The Pacers will have cap space this coming offseason, but star Danny Granger admits that it'll be tough for the organization to lure a top-level free agent.

"We're not a Chicago or a New York or an L.A., a team that everybody's going to run and go play in that city," said Granger.

"We're in a smaller market and have a smaller fan base than most teams and it's tough to get free agents here. That's why throughout the history of the Indiana Pacers, they've done things through the draft. We had a good system going up until the brawl, but it's tough to lure a free agent here."

Indiana drafted Granger 15th overall back in 2005. Since then, they haven't signed a single significant free agent.

"It's hard to compete with the big-market teams," Granger said. "I remember we played one team, and between their starters they had like 35 years of All-Star Games or something crazy like that. It's hard to compete with teams like that, especially when they have deeper pockets and they can do different things with the salary cap. You just have to play through it and find a way to win."

Granger added a bold proclamation and expressed his stance against a potential lockout.

"We will make the playoffs," said Granger of the 14-18 Pacers, who currently sit seventh in the Eastern Conference.

"The NBA has progressed so much this year," he mused. "There's so many things that have drawn interest -- Miami, with everything they've done, Kobe [Bryant] winning another championship, Boston having a great year, San Antonio being old and now playing like they're young again. We've got so many different storylines to draw the fans in and keep everything interesting. And it would be a shame to just see it all go by the wayside if we go to a lockout and lose some fans because of it. It's disappointing, but I think that's what it's going to be."