If Josh Hart ever gets traded to the Indiana Pacers, this comment will surely come back to haunt him. Speaking in a podcast with his Knicks teammate Jalen Brunson, Hart took a slight at the city of Indianapolis, this year’s host for NBA All-Star weekend.
“Hell no, I’m not going to Indianapolis,” said Hart. “If I don’t have to play the Indiana Pacers, I’m not stepping foot in that state.”
It might sound like harsh words from Hart, but there’s a reason why the Pacers are so under-emphasized in the NBA media. They rank 30th in the league in fan attendance this season with an average count of 16,356 fans in their games.
Of course, for Hart and other players, the problem isn’t with the fans or even the organization itself. Rather, it has to do with the city and quality of life for the athletes who live there. Indianapolis is a great place for almost anyone to live, but it doesn’t offer the same amenities and attractions as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, or even a place like San Francisco.
This year, the NBA’s All-Star game is being hosted in Indianapolis, but it seems not even a weekend of festivities is enough to lure players over there. Fortunately for the Pacers, they’ve managed to build a great team despite some of their drawbacks but now they have a new challenge of bringing in another star to help get them closer to a title. No player is likely to join on their own, but through some roster moves and the efforts of Haliburton, they can pull off something special here within the next few years.
Can Tyrese Haliburton Bring A Star To Indiana?
Going from the Kings to the Pacers was a culture shock for Tyrese but he adjusted quickly and has embraced calling Indiana his home. This season, with averages of 21.8 points, 11.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game, Hali has been thriving in his role and is expanding his game with each passing month.
This season, it hasn’t been enough to make the Pacers a legitimate title threat but they aren’t too far off, especially after the trade for Pascal Siakam. If the Pacers can bring in one more star to be the sidekick for their point guard, it could be the final piece of the puzzle for unlocking their championship potential.
During the All-Star break, Haliburton has already pledged to make a pitch on the Pacers’ behalf, and he’ll have more than enough opportunities, given the sheer number of stars who will be involved. Unfortunately for him, finding that co-star may prove to be difficult just based on how little the top players want to live in Indianapolis.
This weekend will be perhaps the best chance yet for Indianapolis to turn around its reputation. If they can set up an amazing All-Star event and show the stars that they can be an exciting place to play, it might not be long before the Pacers become a hot attraction in the NBA.
For now, though, the city isn’t highly favored among the players and it’s the reason why we see so many of the same teams at the top year after year. If the Pacers can work around this and find a way to win anyway, then it will be even more satisfying when they beat everyone on the way to the top.
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