Imagining a dream roster around the face of the franchise
By Jacob Breece
Players to target – the back court
(Note: All players are projected at or close to their ceiling in the year 2022-23, which would be considered the beginning of Myles Turner’s prime)
The back-court could be considered the most important aspect of a team. Generally, the guards dictate the pace of the game as well as running the offense. In this scenario, the team’s second best player would come from one of the guard positions.
Ideal Pairing: Dante Exum and C.J McCollum
Targeting somebody that could create their own shot in the half-court is key. When the defense is set, a two-man game involving Turner and McCollum would be a go-to. One of the two guard positions should provide elite scoring and play-making. McCollum fits that mold perfectly.
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At the other guard spot would be Dante Exum. Exum is a rangy, long defender that could take on the opposing teams best guard. Although he lacks a jumper at this point in his career, he should at least have enough to keep opposing teams honest in five years.
All that said, maybe the Pacers don’t need to look elsewhere for these players. Victor Oladipo is an attacking two guard who could soon become Indy’s Robin to Myles Turner’s Batman. If he pulls all aspects of his game together, he could be a 20 ppg scorer as early as next year.
Similarly, Cory Joseph is a solid defender with good size to guard either back-court position, but needs to improve greatly on the offensive end.