I Want to Care About My Pacers Again and Vice Versa

With the NBA season nearing its end, Pacer’s fans around the league can chalk up another tally under the “mediocre and underwhelming” season category. That is, if they are still paying attention.

The Pacers will end the 20-21 season below .500, fighting for any chance at a playoff berth. This comes after finishing either fourth or fifth in the Eastern Conference the last four seasons, with records well above .500.

Now I know what you're thinking, one season, that’s no reason to sound the alarms. Au contraire, my reader. This season is merely the dramatic series of unfortunate straws that broke the camel’s back.

For the last several years, you can basically expect the following from the Pacers.

1. The starting five will consist of 3-4 players that, at their peaks, should hover right around that “All-Star/Just Missed Out” category. Typically, one of these players breaks into the All-Star game as a reserve. Domantas Sabonis is our current back to back All-Star. Proponents (or fanatics) of Caris Levert, Myles Turner, Malcolm Brogdon, and (the now Miami Heat) Victor Oladipo will tell you all of the reasons why these guys should claim that honor as well.

2. A couple of major injuries to a key starter and at least one role guy.

3. A coach with just enough pedigree or experience to justify his hiring, but not really enough pixie dust to elevate us from the middle of the pack.

4. A handful of late game blown leads, giving away 8-12 games over the course of the season.

What has been less predictable from game to game and season to season is effort, defensive prowess, and overall identity. You see with each new coach and off-season tinker, the Pacers have tried to change their brand of basketball. A team that used to be known by, “Blue Collar, Gold Swagger” currently resembles neither. Night in and night out I watch as they take defensive possessions off, then come up with crazy steals and stops. I see them shoot lights out from three, and then feed the ball into the post. There is no identity and no guidance.

More recently, I see them fighting on the sidelines. I see discouraged and disgruntled coaches. And, even though they can blame it on COVID-19, I see lots of empty seats. As someone who was an avid fan before the pandemic, I can attest, these vacancies are not all new.

Again, this may sound harsh. And to be fair to the team, they have been dealt awful injury luck the last two seasons. On top of that, Nate Bjorkgren is a first year head coach, and no matter how smart or prepared you are on paper, there are some endeavors where experience really is the best teacher. But you have to understand my candor comes from a place of love. Being worked up about this sad excuse for a Pacers team is really the only way I can make myself care about them right now.

And that’s dangerous territory. The Pacers are a small market team, in a state known for basketball, with only 1 (maybe 2) major market sports competitors in the Colts, and yet, they’re uninteresting and uninspiring to watch. If they can’t keep their fans interested, they are in for a world of hurt. And it pains me to say this, but interest is fading.

It could be the consistent 40-win seasons that end in an early playoff exit. It could be drafting around the 20s, when all the exciting prospects are gone. It could be the realization that we aren’t a super team and therefore our losing fate is predetermined. It could also be the bombardment of bad stories coming out of the Pacers camp that just give you compassion fatigue. You know like how after about a month of all the COVID-19 headlines, you lost interest in reading the news. That’s kind of how it is with the Pacers right now. “Oh another blown lead,” or “Another injury for this already depleted Pacers team.”

You get the point.

But you see, like death and taxes, you can count on sports fans for two more things; irrational support of their team, and all the answers when things go wrong. That’s where I come in. Even as the Pacers are putting part one to the test, rest assured, I have the answers. We just need to hire a new coach.

Just kidding, that won’t fix all of our issues, but I truly believe it is a great place to start. We can build our team with a real identity, and get fans interested with someone marketable and exciting. So without further ado, the top interview candidates for the soon-to-be-vacant head coaching position with the Indiana Pacers.

The “Good Story, Bad Decision” Option:

Reggie Miller

NBA and Pacers’ fans alike know just how good Reggie was on the court. He consistently delivered and packed the house for a glimpse of “Miller Time.” Since his retirement, Reggie has been spending time on set with TNT calling play-by-play for the last 15+ years. Does it make sense to interview him?

Why:

• The hometown player coming back to save his franchise is a good story line.

• The fans would come out from all the nooks and crannies to see how it works out.

• Tons of marketing potential

Why not to:

• With all due respect to Reggie the player, Reggie the commentator seems far from the basketball guru, man-managing, analytics genius every front office is looking for these days.

• He has no coaching experience.

• It could sour his Pacers legacy.

• He would cost an arm and a leg to get back to Indy and out of Media.

The “More you think about it, the more it makes sense?” Option:

Brad Stevens

Hoosiers have been all over this story one way or another since Archie Miller was fired down in B-Town. Brad Stevens is coming home to coach in the state where he grew up, the state where his real passion and knowledge for the game exploded. Back to the state where, in back to back NCAA Finals runs, he set the nation alight and carved out a sliver of history.

Why:

• It’s no secret the Celtics have underachieved this season, and with all the talent on that roster, they will certainly be looking to change something this offseason.

• Like Reggie, the fans would come out from all the nooks and crannies to see what’s going on and there’s tons of marketing potential.

