Grading The Indiana Pacers Three Draft Picks
The NBA draft is over and the teams have acquired players that could be the future or solid role players. The Pacers went into the draft with no first-round picks but had three second-round picks. There was potential for the Pacers to trade into the first round if they eyed a player they wanted, but that never happened.
They ended up with three players from this draft who could pan out as solid players. With that and the key to the offseason, let's grade out who the Pacers drafted.
Pacers No. 35 pick Johnny Furphy: B+
It is weird being excited for an early second-round pick, let alone a Jayhawk (this writer is a K-State fan). Anyway, Furphy wasn't the initial pick as the Pacers picked Juan Nunez, however, they traded him to the San Antonio Spurs for Furphy.
Coming into the draft Furphy was projected to go in the first round, but as the first round ended that didn't happen. He went into the draft as a raw prospect with the ability to shoot, defend, rebound, and have good athleticism. Furphy is also a high-IQ player with good decision-making. So, why wasn't he a first-rounder if he had all these things?
The biggest thing that held Furphy back was his streakiness in college and the fact he didn't start all season at KU. He averaged 9.0 points per game, and 4.9 rebounds per game while adding in 0.3 blocks per game and 0.9 steals per game. Furphy played great from January to February but struggled in March.
That streakiness and the fact he didn't light the world on fire with his play probably hurt his draft stock. The Pacers will be mighty thankful for that. While Furphy is a raw prospect he has the making of a solid wing in the NBA. He has a height of 6'9, good shooting ability, solid defense, and good rebounding already. The biggest thing for him is adding some muscle, and developing his defense and inside scoring more. He might not get many minutes in year one, but he has a lot of potential to be a solid player for the Pacers.
Pacers No. 49 Pick Tristen Newton: B-
Drafting a player who helped lead Connecticut to back-to-back National Titles is always fun. Newton had a good college career that saw him get awarded the Bob Cousy Award and an All-American first-team selection. He averaged 15.1 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, and dished out 6.2 assists per game in his senior season.
His draft stock wasn't as high due to his inconsistent shooting ability. Newton shot 34% from three and over 80% from the free throw line. There are also questions about his interior scoring as he isn't a great athlete. While there are a lot of questions about his offensive ability translating to the NBA, his defensive ability is where his strength lies. He is a great on-ball defender who plays with a lot of energy. Add in he sets up his teammates well on offense and he has a safe floor as a backup guard.
On paper, Newton sounds a lot like TJ McConnel in today's game. A player who gives you solid minutes doing the dirty work while averaging 10+ points per game. All without the three-point scoring. The Newton pick for the Pacers sounds like the replacement for TJ McConnell once his contract is up after next season. If he can develop the offensive side a little more then Newton might become a good sixth man for the Pacers.
Pacers no. 50 Pick Enrique Freeman: C+
This pick is a lottery ticket pick. Freeman is an older prospect at 24 but shows some elite defensive capabilities. The biggest issue is his offense translating to the NBA. He wasn't an elite shooter in college despite improving in his senior season, and he is an undersized frontcourt player at 6'7.
As an undersized frontcourt player, Freeman has good footwork in the post and has good athleticism. A lot of scouts, including Rotowire, see his peak as a Draymond Green or Herbert Jones-type player. Those same scouts also say he is similar to Kevin Knox and Obi Toppin. This means that Freeman might just need to land in the right spot to develop and given that Obi Toppin turned his career around in Indiana Freeman might develop there.
Freeman is the wild card of this draft class, but in the right environment, he could develop into a potential defensive player of the year candidate. Right now though he has a lot of developing needed on the offensive end.
Pacers Overall Draft Grade: B
The Pacers did a good job getting players who have the potential to be solid contributors in the NBA. Furphy has the potential to become a staple player in the league, Newton has a safe floor with room to develop, and Freeman has a shot to be a great defensive player. All of these players are raw in some areas, but there is enough of a floor to see good development early on in their respective careers.
Image Credit: Enzo Flojo, ClutchPoints
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