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Is Kentucky’s Trey Lyles a Fit for Pacers in Draft?

By Jalen Bishop

Mar 26, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Trey Lyles (41) is congratulated by teammates during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the semifinals of the midwest regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Trey Lyles (41) is congratulated by teammates during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the semifinals of the midwest regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /
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Indiana Pacers NBA Draft – 4/4/15 – Trey Lyles

A chance at the playoffs is still in play but as of April 4, 2015 the Pacers will be a selecting a player with the tenth overall pick in the NBA Draft, which is quickly approaching. There are several draft prospects they should be keen on. In my opinion, there’s a need for the Pacers to go after an athletic power-forward that can replace David West and Luis Scola in the coming seasons.

A player that fits this mold is playing for the best college team at the moment. Let’s do a short breakdown of Kentucky power forward Trey Lyles.

Who is Trey Lyles?

Age: 19

Year: Freshman

Height: 6-10

Weight: 235

Hometown: Indianapolis, IN

In 22.8 minutes per contest this season Lyles is averaging 8.7 points and 5.3 rebounds on 49-percent shooting. More recently, in the Sweet 16 against West Virginia, he scored 14 points, grabbed seven boards and dished out two assists in 29 minutes. He shot 4-of-7 from the field and 6-of-7 at the free-throw line.

During his senior year of high school, Lyles averaged 23.7 points, 12.9 rebounds 3.5 assists and led his high school team to a 63-59 win in the IHSAA Class 4A State Championship. He was named Indiana’s Mr. Basketball. Maybe George Hill can pass down the nickname “Hometown Hero” to Trey.

Bleacher Report drafted the first round in a mock draft and selected Trey Lyles for the Pacers. Here’s a short breakdown of his abilities.

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report:

"Trey Lyles has been a rock for Kentucky all year, and he continues to flash a skill set built for the NBA power forward position. At 6’10”, he’s shown he can play inside or out, thanks to a natural mid-range shooting stroke and a sharp ability in the post.Add the fact that Lyles is also a high-IQ passer who plays within the offense, and we’re probably looking at one of the safer bets outside the top seven or eight.With David West’s contract up at the end of the 2015-16 season, the Pacers can start grooming Lyles as a long-term replacement."

That sounds like much needed athleticism and smarts the Pacers rotation could use in the front-court.

If you want a visual of what his skill-set looks like, here’s a video of him scoring 14 points last November in Kentucky’s first game. He shot 6-of-10 from the field and 1-of-4 at the three-point line.

He’s playing in Indiana in a few hours. Is this a player you would like to see Larry Bird and the front office draft in the next two months?

Next: VIDEO: Indiana Pacers Keep Playoff Hopes Alive, Beat Charlotte Hornets

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