The Indiana Pacers played 101 games this season, including 19 during a playoff run that flamed out against the Miami Heat. The season didn’t begin as planned – Danny Granger appeared in just five games because of left knee trouble – but they ultimately took another step forward as they played basketball in the month of June.

They were without their offensive leader and saw their regular season winning percentage dip, but after losing to the Heat in the semifinals last year they pushed the defending champions to the brink in the Eastern Conference Finals.

We learned a lot about the Pacers this season, including how well they match up with Miami. The Heat have lost a total of 30 games since the start of the 2012 playoffs. Seven of those defeats have come at the hands of Indiana. 

With the draft looming and free agency on the horizon, here's a player-by-player look at what was gleamed about each member of the Pacers over the last eight months.

D.J. Augustin

Augustin signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Pacers last summer, giving him the chance to increase his value in search of a long-term contract. Despite a shallow bench and decent minutes, Augustin didn’t take advantage of the opportunity. He had the lowest PER (11.0) of his five-year career and shooting percentages (TS% and eFG%) significantly lower than his career averages.

With George Hill on the roster, Augustin wasn’t going to start unless Hill was injured. He had a chance to shine in the semifinals against the New York Knicks when Hill sat with a concussion, but didn’t produce as Indiana lost. Things got so bad for Augustin at one point during the regular season that he fell behind Ben Hansbrough in the rotation. 

Unable to provide an offensive shot as a member of the second unit, Augustin’s struggles on the defensive end were magnified. Statistically, he was the worst defensive player on the Pacers in a number of metrics. If he isn’t scoring, Indiana has no reason to live with poor defense.

Paul George

It was assumed that George would take on a bigger role offensively, but the sudden loss of Granger forced the third-year swingman into a featured role. With 18.7 points and 15.2 shot attempts in a suit on the bench, George saw his own looks increase 53.6 percent. His usage rate jumped from 19.3 to 23.5 percent as he became the man. 

George won the Most Improved Player award, the most meaningless of all NBA honors. He was a budding star that transformed into a burgeoning superstar. George also saw a number of his offensive percentages drop with increased looks. His TS% (.531) and eFG% (.491) were career lows. George struggled to handle the basketball, turning the ball over 2.9 times per game. That said, he showed over the course of the season and in his battle with LeBron James in the conference finals that he’s ready to be considered elite. With his growing offensive game, George has remained a top-level defender.

As strange as it sounds, Lance Stephenson was actually a more deserving winner of the Most Improved Player award, if a member of this team was going to receive it, but the definition of the award is a unique one.

Living up to expectations will be difficult for George (and the Pacers) next season. He’ll be expected to play at an All-Star level each and every night while also improving his jumper, ball handling and upper body strength. Even with Granger back in the fold, he is the face of the franchise and getting another crack at the Heat and a place in the NBA Finals will fall on his shoulders.

Danny Granger

Granger only suited up for the Pacers five times, leaving us with nothing to go on in terms of how he will fit back into the mix. While he has been sidelined, George, Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson have all matured. The team he headlined for five seasons was one win away from the NBA Finals without him and there is already talk about drama regarding roles.

Vogel can either put Granger back in the starting five and move Stephenson to the bench, or move Granger to the bench as a super sixth man. There are valid arguments to be made on both sides as both players bring different things to the table. Ultimately, whoever comes off the bench (Granger or Stephenson) will add a much-needed dose of scoring to the group. With training camp four months away and some moves to be made, now is not the time to have a detailed discussion about which player should start.

There have been rumors that the Pacers could shop Granger, but moving him at this point would only bring back pennies on the dollar.  He is on the books for a little more than $14 million in the final year of his contract, which provides value on the market, but his recent health makes him a question mark.

The team says he’ll be ready for training camp, which positions the front office to shop him better at midseason. However, if you plan to contend you’re unlikely to make such a significant move in February. It wouldn’t be a bad move to simply keep Granger, see how he fits alongside a maturing George and then watch $14 million come off the salary cap a year from now. Then you can either let him walk or take a crack at re-signing him.

Gerald Green

In a word: Ugh. Green was billed as a potential solution to Indiana’s bench scoring conundrum, but he shot 31.4 percent from deep and less than 37 percent overall in the first season of a three-year deal. He has never been a good defender, relying on athleticism above all else and at 27 years old that advantage is disappearing. The $3.5 million that he was paid this season isn’t all that hard to swallow, but the fact that he has two more years on his pact is.

