The Indiana Pacers have reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive year, establishing themselves as one of the best teams in the NBA thanks to All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton. Amid the recent success, ownership is reportedly hinting at a change this summer.
Senior NBA reporter Brian Windhorst of ESPN writes that with the team making another deep run in the playoffs, Pacers’ ownership has ‘indicated a willingness’ to increase spending for the 2025-’26 season. Specifically, a willingness to reenter the luxury tax.
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The current NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement has made it harder to keep championship-caliber rosters together, with penalties and restrictions limiting flexibility. Indiana isn’t considering going as far as hitting the league’s repeater tax, but ownership has reportedly expressed an openness to go into the luxury tax next year.
- Indiana Pacers payroll 2025-’25 (Spotrac): $226.39 million, $27.482 million in first apron space
NBA teams are still skeptical, per Windhorst, based on the organization’s history of avoiding the tax penalty. It’s why clubs around the league are still eyeing center impending free agent center Myles Turner, hoping the long-standing reputation of Pacers’ ownership being tighter with spending comes to fruition.
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However, with the NBA salary cap next year projected at $154.6 million and the team performing well, Indiana seems ready to spend more money. The Pacers’ organization is also hopeful it can re-sign Turner this summer without sacrificing its excellent depth.
- Myles Turner stats (2024-’25): 15.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 48.1% FG, 39.6% 3PT, .104 WS/48
Turner is the only key part of the Pacers’ rotation who is eligible for NBA free agency and Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith are signed through the 2026-’27 season. Considering ownership’s willingness to go into the luxury tax and the rising NBA salary cap, it’s reasonable to think the Pacers keep the core together that has now taken them to the Eastern Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons.
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