Previous team recaps: DET, WAS, POR, CHA, SAS, TOR, MEM, UTA, BKN, ATL, CHI, HOU, SAC, GSW, MIA, PHI, ORL, LAL
At a glance:
Record: 47-35 (6th, East)
Offensive Rating: 120.5 (2nd)
Defensive Rating: 117.6 (24th)
Net Rating: 2.9 (10th)
Pace: 102.1 (2nd)
2024 NBA Draft Picks: 36, 49, 50
After three straight seasons without a playoff appearance, the Pacers made a tremendous postseason run, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a decade. Indiana last made the Conference Finals in 2013-14 when they went in back-to-back campaigns, and the Paul-George-led squad lost to the Miami Heat’s Big 3.
This new-look Pacers squad is one of the youngest in the Association, and the team’s fast-paced offense also makes it one of the most exciting. The future looks bright for Indiana on the court, and fantasy managers should be optimistic about drafting Pacers players moving forward.
Fantasy Standout: Tyrese Haliburton
Hali finished as the ninth-ranked player on a per-game basis for the second straight season, showing off his efficient scoring, strong three-point shooting and elite playmaking abilities. It was a monster season for the new “Point God,” though the campaign was a tale of two halves.
Haliburton started the season on a tear, and he ranked 5th in per-game fantasy value until January 8 before sustaining a hamstring injury. He averaged 23.6 points, 12.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 0.7 blocks and 3.4 triples while shooting 49.7/86.8/40.3 splits in that span. Over the next three weeks, Hali appeared in just one game, and his production fell off considerably when he returned on January 30.
He ranked 27th after the injury, averaging just 16.8 points, 9.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks and 2.3 triples with 45.5/84.3/32.4 shooting splits. Those would have been solid numbers for most other players, but based on his top-5 ADP and his elite performance pre-injury, his finish was quite a letdown.
Tyrese Haliburton is the 3rd player in @NBA history to have 20+ points and 20+ assists in back-to-back games 😤
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) December 31, 2023
he had 22 points and 23 assists tonight.#NBAAllStar | https://t.co/T6jmxAY3iX pic.twitter.com/sRuCm2VCxx
Haliburton posted back-to-back 20/20 games on December 28 and December 30 and dished a career-high 23 assists on December 30 against the Knicks. He averaged 20/10 for the second straight season, and he’s clearly established himself as a top-10 fantasy option for many years to come. Expect him to go in the top 5 in some 2024-25 fantasy drafts.
Fantasy Revelation: Andrew Nembhard
Finding a fantasy revelation on this team was a bit of a stretch, but Nembhard’s postseason performance is about as close as we can get! He ranked just inside the top 200 in per-game fantasy value and had some quality games while Tyrese Haliburton was on the sidelines in January. For the most part, he wasn’t worth rostering outside of deep leagues. He averaged just 9.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 triples across 25.0 minutes per tilt. His playing time fell from 27.7 minutes as a rookie, but his per-36 production was nearly identical. Notably, Nembhard improved his shooting percentages to 49.8% from the floor and 80.4% from the charity stripe.
ANDREW NEMBHARD MY GOODNESS
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 11, 2024
pic.twitter.com/bql4iWAtwy
Nembhard’s production improved in the playoffs when he averaged 14.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.7 triples while shooting 56.0% from the field. He finished the Pacers’ postseason run with seven straight double-digit scoring efforts, including two monster showings in Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals in which he averaged 28/5/9.5 with 3.5 triples with Tyrese Haliburton on the sidelines.
Fantasy managers can take a chance on him in the later rounds of fantasy drafts with the hope that he takes the next step forward in Year 3.
Fantasy Disappointment: Pascal Siakam
Fantasy managers who wanted Spicy P on their 2023-24 fantasy basketball teams had to pay a top-30 ADP to acquire him on draft day. Unfortunately, instead of bringing the heat, his performance was mild. Like Ned Flanders at a chili cookoff, he was “only two alarm. Two and a half tops.”
Siakam averaged 21.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.3 blocks and 1.1 triples. Those numbers were enough for a top-80 finish, but Siakam hardly lived up to his third-round billing. A big part of the problem was playing time, as his minutes plummeted from 37.4 to 33.2, and he filled a new role with the Pacers after getting dealt to Indiana mid-season.
