Signing Caitlin Clark, The NBA MVP Will Be A 3rd String Center, And Beloved Mascot Tattoos: The Pacer's Story Lines The National Media Isn't Covering

The NBA season is less than a week away, and your Indiana Pacers will start their run towards their first ever championship.   The big story lines are how does a team that over performed last season (signed a big free agent, All-Star week skills challenge winners, In-season tournament runners up) find a way to improve in an Eastern Conference that got significantly better through free agency, while the Pacers resigned their core in hopes that with more time together they can become a top team in the east. The Pacers historically good offense should be there again this season, but can the Pacers get better on defense after not bringing in any help during the offseason? Those are all big story lines that everyone and their mother have been following, but I'm here to get into the story lines the national media isn't paying attention to ... this is what Vibbsy is looking at for the 2024-2025 season. 

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1. The NBA MVP: You could close your eyes and randomly point to any name on the Pacer's young roster and say that player's improvement is a pivotal part of team's success. Some of the most obvious pieces that need to make a leap this season are the guys Indiana drafted in back to back seasons with their top 10 picks - Jarace Walker & Ben Mathurin. BUT, the player that I'm most excited about watching this season is 3rd string center - James Wiseman. If you don't think backup centers matter, Jalen Smith was a huge factor in several Pacer's regular season wins. 

Nothing makes me MOAN like a general manager finding a player on the scrap heap and turning him into a polished gem. Obi Toppin somewhat fell into that category last season, and I loved every second of the Toppin revenge tour, BUT this years project is a true long shot that was scraped from the bottom of the barrel Detroit Pistons roster. This is most likely Wiseman's last chance to resurrect his career, if Wiseman can't find a role with a team this team that fits him perfectly, where can he? 

Putting stock into summer league would be crazy stupid, but preseason? Preseason means everything, and according to the first 3 preseason games Wiseman might be the most improved player on this roster, and probably even the league MVP. 

2. The Caitlin Clark Effect: The Pacers need to sign Caitlin Clark to the team. When Clark is in attendance for the game the Pacers win. Indiana is undefeated with the Rookie of the Year and 1st Team All WNBA basketball phenom showing up to The Fieldhouse and showing love for the Cers (with the exception of the pre-season game she sat court side for with Kelsey Mitchell, but it would be crazy to put stock in the preseason, who would do that?) 

It's been cool to see Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers showing up to support the Fever, and vice versa. These two teams are actually extremely similar in styles of play and the way they rely on their young core, but if the Pacers are serious about winning they will have CC at every single game. Not only is it good for the win column, but it's how the ball club with the worst attendance in the NBA gets eyeballs and national attention. The thing about the offseason is there is no offseason. It's how the greats become great. 

3. Boomer Cover-Up: While the small market Indiana Pacers might not have the most fans, the franchise definitely has the most passionate fan base. Fans so dedicated to the franchise that they are willing to permanently ink their bodies with beloved mascot Boomer.  But is a cover up tattoo imminent for this fan? Is this the season that the skeletons come out of Boomer's closet, and our fury hero lives long enough to see himself become the villain? Indiana has already seen one mascot in Bowser the dog fall by the wayside due to an undisclosed shadowy past, take one look into his empty mascot eyes and you can see the crazed look of a mad dog and potential sex pest. Will Boomer be the next celebrity to show up behind the scenes at a Diddy party? Repelling from the ceiling and splashing down into a massive vat of baby oil? Only time will tell. 

Ron Hoskins. Getty Images.