ESPN predicts two Indiana Pacers players will be finalists for 2024-25 NBA awards

The Pacers haven't had an award winner in six seasons

Apr 10, 2022; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) is double teamed by Indiana Pacers guards Tyrese Haliburton (0) and T.J. McConnell (9) in the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN's NBA staff recently published their award predictions for the 2024-25 NBA season, and two Indiana Pacers players are among the expected finalists.

Last season, across various awards, many Pacers players received consideration for a trophy. Aaron Nesmith, Tyrese Haliburton, T.J. McConnell, Myles Turner, and head coach Rick Carlisle were nominees for league awards. Outside of Haliburton being named to Third-Team All-NBA, none of the Pacers who received votes ended up winning.

This year, it could be more challenging for Indiana players to receive votes. Anyone who got Most Improved Player consideration last season will have trouble doing so a second time in a row, and heightened expectations make recognition more difficult. The Pacers will have to keep playing well to earn individual honors.

ESPN's predictions were spread across the MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Most Improved Player awards. The Pacers, via Haliburton and McConnell, were involved in the predictions for two awards.

Haliburton finished in seventh place in the look ahead for Most Improved Player. He received 11 points, which means he got multiple votes from the ESPN experts.

McConnell, meanwhile, ranked fifth in the Sixth Man of the Year prediction. He also received multiple votes — and as Haliburton's backup, he would be a worthy winner.

The last player to don the blue and gold who won an individual award was Victor Oladipo, who took home Most Improved Player honors in 2017-18. A few Pacers players have earned a team-based honor in the interim period. All of ESPN's predictions can be found here.

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