Glenn Robinson III Flashes Role Player Potential in Indiana Pacers’ Preseason
By Josh Padmore
Glenn Robinson III has looked great so far in the preseason for the Indiana Pacers, making an impact on both sides of the ball.
So far this preseason, Glenn Robinson III has left his mark for the Indiana Pacers.
He scored 17 points on 6 of 7 shooting in 24 minutes last Thursday against the Bulls. He also posted a plus-minus of +4. He looked even better in a spot-start on Saturday, posting 17 points and 6 rebounds. What he’s been doing is exciting for the Indiana Pacers and their fans.
The work he put in over the summer is definitely showing in his play. It’s always a luxury to have great depth even through the 10th-15th man especially with the fast pace the Pacers have clocked in with so far this preseason.
So what can Robinson III bring to the team?
Energy
When Solomon Hill signed with the Pelicans earlier in the summer, it left a big void for the Pacers to fill. Solomon provided energy, defense, and three-point shooting off the bench. He also fit perfectly in small-ball lineups.
Glenn Robinson III doesn’t have the same body-type, but he can definitely help replace the loss of Solo’s energy.
Whether it’s a showtime dunk, some three-pointers, or simply making hustle plays on defense, Robinson can fill that void,
Three-Point Shooting
Glenn has been in the gym all summer long and improved an already quality three-point shot. He can’t keep up his current preseason 66.7% clip, but it looks like he’ll be making more three-pointers this regular season compared to the 37.8% from three for the Pacers last season.
More from 8 Points, 9 Seconds
- 2 Studs, 1 dud from gut-wrenching Indiana Pacers loss to Charlotte Hornets
- Handing out early-season grades for Pacers’ Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin
- 3 positives, 2 negatives in Pacers In-Season Tournament win vs. Cavaliers
- 2 positives, 3 negatives from first week of Indiana Pacers basketball
- Should Isaiah Jackson’s days with Indiana Pacers be numbered?
The Pacers need someone to replace what Solomon Hill brought to the Pacers, and Robinson might be able to do that. Solomon Hill shot 57.9% from three-point land in the Playoffs, and he shot 48.1% from three during the month of April. His ability to spread the floor was important for the Pacers, and something they could use from Glenn going forward.
Versatility
It’s kind of hard to say for sure which position Glenn Robinson III is. Frank Vogel, the former Indiana Pacers head coach, liked him as a two. He even started him four games last season there. He’s got the body to play the three, and even could play some four in today’s NBA. He won’t play the small-ball four position as well as Solo did, but it’s nice to have that insurance.
Nate McMillan already stated that he plans on beginning the year with a nine-man rotation. However, the young guys are going to make that difficult. Glenn, Joe Young, and Georges Niang will all have moments where they find a way to play next season. Especially if they keep up what they’ve been doing in the preseason and Summer League. It might be tough to spread the minutes around, but it’s always good to have “too much” depth.
Next: Are the Indiana Pacers Lineups Just Average? Or More Than the Sum of Their Parts?
Through the summer and preseason, Glenn Robinson III has shown he can give that sort of depth and versitiility to the Indiana Pacers.