Pacers GM Says Off-Season Plan Is to Build Immediate Title Contender
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INDIANAPOLIS — With the trade deadline behind them and a new starting center in place, the Indiana Pacers are already mapping out an aggressive summer aimed at transforming the club into a championship threat next season, general manager Chad Buchanan said in an interview with Forbes contributor Tony East.
Buchanan, speaking shortly after the February deadline, acknowledged Indiana’s current position in the draft lottery and quipped that he “would like a top-four pick.” Behind the humor, however, the executive made it clear the final two months of the regular season will serve as an extended tryout before larger roster moves are made.
“Depending on if we have the pick or don’t have the pick determines some of what we do roster-wise, what we have flexibility-wise with the cap,” Buchanan told East. “But we’re going to be aggressive to try to put ourselves in a position to compete and contend for a championship next year.”
The Zubac acquisition
Indiana’s first major step came at the deadline when the club landed veteran center Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers. The Pacers sent a protected 2026 first-round pick that could convey if it falls between Nos. 5 and 9.
After losing longtime anchor Myles Turner in free agency last summer, Indiana cycled through multiple options in the middle without finding a full-time solution. Buchanan said the front office prioritized a center who fit the roster’s age curve, production needs and locker-room culture, and Zubac quickly became the preferred target.
“You never know if you wait, is the opportunity still there?” Buchanan said, noting the possibility of heavier competition in July. “We wanted to be in the race, not standing on the sidelines watching.”
The price, Buchanan admitted, caused “a little pain on both sides,” but he insisted the move aligns with the organization’s timeline: evaluate now, then accelerate once the off-season window opens.
Indiana will use the remainder of the schedule to assess its young core, monitor the draft lottery and gauge cap flexibility. From there, Buchanan said, every option is on the table as the franchise attempts to vault back into the Eastern Conference elite as early as 2024-25.
Source: Hoops Wire
