On January 17, 2024, the Pacers acquired All-NBA Forward Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, Kira Lewis Jr., and three first–round draft picks.
[2] On February 8, 2024, after failing to reach a contract extension, Buddy Hield was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a three–team deal involving the San Antonio Spurs, in which the Pacers re–acquired Doug McDermott and draft compensation.
Despite going down 0–2 in the second round against the New York Knicks, the Pacers would respond with back-to-back blowout wins in Games 6 and 7, advancing to their first Eastern Conference finals since the aforementioned 2014 postseason, where they would go on to be swept by the eventual champion Boston Celtics.
[10][11] During the in-season tournament period, the Pacers competed in Group A of the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, and Detroit Pistons.
Following high-scoring wins against the Cavaliers, 76ers, and Hawks, the Pacers were automatic winners of Group A in the Eastern Conference before they even played their final in-season tournament game in November against the Pistons.