Siakam’s fantasy value was nearly identical for both Toronto and Indiana. He was fantasy’s 79th-ranked player before the trade and 77th after the trade. Indiana is a much deeper team than Toronto, and Siakam won’t get the monster minutes that Nick Nurse gave him when he was coaching the Raptors. Siakam’s ADP should rise to the middle rounds of fantasy drafts based on his 2023-24 performance and projected usage moving forward. Siakam is an unrestricted free agent this summer, but he’s fully expected to remain with Indiana and get a new deal done.
Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads
Myles Turner: Turner finished the season ranked just outside the top 50 in per-game fantasy hoops value after offering top-25 production in each of the last three seasons. He traded per-game excellence for availability and appeared in 77 games, his most since the 2016-17 campaign. As a result, Turner was fantasy’s 22nd ranked player in total value, which was his best finish in five seasons and third-best of his career.
The big man’s minutes took a hit on this loaded roster, and his 27.0 minutes were the lowest since his rookie season. Turner averaged 17.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.5 triples and once again got the most fantasy value from his shot-blocking ability. The blocks were the third-lowest of his career, accounting for the dropoff in per-game value.
Myles Turner became the franchise’s all-time leader in blocks this season, passing Jermaine O’Neal ✋
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 2, 2024
he has 1,268 career blocks. pic.twitter.com/YJjulUF8OA
Turner may not have been a second-rounder, but he was a top-60 option for the eighth straight season. His ability to block shots and hit triples gives him a mid-round floor with early-round upside. He’ll be worth a look in Rounds 4-6 of 2024-25 fantasy drafts.
Bennedict Mathurin: Unfortunately, Mathurin’s second season ended early. He last played on March 5 and underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. Mathurin logged 78 games as a rookie but just 59 in Year 2.
His playing time dipped from 28.5 minutes to 26.1 and his scoring took a small step back. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.4 triples while shooting 44.6% from the floor and 82.1% from the charity stripe.
Mathurin is a masterful scorer, but there is little else to his game, and fantasy managers shouldn’t count on well-rounded production. He finished outside the top 200 in per-game value in each of his first two seasons, and unless he adds playmaking or defense to his repetoire, he won’t be worth rostering in category leagues in 2024-25. Mathurin is far more valuable in points leagues.
Obi Toppin: Toppin averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.6 steals across 21.1 minutes, while shooting 57.3% from the floor in his first season with the Pacers. Those were all career highs for the fourth-year man, though he finished outside the top 150 in per-game fantasy hoops value. Toppin made a splash over the summer while catching lobs from Tyrese Haliburton, but Toppin’s athleticism and highlight plays didn’t endear him to fantasy managers.
OBI TOPPIN EASTBAY 🔥 (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/gEMPmt3HTC
— Overtime (@overtime) May 7, 2024
He filled a key rotational role off the bench for the uptempo Pacers as a microwave scorer and fastbreak specialist, but he wasn’t particularly effective in any category and was only worth rostering in deeper leagues. He has a similar outlook for next season, assuming Indiana retains him in free agency.
Aaron Nesmith: Just like Toppin, Nesmith enjoyed the best season of his career, finishing with a per-game rank of 118 behind averages of 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.7 blocks, 1.9 triples, 27.7 minutes and 49.6% shooting. He showed off his well-rounded abilities and set a new career high in points when he dropped 26 twice. Nesmith’s fantasy ranking is a bit deceptive. While he didn’t hurt fantasy managers tremendously in any categories, he wasn’t elite in any categories either. He’s worth a look in deeper category leagues, but he doesn’t need to be drafted in 12-team leagues in 2024-25.
T.J. McConnell: McConnell finished outside the top 150 in per-game fantasy hoops value with limited minutes, and he’s typically a solid end-of-roster guy for managers in deeper leagues. McConnell provides elite production in assists and steals on a per-minute basis, and he’s always a strong play when Tyrese Haliburton is forced to miss time. Consider him as a glue guy at the end of drafts in 14-team leagues or deeper.
Restricted Free Agents: Isaiah Wong, Oscar Tshiebwe, Quenton Jackson, Obi Toppin
Unrestricted Free Agents: Pascal Siakam, Doug McDermott, Kendall Brown, James Johnson
Player Option: Jalen Smith
