Indiana Pacers President Kevin Pritchard on where his team sits in the East: 'I think we stack up against anybody'

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers offseason has gone largely as expected. They kept Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin, they swapped James Wiseman in for a departing Jalen Smith, and they drafted Johnny Furphy early in the second round to add youth to their roster. So far, they have stuck to the plan after an Eastern Conference Finals run.

That is a smart strategy, given the age of the Pacers roster and core pieces. A majority of the team was on their rookie contract last season, yet the blue and gold were still among the last four teams alive in the postseason. That's the type of roster that can get better via internal development.

President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard shared that continuity was a part of Indiana's plan this summer as a result. They can grow organically. Where exactly that puts the Pacers in the Eastern Conference ahead of the 2024-25 season is a bigger question now, though.

The Boston Celtics won the title and kept their group together. The second-seeded New York Knicks added Mikal Bridges and the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers brought in Paul George, among other pieces. The Orlando Magic and Milwakuee Bucks added talent to their team. The top of the East got stronger.

Indiana thinks they can keep up, and Pritchard explained why earlier this week while speaking at a press conference to announce the re-signing of forward Pascal Siakam. "I think there were teams that made some movement and got better. But there comes a time where you try to balance bringing in new guys with the ability to have some continuity. And I felt like we've changed this team over so much in two years. We need some continuity. We need a camp with Pascal and [Tyrese Haliburton] and Myles [Turner] and T.J. [McConnell] and everybody even more to get used to each other and get comfortable with our style. Because [head coach Rick Carlisle] puts in a unique style, and it's a lot of fun to play," Pritchard began while discussing the East. His team finished sixth during the regular season last year before winning two playoff rounds.

"But I also look at it a little differently. [Bennedict] Mathurin was injured during the playoffs, and so we get to add him. And Jarace [Walker] has had an incredible offseason, we have high hopes for Jarace to come in. So there is some more organic growth left," Pritchard continued. "But we're all still a very young team. And if everybody gets a little better, I think we stack up against anybody."

That's a reasonable bet for the blue and gold. They currently have 10 players under contract for next season who are 25 or younger, meaning there is natural growth coming for some — or all — of those players.

The Pacers finished with 47 wins last season. They were just one victory away from a top-four seed and three away from the second overall spot in the East. They are right in the mix when it comes to the playoff squads in the conference, but internal growth will be necessary to separate themselves from other talented units.

"The league gets better every year," Pritchard said. "I think by retaining our top free agents, adding [Bennedict Mathurin] and Jarace [Walker] and our youth getting better, we'll be right there. We're not scared of anybody."

Indiana was swept in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but as Pritchard pointed out, they were ahead in the final minutes on three occasions. They were right there, and with some improvements from the younger players on their roster, the Pacers could stack up favorably in the East next season.