Will the Indiana Pacers bounce back into NBA championship contention in 2026-27?
The league's general managers don't expect that much from them, but they should be much more competitive than last season.
In its annual preseason survey of general managers, the Pacers led all teams with 43% of the vote for most improved team. Indiana won a franchise-worst 19 games in 2025-26 under an avalanche of injuries.
The Pacers got 10% of the votes be the Eastern Conference's third-best team, though they finished the survey in the East's No. 7 position. The champion New York Knicks (60%) are considered the favorites, followed by the reconstructed Philadelphia 76ers (23%).
Coach Rick Carlisle got league-best marks for in-game adjustments (30%) and running the best offense (47%).
The players most likely to eventually be a good NBA coach have an Indiana feel: Lawrence North High School graduate Mike Conley got 50% of the vote, followed by the Pacers' T.J. McConnell at 13%.
GMs could not vote for their own team or players in this survey, which confirmed that the NBA is becoming Wemby's world.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs is the favorite of the GMs in these categories:
- MVP: 77%
- Player to start a franchise with: 93%
- Player who forces the most adjustments by opponents: 47%
- Best international player: 53%
- Best defensive player: 97%
- Best interior defender: 97%
- Most versatile defender: 30%
- Most versatile player: 57%
The Spurs got half the votes as league champions.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Rick Carlisle gets high marks from NBA general managers, but he's no Victor Wembanyama