As a member of the second unit, Green had a 21.3 percent usage rate, making Tyler Hansbrough look like a willing passer. When playing together the ball seemed to magnetize between their four hands. If Green is going to continue to get on the floor, he’ll have to work on his three-point shot and perhaps spend a few weeks at the Vogel School of Defense.

Tyler Hansbrough

Hansbrough’s future is one of the items on Donnie Walsh and Kevin Pritchard’s offseason to-do list. The Pacers will likely issue a $4.22 million qualifying offer to Hansbrough, making him a restricted free agent. That will give them the ability to match any offer he receives. 

He continues to provide tremendous energy whenever on the floor, something that was extremely valuable when the starters weren’t. Hansbrough is the type of player that every contending team has at their disposal -- thriving on contact and work ethic. He was the only member of the team to play all 100 games this season, but saw his playing time decrease as the playoffs progressed.

Hansbrough played just 10.1 minutes per game against Miami as he couldn’t keep up with Miami’s smaller, athletic lineup. His future could depend on that of David West, who will be an unrestricted free agent, but ultimately whether or not West re-signs shouldn’t matter. Having Hansbrough as an option off the bench is great, but keeping him for more than $5 million annually might be a mistake.

Roy Hibbert

As well as George played, Hibbert may have been the biggest surprise as the season progressed. After signing a huge contract, he struggled to begin the year before righting the ship in the second half. Hibbert then took his game to another level in the playoffs, using his size advantage to dominate in the paint on the game’s biggest stage.

In 53 games before the All-Star break, Hibbert averaged 10 points and 8.3 rebounds on 41.4 percent shooting. After the break (26 games), his numbers jumped up to 15.7 points and 8.2 boards on 50.8 percent shooting. He even improved his free throw shooting by more than ten percent from the first to the second half. Hibbert shifted to another gear in the playoffs, posting 17 points and 9.9 rebounds on 51.1 percent shooting. One of the last true centers, he raised his game when the Pacers needed him the most.

The growth Hibbert showed from November to the beginning of June was drastic and a welcome sight. He has come a long way from the plodding, winded, immobile center that came out of Georgetown. His understanding of his own body and the game of basketball has reached levels only he felt were possible as recently as a few years ago. He needs to work on his pick-and-roll defense and agility away from the rim, but the big man verbally added those things to his offseason to-do list just minutes after the Pacers were eliminated by the Heat.

George Hill

Statistically this was Hill’s best NBA season, posting career-highs in points (14.2), assists (4.7), rebounds (3.7) and steals (1.1). His shooting percentages were average, not great or poor, but he seemed to become a different player in the playoffs.  

His per game numbers were almost identical, but he become turnover prone and inconsistent. Hill shot 40.1 percent from the floor and saw his turnover percentage increase by nearly four percent. You can’t discount the concussion he suffered in the semifinals or the reported foot issue he had against the Heat, but some of his game-to-game numbers were alarming.

Hill, a 45 percent shooter for his career, replicated that mark against Atlanta in the first round. He shot 50 percent or better in four of the six games. He was more assertive against the Knicks, but his percentage dropped to 36.8 percent. He struggled from deep in the second round, hitting just 12 of his 38 attempts. He improved only slightly against the Heat, shooting 38.6 percent while attempting fewer shots than he had in any previous series or during the regular season.

His poor shooting was exacerbated by the fact that Vogel couldn’t count on a significant contribution from his point guard on a nightly basis. He’d shoot 7-for-12 one game, then go 1-for-8 the next. He scored 19 points in Indiana’s Game 4 win over Miami, but then had just one point in a pivotal Game 5.

Vogel needs Hill to be consistent and consistently aggressive if the Pacers are going to take the next step. 

Orlando Johnson

Johnson logged 619 minutes in his rookie season, which isn’t too bad given his status as a second-round pick and Vogel’s strange loyalty to Green. His per 36 numbers were promising (11.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists), but his shot needs to be more dependable.

People make a big deal out of his high release point, but plenty of unorthodox shots have worked in the NBA – especially in Indiana (Reggie Miller, Jermaine O’Neal). He only attempted 1.8 per game, but Johnson actually led the Pacers in three-point percentage (38.3 percent), which helped him rank third on the team in eFG% (.500). 

He has shown signs of being a good defender, which will be the ultimate key to his future. At this point, Johnson is ready to take almost all of Green’s minutes, something I’ve been harping on since April. Johnson will make a fifth of what Green will in 2013-14. 

