With 47 victories in the regular season and a final in the first NBA tournament, the Pacers had already had a good year, given the results of recent years. Then with this qualification for the Eastern Conference final, they completely exploded their ceiling since they had not played at this level since 2014. We also had to go back to that year to see them pass a simple round of playoffs…
This shows if this season is a success. “Before the season started, our goal was to be in the conference finals within three years. We did it from the first year”, notes the GM of the franchiseChad Buchanan. “We're a little early, but it's a good situation. To achieve this is truly remarkable. »
How can we capitalize on this journey in the future, and thus avoid this 2024 conference final being just a flash in the pan? By keeping this group intact explains the manager, who already wants to extend Pascal Siakam, who changed the face of the team after his arrival in January.
“It’s a path that we are studying closely”explains Chad Buchanan on the continuity map. “We must always look at the market: can one or more available players suit our team? We are enthusiastic about our core. It's a balance to find and there are a lot of discussions and debates. Maybe nothing will work and that's fine with us. We really like our team. If we come back with the same group next year, we will already have a lot of potential. »
An experience that will help the group grow
As Tyrese Haliburton was injured in the playoffs and Pascal Siakam only played four months with this group, the Pacers actually have an interesting margin for improvement.
“Some of our players can improve. We saw it this season, several having reached milestones, and others who have room for improvement,” continues the GM. “In addition, having experiences like the one we have just gone through in recent weeks will help us to be even more united. »
In addition to the former Raptors, the Pacers will have two players to extend if they want to keep their hard core: Obi Toppin (26 years old), who is free, and TJ McConnell, whose next season is not completely guaranteed.
“I think Obi had a superb year. He has really exploded this season. We thought he would be good on a fast-playing team, and that's exactly what happened. We would like to continue this relationship,” assures Chad Buchanan on the first, before talking about the second (32 years old). “He shows no signs of weakness or slowing down. His value is very, very high and we hope to have him with us for a long time. »
