[1] During the off-season, the Pacers acquired Jalen Rose and Reggie Williams from the Denver Nuggets;[2][3][4][5] the Pacers also received the tenth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft from the Nuggets, which they used to select Erick Dampier out of Mississippi State University.
[6][7][8][9] However, after playing just two games for the team, Williams was then traded to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Vincent Askew.
[18][19] The Pacers got off to a slow 3–8 start, then won five straight games, but continued to struggle playing around .500 for the remainder of the season, holding a 23–23 record at the All-Star break.
[21][22][23][24] Jackson, who returned to Indiana after a brief stint with the Nuggets, would remain with the Pacers until 2000, where the team reached the NBA Finals; he also led the league with 11.4 assists per game.
The Pacers missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years with a disappointing 39–43 record, sixth place in the Central Division.