The Indiana Pacers know they’ll have an uphill battle without Paul George this season, but it’s a challenge they’re going to have to deal with. Assuming they get out of the starting gate without stumbling, it’s very possible the front office will keep the team intact and attempt to play for a playoff spot.
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If the Pacers trip and struggle to pile up the wins, things aren’t going to be good. In fact, Basketball Insiders says ‘significant trades’ are likely if the Indiana Pacers look like they’ll be headed for the NBA’s draft lottery.
"The prevailing thought on the Pacers is that they will open camp and make a go of it and see what they have. If the team starts to fall off, then changes and significant trades are likely."
The scary thing for the Indiana Pacers here is the eventual return of Paul George. Will he still be the same player that he was? Or will the injury have done damage to his game? The hope and belief is that he’ll perform as if he hasn’t missed a beat, though nobody really knows.
Considering that, the Pacers obviously don’t want to be stuck with the contracts of Roy Hibbert and David West, especially if they need to re-tool their roster. Add in their trade value could go down, the Indiana Pacers would likely need to strike while the iron is hot regarding potential trades.
Of course, this isn’t to say the Pacers are facing a complete fire sale situation, though moving some major franchise altering moves isn’t out of the question if the team can’t get on the right track.