Four Pacers Who Are Most Likely Not Returning Next Season
The Indiana Pacers season ended with a disappointing blowout loss to the Washington Wizards led by Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal in the Play-In Tournament. Following the loss many questions were raised about the Pacers future such as, Can the front-court duo of Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner work out? Is Nate Bjorkgren the right coach for the Pacers? The answer to that question is no.
Myles Turner
Myles Turner has been a franchise cornerstone ever since he was drafted in 2015 by the Indiana Pacers, but is his time with the franchise coming to an end? Turner had an injury riddled year which doesn’t help his case in the slightest. In the 2020–21 season Turner averaged 12.6 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 47.7% percent from the floor while also shooting 33.5% from three. The Pacers toyed around with the idea of trading Turner last off-season when they engaged in trade talks with the Boston Celtics, inquiring about Gordon Hayward, but the Charlotte Hornets finalized a sign and trade for Hayward before Indiana could come to an agreement. There have been teams calling all season for a potential deal surrounding Turner and those calls will continue throughout the off-season.
Aaron Holiday
Aaron Holiday has not lived up to his first round potential, but part of that is contributed to poor coaching and Holiday not fitting in the system. Holiday’s brother is also on the Pacers, Justin Holiday. Aaron Holiday was banished to the end of the bench this season even in an injury riddled season for the blue and gold which is a concern for the young guard. Holiday is a young guard who can shoot threes which gives him value, however Holiday may need to be packaged with another player or trade him for a late first round pick or a second round pick straight up. Holiday averaged 7.2 points per game and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 39% from the floor and 36.8% from downtown this season.
T.J. Warren
T.J. Warren was unfortunately sidelined for most of this season with a broken left navicular bone in his left foot. Warren had missed the preseason with plantar fasciitis, having two foot injuries and the 2021 NBA Draft class is filled with elite scorers on the wing it may be time to move on from the 27 year old forward. Warren had supposedly said he wanted a trade after the Pacers hired Bjorkgren who had previously had been an assistant coach in Phoenix when Warren played there, however he took to Twitter to deny those rumors. Warren had a great time in bubble as he was crowned “Bubble Jordan” and was named to the All Bubble First Team. The only concern for Warren is the injuries and the rumors about him wanting out of Indiana. In the four games Warren appeared in this season he averaged 15.5 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 52.9% from the floor, 0% from three on an average of two per game and 80.0% from the foul-line.
Jeremy Lamb
Jeremy Lamb is another player with injury concerns as he tore his ACL in the 2019–20 NBA season which kept him out of the NBA Bubble and part of the 2020–21 NBA season. Jeremy Lamb re-aggravated his knee when he bumped against an opposing New York Knick and it kept him out off and on for the rest of the season. Lamb was solid when he was on the court however. Lamb signed with Indiana in the 2019 off-season after Charlotte decided not to bring him back. Lamb appeared in 36 games and averaged 10.1 points per game and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 43.5% from the floor and 40.6% from beyond the arc.
