Promising Pacers Championship-Bound?

The Indiana Pacers have a reasonably competitive core: an efficient point guard in Tyrese Haliburton, a solid second option in Pascal Siakam, and Andrew Nembhard, the aggressive guard who's not afraid of the moment. Although the Pacers experienced a 4-0 sweep courtesy of the Boston Celtics, the Eastern Conference Finals berth revealed that the second-ranked offense is worthy of championship discussion.

Bleacher Report recently ranked teams based on their probability of winning a championship in the next three seasons. The Pacers finished 12th, higher than the "super team" Phoenix Suns.

Although the Pacers performed at an efficiently high level indicative of the second-best offensive rating, its subpar defense and shaky opening round against the injury-ravaged roster of the Milwaukee Bucks triggers a cause for pause when seriously contemplating the Eastern Conference Finals runner-up as legitimate championship contenders.

The Eastern Conference is as strong as it has been in some years, at least in the top half. Indiana did its job in free agency by re-signing Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin, but the frontcourt depth leaves fans yearning for more. James Wiseman is a good value signing, as the 2022 NBA champions shows promise on the boards. However, his defense and footspeed make for problematic deficiencies in the current NBA.

Teams like the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers are legitimate threats to knock off the Pacers before a potential rematch with the Celtics.

Regarding the next three years, Indiana's luxury tax issues will likely hinder the team from threatening the Eastern Conference in the long term. $5 million from the first apron, the Pacers will likely sacrifice a pivotal piece to save money as a team not historically known for paying the luxury tax.

Related: Haliburton Witnesses Rookie WNBA Phenomenon

However, the Pacers still rank higher than some teams with championship aspirations.