Pacers Media Day Recap
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
A new era has officially arrived for Indiana Pacers basketball. And as we gathered at the Ascension St. Vincent practice facility for Media Day, one thing became abundantly clear: This organization is united in their new direction of long-term thinking.
It may not translate to many wins right away. It may not mean a shot at the playoffs. And it may be frustrating for many fans who have already tried to be patient with this team over the years. But this is not the same-old story. This is an entirely different shift in focus.
“We took a lot of pride in making the playoffs and being competitive every year,” Pacers President of Basketball Operations said on Thursday. “But we got to a point where we felt that wasn’t good enough. It was time to change the direction, and not settle for mediocrity. It’s going to be a process. But I can tell you, from top to bottom, from ownership, to the front office, to the coaching staff, to our players, we are all on the same page and committed to building a winner here.”
Pacers Head Coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t originally brought back to Indiana to lead a rebuild, but he’s ready for the challenge.
“It’s an exciting time for us,” Carlisle said. “A new era of Pacers basketball. A direction of youth. Going all-in on a group of guys who are young, talented, have high character, and tremendous upside. What we’re doing here- we’re resetting the culture, the spirit, and the attitude. I’ve got as talented of a coaching staff as I’ve ever had in the league. I’m not big on predictions or timelines. We’re going to make every day positive. We’re going to have some great wins, and some periods of adversity. But our job is to develop and make improvements every single day.”
Outside of the obvious questions about rebuilding, Myles Turner remained a big storyline for this Pacers squad, amid perennial trade rumors, the Ayton “signing,” and the fact that Turner is entering the final year of his contract. But it was business as usual for Turner and the Pacers.
“Myles is a pro,” said Carlisle. “He’s made it clear to me that he’s excited about being here. He’s excited to play with a pass-first point guard. He’ll be here every day going hard. He sincerely cares about the organization. And I think he covets the opportunity.”
Hear what Myles Turner had to say about the crazy off-season, and his role for the team this season:
Hear from several other players in the videos below:
There’s no guarantee this is a lost season for the Pacers in terms of playoff hopes. Even Kevin Pritchard acknowledged that things can change depending on how quickly players develop. But regardless of the win total this season, it should be a lot more fun for Pacer fans. There’s an actual direction this time, a lot of exciting young players and story-lines to follow, and a lot of cap space, draft capital, and “optionality” as Pritchard put it, moving forward. Get ready- Pacers basketball is back.
I understand the new direction and approach the Pacers are taking. As a die hard fan and former season ticket holder because I move to the west coast it’s the same old song wait until next year then we’ll be contenders and it never happens. My hope is if they see a sparks from these young guys don’t wait until next year to start to refine and contend.