NBA Free Agency 2017: 5 offseason needs for the Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers were eliminated in the first round of the NBA Playoffs for the second consecutive season and Larry Bird has resigned his position with the team. How do they get right this summer?

Following Indiana’s Game 4 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, fans were curious to know the future of the team. A sweep was not what this win-now squad was built for and speculation surrounds forward Paul George heading into the summer. George could opt out of his contract at the end of next season and could force Indiana’s hand with a trade request. Larry Bird stepped down as President of the Pacers. Could new leadership guide Indiana to the promise land?

If Indiana wants to overcome its big brother in the Central Division, building for the long run would be a place to start. Cleveland outperformed the Pacers on every level. A full transformation will not occur overnight, but making better use of their cap sheet is a beginning. From here on, Kevin Pritchard will have the opportunity of calling some of the shots.

Here are the five biggest needs for Indiana this summer.

5. Be active in free agency market

If Indiana wants to sell George on staying they need to convince him they can win now, which means adding free agents who are ready to contribute. However, Indiana has not ever been a contender in terms of the big names. Yes, Indianapolis is not the most star-studded city in the United States, but its basketball roots run deep.

Indiana won’t have much in the way of cap space if they choose to re-sign point guard Jeff Teague but they could pass on him to make a run at someone like Gordon Hayward or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. They could also bring Teague back and focus on landing value with smaller deals, getting skilled players to round out the supporting cast. Indiana’s track record with free agents has not been good but they need a few wins this summer.