Ian Mahinmi

Mahinmi might be the most captivating case on the roster. The Pacers acquired him in a sign-and-trade with the Mavericks that sent Darren Collison and Dahntay Jones to Dallas. Jones, who had a very trade-friendly contract, became expendable because Indy liked what they saw from Johnson. The Pacers appear to have had a handshake agreement with Augustin last July as they signed him a day after completing the Mahinmi deal.

He was a necessary piece in that he served as Hibbert’s backup and had flashes of very good play this season, but he’ll be 27 at the start of next season and still has a raw feel to him. He can rebound and defend, but doesn’t bring much of anything offensively and hasn’t improved significantly (if at all) on the end in recent years.

With that said, his size and ability to protect the rim in the same sort of scheme that the Pacers employ with Hibbert is worth $4 million annually. He would bring a lot more value if his hands weren’t as chiseled as his arms.

Jeff Pendergraph

He didn’t get a lot of run, but showed signs of the potential he brought to the Trail Blazers when they signed him in September 2009. He has a recent past of knee issues, but didn’t look hampered at all this season.

Pendergraph was known as a very coachable player at Arizona State and that bodes well for him going forward. He’s too small to play center in Vogel’s “smash-mouth” style, but was able to play effective minutes at power forward. He performed well late in the season when given minutes. If Hansbrough doesn’t return, I’m not sure Pendergraph could provide enough offense to fill the void.

Lance Stephenson

If you step back and look at the season as a whole, Stephenson made tremendous strides. Like George, Stephenson was forced to play a much larger role when Granger was sidelined with knee issues. As much of a gamble as it was to thrust that sort of pressure on George, it was like playing Russian roulette to trust Stephenson with a starting role.

Just last postseason, during which he played a total of 12 minutes, Stephenson was more known for choke signs and altercations with Dexter Pittman than his on-court production. A year later, he’s putting up 25 and 10 in a close-out game in the semifinals. He’s still streaky, but the Indiana offense would be even more vanilla if it weren’t for his ability to convert on wild drives to the basket.

The Pacers hold a team option on Stephenson worth less than a million for 2013-14 that they’ll almost certainly exercise. Given his play and solid shooting (46 percent, second only to West) you begin to wonder if something more long-term is needed. Stephenson will benefit from Granger’s return next season even if it means a demotion to the bench. As the leader of the second unit, there would be more chances to Stephenson to showcase his Coney Island-inspired offense.

David West

Decades from now signing George to an extension might look like the bigger move from the summer of 2013, but re-signing West is more important over the short-term. He is the backbone of this team and their elder statesmen with the type of game that should continue to be effective as he ages.

He rebounds the basketball without tremendous leaping ability, relying on positioning and brute strength, defers to younger teammates because he knows his limitations and has one of the most dangerous midrange jumpers in the league.

West saw something in the Pacers in the fall of 2011 that the franchise didn’t even see in itself when he spurred more seasoned clubs to sign a two-year deal coming off major knee surgery. Larry Bird and David Morway, in charge at the time, shelled out $20 million for a player that hadn’t yet shown he could still play at a high level, but more risk fell on West.

He could go down as the most significant free-agent signing the Pacers have ever made.

West brought and continues to bring not only knowledge, but also experience to a budding core. Even on nights in which his shot isn’t falling, he finds a way to contribute. Bothered by flu-like symptoms prior to Game 6 against the Heat, West remained in the lineup. He struggled offensively (going 5-for-14), but had 14 rebounds and four assists to help ensure that his team’s season was extended.

All else could go well for the Pacers next season – a healthy Granger, sustained or improved play from the other starters – but if West isn’t on the roster they will undoubtedly take a step backward.

Sam Young

Young had a rough go at times in the postseason, but at least on paper he seemed like a nice fit. The Pacers knew he wasn’t going to help offensively, but wanted to be able to put Young on the floor with a second unit that included questionable defensive players like Augustin, Green and Hansbrough.

He played good defense, but the lasting memory of Young this season will be the confused look he displayed when LeBron blew past George for a game-winning layup in Game 1 of the conference finals. Young shouldn’t have been on the court and Hibbert should have been, but the image is burned into memory nonetheless. 

Young will find work elsewhere as a serviceable player. His 71-game tenure with the Pacers will not be remembered, and if it is, it won’t be for the right reasons.

Ben Hansbrough and Miles Plumlee weren’t featured because of a lack of significant minutes.