Indiana Pacers projected for major improvement amid player salary analysis

The Indiana Pacers are projected to see a significant improvement in the 2026-27 NBA season. According to BetMGM win total projections, the Pacers are expected to reach 44.5 wins, a substantial increase from their 19-63 record in the 2025-26 season.

Other teams projected for notable improvements include the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, and Dallas Mavericks. These projections follow the NBA Board of Governors' approval of a ‘3-2-1 Lottery’ system, which aims to discourage teams from prioritizing draft position over winning by implementing ‘draft relegation’ for the league's three worst teams.

Separately, a salary analysis by Casino Guru USA has identified Pacers forward Pascal Siakam as the NBA’s most overpaid player. The study, which compared 2026-27 cap charges against 2025-26 production, gave Siakam an overpaid score of 77 out of 100. The analysis noted that Siakam’s $48.9 million cap hit resulted in a cost of approximately $18.8 million per Win Share.