The Indiana Pacers looked far ahead of schedule last season.
They flirted with the Play-in Tournament and playoff contention for as long as Tyrese Haliburton was healthy, and he looks like one of the next stars in the league.
They added a veteran with championship-caliber experience in Bruce Brown Jr., and another talented young man in Obi Toppin in the offseason.
That’s why coach Rick Carlisle wanted to compare their current situation with the Denver Nuggets.
In an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio, the veteran coach explained that they have now put themselves in a position to be in the mix for star players should they become available, as they have added plenty of assets to their draft repertoire, not to mention their young players.
The future is bright for the @Pacers!
Hear their Head Coach Rick Carlisle tell @Mark_J_Boyle why they’re ready to compete now with an eye on adding talent in the future@SiriusXMSports
Catch the Pacers Season Preview here: https://t.co/XWDtRPGPGX pic.twitter.com/6ID5Op3aYd
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) October 18, 2023
He believes the time will come when they’ll have to make decisions regarding which young players to pay and which to not, but he doesn’t think the front office is going to rush to make any of those decisions.
He stated that the Nuggets’ championship was a slow build, with them climbing slowly but steadily, and they’re now aiming to do something similar.
Nonetheless, he can’t rule out the possibility of making a big move or trying to swing for the fences if the opportunity to land a star player presents itself.
At the end of the day, this Pacers team should be one of the most entertaining to watch, and it shouldn’t take long before we see them right back in postseason contention, especially if Haliburton continues his rapid development.
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