As teams complete their seasons, ESPN Insider's NBA team will take a look at the offseason picture and priorities for all 30 teams. Below, Kevin Pelton offers a snapshot of the Indiana Pacers.
2014-15 record: 38-44
Pythagorean record: 42-40
Offensive rating: 100.8 (24th)
Defensive rating: 100.9 (8th)
Draft picks
Own first-round pick (11th or 12th entering lottery pending coin flip)
Own second-round pick (41st, 42nd or 43rd pending coin flip)
Projected cap space
Maximum: $27.1 million
Minimum: $0
Likely: $0
What's returning
Most of a good perimeter rotation. "Returning" is particularly apt for Paul George, who should be healthy from the start of training camp after missing nearly all of 2014-15 with the fractured fibula and tibia he suffered playing for USA Basketball in the summer of 2014. Given how long he was out, George looked remarkably like himself in his brief April return, an encouraging sign.
In the absence of George and the departed Lance Stephenson, George Hill took on a larger role offensively and demonstrated he can be a creative playmaker when given the opportunity. C.J. Miles and Solomon Hill figure to battle for the starting spot next to George, supplying slightly different skills -- Miles' shooting and ability to make plays coming off curls, Hill's physical defense.
Free agents
Both frontcourt starters, David West and Roy Hibbert, can opt to become free agents this summer. At 34, this might be the last opportunity for the aging West to sign a lucrative contract. Hibbert had another up-and-down season, albeit one with a better finish than his disappointing 2013-14 campaign, and may be better off delaying his free agency for the summer of 2016.
Most of the Indiana bench hits free agency, including Rodney Stuckey, who made the most of a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum. Stuckey was the team's third-leading scorer and probably earned a sizable raise on his next contract. After Stuckey, C.J. Watson and Luis Scola were Frank Vogel's top options off the bench.
Biggest need: shot creation
Despite Hill's solid season, the Pacers need more creative options, especially if Stuckey departs via free agency. Stuckey was the spiritual replacement for Stephenson's ability to create offense for the second unit, and there's nobody currently on the roster capable of stepping into that role.
Biggest question: Can the Pacers recapture their 2013-14 magic?
This probably was the biggest question for Indiana a year ago too, but George's injury prevented the Pacers from answering it. They deserve credit for battling to stay in the playoff race without their best player, and remained among the league's better defensive teams. Still, it's unclear that the return of a healthy George alone will be enough to turn Indiana back into the championship contender we saw during the first half of 2013-14. It's difficult to project the Pacers as an above-average offensive unit, which means Indiana will have to be not merely good but elite defensively to contend.
Ideal offseason
Hibbert opts into the final season of his contract, allowing Indiana to put off a decision on his long-term future another year. West heads to free agency and trades off an extra year or two of security for a smaller annual salary, giving the Pacers the ability to comfortably re-sign Stuckey at a higher rate. With a rare lottery pick, Indiana hits on a long-term solution at power forward like Texas' Myles Turner. A healthy George resumes his battle with Kawhi Leonard for the title of best young wing in the NBA, and Indiana wins 50-plus games.