The Case for Giving Glenn Robinson III a Larger Role
By Jordan Yant
In the Indiana Pacers 100-98 win over the Boston Celtics there were players who had to step up in the wake of injuries to starters Ian Mahinmi and C.J. Miles. That included forward Glenn Robinson III. The great thing is that he stepped in and performed extremely well when his number was called.
If you don’t know much about Glenn Robinson III you should start studying up on him. Yes, he is the son of former Purdue Boilermaker and Milwaukee Buck Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson. Once a highly touted high school recruit, he underperformed at Michigan University. He was often overshadowed by the likes of Trey Burke, Nik Stauskas, and Tim Hardaway Jr., and his draft stock fell drastically. Once a potential lottery pick, he was drafted in the mid-second round.
Whether it be with his hustle, aggression, or defense — Robinson impacted the game in a positive way, and that is an improvement over what Chase Budinger has provided.
But where he came from doesn’t matter any more; what matters is where he is going.
After performing well during the preseason, he earned a spot on the final, 15-man roster. His future seemed either destined for the end of the bench or a prolonged trip to Fort Wayne to hone his skills with Mad Ants.
With the injuries he had the opportunity to prove himself against the Celtics. He was inactive for the first three games and did not see any time against the Detroit Pistons. So basically — the expectations were not all that high going into the Boston game.
This just goes to show that expectations mean absolutely nothing.
He came in and provided an excellent performance off the bench by scoring 10 points in 19 minutes on 3-of-4 shooting. His athleticism and aggression were things that Pacers have been sorely lacking. Their interior scoring is an issue and his willingness to attack the rim is a major plus. He was also able to get to the free-throw line five times (knocking down four). He was active and solid defensively and even saw some crunch time minutes.
This begs the question, does he deserve more playing time?
The problem is if he does get more playing time, who’s minutes drop? We already know it wouldn’t be Rodney Stuckey, Paul George, or C.J. Miles. So that leaves the blonde bomber Chase Budinger.
It’s hard to space the floor when you are shooting 30% from 3-point land and 33% from the field. At least Chase can offer George Hill tips on maintaining blonde hair.
Look, I know Larry Bird has been a fan of Budinger for a while. The problem is: What does he really offer? I know he can space the floor and he knows angles. One of my new favorite things is how many times Quinn Buckner will reference him playing volleyball during broadcasts. But it’s hard to space the floor when you are shooting 30% from 3-point land and 33% from the field. At least Chase can offer George Hill tips on maintaining blonde hair.
With the state of the current Indiana Pacers, I believe it would be in the best interest of the team to get the young talent some minutes. That means that I wholeheartedly believe Robinson III should be playing in front of Budinger. I know it is a small sample size, but let’s check out the statistical evidence.
Budinger: 2.6 PPG, 2 RPG, 33% FG, 1.2 APG, 0.4 SPG
Robinson: 10.0 PPG, 2 RPG, 75% FG, 0 APG, 1.0 SPG
It is blatantly obvious that GR3 has the potential and higher ceiling. But at this point he is also the best option to get back-up small forward minutes, because he will be more productive right now. Budinger can still provide outside shooting when it is needed, but for now roll with the youngster. This also helps solidify the final nail in the coffin of Solomon Hill.
The ultimate goal for any bench player is provide a spark and that is exactly what GR3 did. Whether it be with his hustle, aggression, or defense — Robinson impacted the game in a positive way, and that is an improvement over what Chase Budinger has provided. He seems throughly engaged in what the Pacers are doing, and that is something that is refreshing.
You have to be excited after watching the 21-year-old play legitimate minutes in a close game against a team that made the playoffs last season. It is time he starts playing more legitimate minutes.