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

By Akash Anavarathan

Dec 30, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) is guarded by Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeated Chicago 111-101. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) is guarded by Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeated Chicago 111-101. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Indiana Pacers are trying to rebuild their franchise, with a potential Paul George departure. Here are five options in free agency to build their team.

Obviously, the biggest question for Kevin Pritchard and the Indiana Pacers is what they will do with their superstar, Paul George. Rumors have been flying about PG13’s future in Indiana, with trade talks with basically every team in the league. George has stated his desire to head west and join the Lakers in 2018, so what are the Pacers waiting for?

Either, they can reload the team for this year to convince Paul George to stay or they can go into a full rebuild this year, by trading George away and building around Myles Turner and T.J. Leaf. We’ll consider free-agent options under the assumption that George will be a Pacer — at least until the trade deadline.

So what’s the story with the Pacers? They added a lot of talent last offseason, yet still found themselves in the same spot, getting bounced out of the first round. They got manhandled in four games by the Cleveland Cavaliers and Paul George was once again eliminated by LeBron James. The Pacers were middle of the pack, ranking 15th and 16th in offensive and defensive rating this past season. President Larry Bird stepped down, before he had to make a decision on George’s future. Kevin Pritchard’s running the show now, so how can the Pacers get better?

Jeff Teague and C.J. Miles are set to be free agents, which could give them enough salary cap space to add a max contract player. But are the Pacers really one player away? Not really, they need to add a bevy of young players that can succeed around PG13.

Here’s a look at five options for Indiana in free agency to make sure that George stays or help stay Indiana afloat in case PG13 departs.

 5. Tim Hardaway Jr.

The Atlanta Hawks are great at producing good wing players that other teams can go ahead and poach in free agency. After starting his career with the New York Knicks, Tim Hardaway Jr. was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a draft day deal.

After a down year in 2015-16, Hardaway Jr. responded with his best season yet. In 79 appearances, including 30 starts, the Hawks’ forward averaged 14.5 points on 45.5 percent shooting from the field. A majority of his shots did come from outside the arc, so Hardaway Jr. has definitely progressed as a shooter.

The former Michigan star is also a good defender, so pairing him with Paul George would give Indiana another player to take the pressure off of George on the defensive end. The best part is that Hardaway Jr. is only 24 years old, meaning he’s got a lot of time to flourish before he hits his physical prime.

The pursuit of Hardaway Jr. is really two-pronged, he would be a good fit alongside George, because you can never have too many wings. Also, it would give the Pacers someone to potentially build around, if PG13 were to be traded.

Can the Pacers make a move on the restricted free agent? I’m sure Atlanta has a price on Hardaway Jr. that they don’t want to exceed, so let’s see if Kevin Pritchard can make it happen.

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