• Stevens is a proven NBA Head Coach, and his teams are known for their stout defense, free flowing offense, and impeccable “After Timeout Plays,” all things the Pacer’s currently need.

• His teams also began with rosters similar to the Pacers’ right now, with no main superstar, but a quality collection of talent, hustle and savvy.

Why not to:

• Boston will still feel hesitant to get rid of Stevens, even with the season they are having. His stock is too valuable.

• If he were to become available, over half the league would come calling for his services.

• He made it out of Indiana, maybe he wants to keep it that way.

The “Could be the start of something special” Option:

Becky Hammon

Since joining the Spurs coaching staff in 2014, she has continued to show her merit as a coach in spite of paving the way as a woman in men’s sports. She became the second ever woman assistant in the NBA, and the first full-time assistant. In addition she became the first woman to coach in the NBA Summer League. Most recently, after the great Greg Popovich was ejected from a game in 2020, she became the first woman acting head coach in NBA history. Perhaps more important than the noteworthy firsts that come with blazing a trail, Hammon’s qualifications and resume speak for themselves. Whether it’s San Antonio, Indiana, or elsewhere, you can expect Hammon to find success in her head coaching endeavors.

Why:

• After a long stint in San Antonio on the sidelines, Hammon may feel ready for the next step in her coaching progression.

• She is renowned for her basketball IQ, work ethic, and coaching characteristics across the biggest names in the league.

• Everyone wants to know the secret sauce in San Antonio, kind of like everyone in the NFL wants whatever the Patriots have. Getting someone from the Popovich family tree is always a plus.

• During her time as head coach in the Summer League, the Spurs won the title.

• It would likely play well with the Fever fan base, familiar with Hammon from her time in the WNBA.

• It would also drum up excitement and storylines with fans and media alike.

Why not to:

• The worst part about all the positives with Hammon is that they make her a hot commodity in a competitive market, and getting her to Indy is likely a tall task.

• In addition Pop isn’t getting any younger, and the Spurs likely see Hammon as his natural replacement. Her main competitor is likely Tim Duncan. Either way they won’t want to see her go.

• Regardless of right or wrong, the reality is if Hammon goes to the mediocre/downward trending Pacers, and fails to make a sizable impact right away, it could add a fresh layer of brick and mortar to the barriers women employees face in the NBA. Even if the Pacers have obvious bigger structural flaws.

The “Best available resume” Option:

Mike D’Antoni

Despite his high octane offensive juggernauts in Phoenix and Houston, Mike D’Antoni has yet to grasp the elusive NBA Title that would surely cement him as one of the best basketball thinkers in NBA history. If he were able to claim one this season as the Brooklyn Nets head assistant, he may get the itch to take the helm again.

Why:

• You are practically guaranteed a top offense in the league. It’s good for your record and fun for the fans.

• D’Antoni brings a wealth of NBA experience (2x coach of the year), and has proven time and again, he is not afraid to think outside of the box.

• D’Antoni is hungry to win a title in the NBA and likely still has the fire to give it another shot or two.

Why not to:

• D’Antoni is accustomed to bigger markets, like NY, LA, and H-Town. Indy just doesn't have the same gravitas.

• The Pacers still would likely struggle on the defensive side of the court, which matters in the playoffs and is the blue collar aspect that resonates with big portions of the fanbase.

• As we have seen, despite his creative thinking, he still hasn’t reached the top of the mountain, and if he couldn’t do it with the loaded Suns or Rockets teams he had, why would the Pacers be any different.

The “Who I think we will get” Option:

Mark Jackson

Similar to Reggie, Mark Jackson holds a special spot in the memory of Pacers fans. His skill and toughness at the point guard position was a large part of the Pacers’ contention in the early 90s. He too, now spends his time calling games with ABC/ESPN. Jackson’s only coaching experience came with the Golden State Warriors from 2011-2014.

Why:

• Mark Jackson has ties to the Pacers that make sense.

• He brings toughness and blue collar qualities back to the organization.

• During his coaching stint with GSW, he accrued an overall winning record, and led the team to steady growth each season, including back to back playoff appearances. Some credit him with setting the groundwork for the dynasty Steve Kerr later fulfilled.

Why not to:

• Getting someone from the media is always tricky and often costly.

• Some will suggest that much of his success with GSW can be attributed to the players he had, and that he actually under achieved.

• Jackson could be another one of those coaches that does just well enough to keep us around a 4 or 5 seed, but just doesn’t quite have wh

at it takes to get the Pacers over the hump. History suggests this is a fitting Pacers’ hire.

So if I had my druthers, I’d like to have Stevens or Hammon, although I’d get excited about Jackson too. What it really boils down to though, is I want to have something to care about and root for. I want a team that plays hard and that I can be proud of. In an era with super teams and generational talents, it almost certainly won’t be the Pacers cutting down the nets any time soon. So I just want a team that I appreciate for trying their hardest, playing smart, and getting the most out of themselves and each other. I don’t even need the Gold Swagger, just give me back the Blue Collar.