Same market; different results.
The NBA and NFL are two totally different leagues. Let’s get that out of the way.
With that said, both the Indiana Pacers and Indianapolis Colts operate out of the same market. Both organizations are hamstrung by some means to build rosters although most of the struggles for that belong to the NBA. When you look at the two teams and the direction they are heading, you sure wouldn’t know that to be the case, however. What Chad Buchanan and Kevin Pritchard have done to build a winner in the NBA is incredibly impressive and a far cry from what Colts fans have seen from Chris Ballard over the last nine years. How have the Pacers built a winner, while the Colts are still treading water?
It starts with the engine. The Pacers found theirs; the Colts have not. Tyrese Haliburton has risen to the challenge and taken this team to new heights. He hasn’t done it alone, but he is a main reason why the team reached back-to-back conference finals and find themselves in the NBA Finals just a few short years after a “reset”. The Colts were hoping Anthony Richardson would be that engine for them, and while he still could be, he hasn’t been to this point. Haliburton is farther along in his development than Richardson, so let’s not throw in the towel just yet, but with that said, Richardson has a long way to go to reach the level Haliburton has.
Savvy moves is another advantage of the Pacers. They don’t have to field the same number for the roster, so if they can find an impactful player in the NBA, their influence travels farther. Trades for Haliburton, Siakam, Nesmith, and Toppin have been huge. While the Pacers have been less than stellar in the draft historically, in recent years, they have shined. Nembhard, Mathurin, Sheppard, and Walker have all been impactful. Throw in the ability to keep McConnell and resisting the urge to trade Turner, and the Pacers have built a winner.
Trades are more of a way of life in the NBA than the NFL, but they happen. That is a tool the Pacers have at their disposal, and they use it. Ballard could use more trades for sure, but the biggest tool in his arsenal is free agency. Until this year, though, that tool has collected dust on the shelf. Refusing to bring in players that could move the needle has been one of the biggest reasons why the Colts have found themselves unable to compete. The draft is the same in both leagues; get some studs and get some duds. Trades and free agency have been the “X-factor” for both. The Pacers have used their tool well, and the Colts have not. It seems to be as simple as that. Yes, luck is involved, but one has to create their own luck. The Pacers and their leadership have been creative in their approach, while the Colts have stubbornly dug in to what they want to work. One method has produced results; one method has produced frustration.
Roster building is an art. It is an art that is easier for some markets vs others, but it takes a deft level of skill to understand what limitations are in place and to work within them to create the best overall product. The Pacers have maximized their potential in many ways; the Colts have not. This offseason has seen a different approach from Chris Ballard, so we might start seeing different results on the field. If he continues his tenure and ever feels short on inspiration, however, all Ballard has to do is look across town.