Editing Indiana Pacers (section)

====2000–2003: Isiah Thomas era====
The off-season brought sweeping changes to the Pacers' lineup, as Rik Smits and coach Larry Bird retired, Chris Mullin returned to the [[Golden State Warriors]], Mark Jackson signed a long-term contract with [[Toronto Raptors|Toronto]], and Dale Davis was traded to [[Portland Trail Blazers|Portland]] for [[Jermaine O'Neal]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/blazers-trade-o-neal-to-pacers-for-davis-1.208795|title=Blazers trade O'Neal to Pacers for Davis|work=CBC Sports|date=August 31, 2000|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> who went on to average 12.9&nbsp;points per game in his first year as a starter. It was a rebuilding year for the Pacers under the new head coach [[Isiah Thomas]]. However, the team still managed to return to the [[2001 NBA playoffs|playoffs]], where they lost to the top-seeded [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] in four games.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/03/sports/nba-roundup-76ers-eliminate-pacers-and-rest-for-round-2.html|title=N.B.A.: ROUNDUP; 76ers Eliminate Pacers And Rest for Round 2|work=The New York Times|agency=The Associated Press|date=May 3, 2001|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref>

=====Jermaine O'Neal's rise to stardom=====
In the midseason of [[2001–02 NBA season|2001–02]], the Pacers made a blockbuster trade with the [[Chicago Bulls]] that sent [[Jalen Rose]] and [[Travis Best]] to Chicago in exchange for [[Brad Miller (basketball)|Brad Miller]], [[Ron Artest]], [[Kevin Ollie]] and [[Ron Mercer]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/rose_020219.html|title=Bulls Acquire Rose, Best in Seven-Player Trade|work=NBA|date=February 19, 2002|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> In the next few years, Miller and Artest would go on to be All-Stars for the Pacers. The trade bolstered a team that had been floundering, and the Pacers managed to [[2002 NBA playoffs|return to the playoffs]], where they pushed the top-seeded [[2001–02 New Jersey Nets season|New&nbsp;Jersey Nets]] to five games before losing Game&nbsp;5 in double overtime.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/220502017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206065033/https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/220502017|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 6, 2022|title=Nets survive two OTs for second series win|date=May 6, 2002|access-date=November 30, 2022|work=ESPN|location=East Rutherford|agency=The Associated Press}}</ref> [[Jermaine O'Neal]] made his first of what would be several All-Star appearances in his Pacers career.

The Pacers got off to a 13–2 start in [[2002–03 NBA season|2002–03]] but hit the wall after the All-Star break thanks in no small part to Ron Artest's multiple suspensions and family tragedies befalling Jermaine O'Neal, [[Jamaal Tinsley]] and [[Austin Croshere]]. O'Neal and Brad Miller both made the All-Star team, and the Pacers made a substantial improvement as they finished 48–34, but they suffered a loss to the underdog [[2002–03 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] in the first round of the [[2003 NBA playoffs|playoffs]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2003/05/02/celtics-finish-off-pacers-with-rout/d4e3f6f2-7021-468e-9910-70ec1ab04f6c/|title=Celtics Finish Off Pacers With Rout|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=May 2, 2003|access-date=November 30, 2022|last=Goodman|first=Jeff}}</ref>