Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle believes the NBA has entered a new phase—one that rewards depth and relentless effort over top-heavy star power.
Speaking in an interview with Caitlin Cooper, Carlisle explained, “The NBA game has now become a play hard league. It’s not just being top heavy with stars. Roster construction is changing.”
The veteran coach emphasized that modern success depends on having a deeper rotation rather than relying on a handful of high-usage players. “It’s become more important to have more good players than be top heavy with two or three great players that get all the touches,” he said.
Carlisle’s comments come after guiding Indiana to its most successful postseason in over two decades. The Pacers advanced to the 2025 NBA Finals for the first time since the 1999–2000 season, pushing the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games before falling short.
Despite losing multiple centers to injuries and free agency—including Jalen Smith, Oscar Tshiebwe, James Wiseman, and Isaiah Jackson—the Pacers maintained frontcourt depth by rotating several new additions, including Thomas Bryant and Moses Brown.
Carlisle leaned on a system where multiple contributors could thrive, allowing Indiana to finish the regular season with a 52–30 record, their best mark since 2013–14.
The strategy paid dividends in the playoffs. The Pacers eliminated the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Knicks en route to the Finals.
Even after losing Haliburton to an Achilles tear in Game 7 of the Finals, Indiana’s system kept the contest close into the fourth quarter against a 68-win Thunder team.
Carlisle, now in his eighth season with Indiana, has coached in four different decades and witnessed several shifts in team-building philosophies.
