Ben Moore to sign partially guaranteed contract with the Indiana Pacers

SMU senior big man Ben Moore will sign a partially guaranteed deal with the Indiana Pacers, according to Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo.

Ben Moore’s name may sound familiar. That’s because he worked out for the Pacers during the pre-draft process. The SMU big man will now be able to play for the Pacers in Summer League, and will likely join the team for training camp if he turns some heads.

Does he have a chance to make the team? Of course. However, given Indiana’s newly acquired depth up front, it will take a big effort.

This is about more than making the Indiana Pacers, though. The Pacers can get a look at him, then get him in with their G-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. We saw them do the same thing with Alex Poythress last year.

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After being a G-League All-Star, Poythress got signed by the Philadelphia 76ers late in the year. He made the most of that opportunity, as he averaged 10.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in Philly.

As Poythress proved, this process is also about helping jump start a young player’s NBA career.

During his senior year at SMU, Moore averaged 11.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He’s a tough guy who sets some nice screens. Larry Brown, one of the best basketball coaches ever, had huge praise for Moore. He coached him for three years.

"“All Derrick McKey (former Pacer) cared about was winning, defending, and making people better,” Brown said. “That’s Ben Moore.”"

Moore is definitely intriguing for his versatility. At 6-foot-7, he can play multiple different positions. He may have gone undrafted, but signing this deal with the Pacers could be a really good thing for him.

Next: Pacers select T.J. Leaf with the 18th pick

Even if he doesn’t make the roster. We’ll see if he can make some noise. The Pacers will play in the Orlando Summer League, which begins on July 1. Indiana will open up against the Orlando Magic.