Love/Hate Series: Edmond Sumner

We are continuing our offseason analysis of each player on the Pacers roster. Today we look at what we love and hate about second-round pick Edmond Sumner.

Edmond Sumner was drafted by the Pacers with the 52nd pick (after Washington and New Orleans traded the pick) of June’s draft. The Xavier guard signed a two-way contract with the team, giving the Pacers some flexibility with the roster.

Sumner, a 6-foot-5 point guard, tore his ACL last season at Xavier. Before the injury, he looked like a promising prospect. He averaged over 14 points and four assists per game and his length made him a defensive threat.Now we are left hoping he can come back and be the same player.

Now we are left hoping he can come back and be the same player.

Love: Ability to create

In college, Sumner was dominant when attacking the basket and drawing defenses. His passing wasn’t the greatest, but it will get better with time. When driving to the hoop, he showed poise and good recognition of the defense. Not only could he finish at the rim, but he could kick the ball out to the open man. Point guards should be able to make a play in almost any scenario, and I think Sumner is close to being that type of guy.

Not only could he finish at the rim, but he could kick the ball out to the open man. Point guards should be able to make a play in almost any scenario, and I think Sumner is close to being that type of guy.

Shooting is a bit of a struggle for Sumner, but he has shown the ability to hit open shots on occasion. So, he at least has to be respected as an outside scorer for now.

Every team needs a guy that wreaks havoc on drives, and Sumner could easily be that guy. He is explosive with incredible bounce (at least pre-injury) as a floor general. It’s not often you see a guy with this skillset and body-type.

Given his size as a ball-handler, defenses will have to account for his penetrations. Whether he is slamming all over defenders or kicking it out, Sumner is fun to watch.

Hate: The Knee Injury

Obviously, rookies have their fair share of flaws, but I’m going to take this a different direction. The torn ACL that Sumner suffered could severely impact his growth as a player. Before going down, he showed incredible burst, bounce, and explosion. Now we are left questioning if he’ll ever be at that level again.

Sumner had great potential but the injury ended his season early and kept him out of the summer league. Not to mention knee tendinitis cut his freshman season short, limiting him to just six games. So through three seasons in college, he only had a limited sample, and injuries are too common.

Next: Pacers get a fresh new look

The Pacers are taking a huge risk on Sumner, it’s all up to his health if he becomes a useful NBA player or not.