Pacers Media Day, 2021
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers have a new Head Coach. They have a few new key players. They have a new name for their arena (Gainbridge Fieldhouse.) And as they expressed at Media Day, they have a renewed hope for the upcoming season.
Here were some of the highlights and best quotes from Pacers Media Day, 2021.
Rick Carlisle
-“It’s a young, veteran team. I think it’s an exciting group. But we’re going to have to be a team that does things together. To become relevant in the East again- it’s going to take work.”
-“This is Indiana. This is a place of hard working folks that are prideful. We’ve got to reflect that with how we play. That’s a responsibility that we must not take lightly.”
-On TJ Warren: “He got a recent scan and got some good news. But these scans are going to be 3-4 weeks apart. It’s going to take some time. We feel he’s on a path to a full recovery, but we don’t know the time-table. We’re hoping it’s weeks and not months.”
-On Isaiah Jackson: “His defensive versatility is absolutely breathtaking. His shooting has been better than expected. He might be able to play some 4 for us, and not just the 5.”
-“Our goal is to be a team that nobody wants to play. That ball has to move. Defense and unselfishness have to be our identity.”
-On vaccination status: “We’re at a high percent. Myself and the staff are vaccinated. But it’s a personal decision for our players and we respect that.”
Myles Turner
-“I’m more than capable of being a two-way player. But it’s not for the stats. It’s not for personal goals. It would help lead to wins. Hopefully I’m able to show that this year.”
-On having fans back: “”We missed them. You can take that for granted. It was quiet in the 4th quarter. Even with 25% capacity, it didn’t feel right. Excited to get them back at Bankers Li.. wait, it’s not Bankers Life anymore is it? What’s it called now? I just found out like 30 minutes ago.”
-“If you look at Dallas, they’ve had a top offense for a while. I think he’s (Carlisle) more than capable of making things work.”
-On the draft picks: “A lot of college guys come in and are a little hot-headed. Not these guys. They are humble, and eager to learn, and they both have a ton of potential.”
TJ Warren
-“I’ll be reevaluated in 3 weeks. Will eventually get on the court this season. Just not sure when.”
-“I haven’t had any setbacks. It’s just been a slower healing process than expected.”
-On Rick Carlisle: “He’s respected. He’s coached a lot of Hall of Fame guys. It’s going to be good for us.”
Domantas Sabonis
-On the new players: “Impressed. Everybody is working hard and is ready to go. I think we have a lot of depth.”
-On playing with Myles Turner: “We feel great together. I know a lot of people don’t feel that way. But for us, it’s great. We have each other’s backs. We have a friendship on and off the court.”
-“I think we’re going to be a great team. The East is stacked. Lot of good teams. But it just depends on who figures it out.”
Malcolm Brogdon
-“There was a little more going on in the locker room last season. But we’ve moved on and we’re looking forward.”
-“Commit. It’s all about commitment on the defensive end. It’s more of a mindset than a skill.”
-“This is a playoff team. It always has been. But you get out what you put in. I’m excited where this team can go. But we’ve got to be committed and be all in. And it all starts with training camp.”
Caris LeVert
-“I’m super excited. I felt like I had a great summer. It’s going to be a fun year. It’s nice to be able to have a full training camp with this team from the start.”
-“We have the personnel to be a great defensive team. We just have to put in the work.”
-“Chris and Isaiah, those guys are really good. The vets- we’re all around the same age. We’re just trying to win right now.”
-“Over the off-season I have worked on getting my conditioning back. After my surgery last year, it was a challenge finishing games and being where I wanted to be from a conditioning standpoint. That’s the main thing I used this off-season for.”
