With the Indiana Pacers new season nearing, it is time to analyze five battles taking place to keep an eye on during training camp.
As the new Indiana Pacers season slowly approaches, training camp is starting to appear on the horizon. With that comes a bevy of tantalizing summer camp battles. With seven new players and a change of system, this training camp will be vital in determining what personnel fits best. Not to mention, the roster is currently at 16 players.
For those who don’t know, you are only able to enter a season with 15 players under contract on your roster. When the Indiana Pacers signed Toney Douglas to a training-camp deal it signaled that maybe he could supplant another player on the roster.
When considering the battles that will take place during summer camp, there are many things to take into account. Roster composition and depth are becoming vital to an NBA team’s success (see the Golden State Warriors). Due to the impact of injuries, you can never discount who may be the 15th player on the roster. Who knows, if injuries culminate then that “meaningless” player could play a role in a team’s success. If Vogel had better options than Donald Sloan or A.J. Price when both George Hill and C.J. Watson missed extended time, the Pacers may have grabbed another win or two — and a playoff berth.
With that being said, there are several different categories that training camp battles can land in. Some players are fighting for a starting job. Some players are trying to earn a prominent reserve role in the rotation. And some players are fighting for their livelihood and a roster spot.
Taking all of this into consideration, let’s look at 5 training camp battles that figure to take place once camp begins.
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