vogel was still the coach and Larry Bird was still making the executive decisions.
At age 28, he's already the Pacers' alltime leading shot blocker, and his ability to score at all three levels makes him a perfect ball screen partner with Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
h July 29, 2019: The Pacers originally signed McConnell away from the 76ers for two years and a total of $7 million. The undrafted McConnell carved out a role as a defensive pest, paint attacker and offensive distributor, but his career has taken an additional ascension in Years 8 and 9 under Carlisle.
h July 29, 2021: The Pacers had a lottery pick in the 2021 draft at No. 13 and used it on guard Chris Duarte. They acquired another first-rounder through a five-way trade that cost them Aaron Holiday and the No. 31 pick in the draft to move up to No. 22 to take then Jackson from Kentucky.
Jackson's athleticism and activity have paid off with lob dunks, blocked shots and rebounds, which is why he's getting rotation minutes in the playoffs.
h Feb. 7, 2022: Trading Caris LeVert was the first sign the Pacers were bought in for a true rebuild. He had been the headline acquisition for the Pacers in the January, 2021 four-team deal that sent Victor Oladipo to the Rockets. The Pacers got Ricky Rubio in the deal, but Rubio had suffered a season-ending torn ACL in December and his contract expired in July.
However, the Pacers got from the Cavaliers a 2022 second-round pick and 2023 first-round pick as well as a 2027 second-round pick. The first two choices turned into players the Pacers now have in their playoff rotation.
h Feb. 8, 2022: The Pacers had two young talented big men stepping on each other's toes in Turner and All-Star Domantas Sabonis.
The Kings had two talented young lead guards in De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton.
The Pacers sent Sabonis along with Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb and a second-round draft pick. They got Haliburton along with sharpshooter Buddy Hield and veteran big man Tristan Thompson, who played in just four games.
h Feb. 10, 2022: The Phoenix Suns were in need of a two-way wing for their postseason push in 2022 when they had the best record in the NBA. They were willing to part with a young talented big man with outside shooting ability in Jalen Smith for Torrey Craig.
Smith struggled down the stretch in the regular season and has been used sparingly in the playoffs.
h June 23, 2022: The Pacers' brutal finish allowed them to pick in the top nine of the draft for the first time since 1989. They used the No. 6 pick overall on Bennedict Mathurin, an explosive shooting guard from Arizona.
Mathurin's second year showed some growing pains, but he still averaged 14.5 points per game before a torn labrum suffered March 5 in a game against the Mavericks ended his season.
Andrew Nembhard, selected No. 31 overall with the pick the Pacers acquired from the Cavaliers in the LeVert trade, was a point guard at Gonzaga, but the Pacers moved him off the ball to get him in the starting lineup with Haliburton.
He's become one of the Pacers top two perimeter defenders and his 30foot 3-pointer in Game 3 against the Knicks turned the tide in this series.
h July 1, 2022: The acquisition of Haliburton made veteran Malcolm Brogdon a little redundant as a lead guard and it made little sense to continue paying him over $20 million per year if they were going to give Haliburton the keys.
They found a taker in the Celtics, who gave the Pacers a veteran backup center in Daniel Theis, a veteran shooter in Nik Stauskas as well as Juwan Morgan, Malik Fitts and Aaron Nesmith. A 2023 first-round pick was also part of the deal.
Nesmith has become a foundational piece. His playing time was limited in Boston behind All-NBA wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown among others, but he got an immediate opportunity to play with the Pacers and ran with it.
h June 22, 2023: A 35-47 record in 2022-23 still allowed the Pacers to pick in the top 10 for a second straight year. They traded the No. 7 pick to the Wizards for the No. 8 pick at the last second because they knew Washington wanted Bilal Coulibaly.
Jarace Walker was the player the Pacers wanted all along.
The Pacers selected Ben Sheppard No. 26 overall with the second pick the Pacers got from the Cavaliers in the LeVert trade. Playing time came to him slowly, but Mathurin's injury and the trade of Buddy Hield opened up minutes at the wing and his combination of sturdy defense and timely shooting made him a staple of the second unit.
h July 1, 2023: Instead of signing a power forward in free agency, the Pacers got one cheaper by way of trade. They had interest in acquiring Obi Toppin from the Knicks at the trade deadline but it didn't quite work out at the time.
The Knicks seemed more ready to part with him, however, after he'd clashed with coach Tom Thibodeau over playing time in their Eastern Conference semifinal loss to the Heat. It only cost the Pacers their second-round picks in 2028 and 2029.
h Jan. 17: The Pacers were first mentioned in talks about acquiring Pascal Siakam as far back as July of 2023 and negotiations intensified in January until they finally made the deal to get the two-time All-NBA power forward with a 2018-19 championship ring on his finger.
The trade cost the Pacers Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, two first-round picks in 2024 and another in 2026.