The Pacers being this bad isn't the worst thing

The future may be brighter because of all the setbacks

Jan 16, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) in the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers are a little over halfway through their schedule for the season and things have not exactly gone to plan. After Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in last year’s NBA Finals and losing Myles Turner in free agency, it was clear they would not be as good, but many expected them to still be competitive.

ESPN writer and podcaster Kevin Pelton has graded every teams season through the midway point and he has given the Pacers a grade of C-. Here is the what he had to say for the basis of the grade:

“No team might fall short of its preseason line more than the Pacers, who were still expected to contend for a play-in spot entering the season after losing Tyrese Haliburton to an Achilles rupture and Myles Turner in free agency. Certainly, that doesn't reflect well on Indiana's holdover players, with recent first-round picks Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker struggling to step into larger roles. However, the cascade of early Pacers injuries -- with starters Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith missing extended stretches, and key reserve Obi Toppin lost for the season -- quickly shifted focus to adding a lottery pick to the mix. Indiana looks headed for one of the NBA's worst records without getting blown out as frequently as the league's rebuilding teams.”

To Pelton’s point about Indiana falling short of their preseason win total, the preseason projections had them at 38.5 projected wins, but just halfway through the year the Pacers have just 10 wins. Because of this, their win projections have now fallen to a measly 22.9 wins. That obviously is a long way away from the 38.5 that were expected.

What is next?

Jan 17, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) looks on in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

For the Pacers it honestly is not the worst thing for them to be so bad this season. They had no reasonable chance to win the NBA title without Haliburton. This way they will get a high draft pick in an absolutely loaded draft class. This pick will allow them to get another player with star potential to add to their core.

The best thing for the Pacers to do for the rest of the season is to keep doing what they are doing. I do not believe they need to make any big moves in acquiring other players nor trading anyone away. This will not be the year fans remember after having a run to the NBA Finals, but if things go their way in the lottery, then it could be the start of an Eastern Conference dynasty.