Ben Moore only got to play single digit minutes with the Pacers this season. But he embodied the spirit of the team in the perfect way.
Ben Moore earned the third ever two-way contract in Indiana Pacers history. Back on January 12th, the young forward out of SMU was granted an opportunity to be a part of the Indiana Pacers for the remainder of the regular season.
While Moore was a member of the team during that stretch, his status as a two-way player meant he spent some time in Indiana and some time with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. While he practiced occasionally with Indiana, he only played nine minutes in games with the pro squad. The rest of his on-court time was with Fort Wayne.
Unfortunately, that means we didn’t get to learn a ton about Moore. He played four years at SMU, so we know what kind of player he can be, but we don’t exactly know if he is good enough to be an NBA player. Nine minutes is not enough to say anything about anyone.
But Moore played a lot in the G League, and he worked his butt off in his nine minutes. Let’s look back upon Ben Moore’s rookie campaign with the Indiana Pacers.
The Good
Moore had very little good to talk about in his NBA minutes.
That is not for lack of trying. It is for lack of opportunity. Moore only hit the NBA hardwood for nine total minutes spread across two games. But the motor-man did motor-man things on the court when he did get to play.
Moore’s first burn was in garbage time in the Pacers blowout win over the Phoenix Suns. He dished out a nice assist to Alex Poythress on a dump off pass in the post, but didn’t do a ton besides that:
His second and final professional stint of playing time came on February 5th against Washington. Remember that game? No DC, no Dipo, and a banged up Turner? Moore ended up playing the backup small forward role in that game. He was out of position on the wing but held his own by being just a -1 in six minutes. He managed to pull down his first pro rebound in that game as well:
But outside of the two highlights you just saw, Moore didn’t post any other noteworthy counting stats. What Moore did instead was to embody the spirit of the Pacers.
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It wasn’t anything intentional. It is just who Ben Moore is. He was always deemed as a hard worker in college. He always had a good attitude. Moore was known for doing the little things right. That is why he got a call-up to this Pacers team. He fit everything they were trying to have in terms of character on the team to a T, and he showed it every day by working hard. Moore might not have had the biggest impact on the court, but his work ethic and attitude were still important traits to this overachieving Pacers team. That shouldn’t, and won’t, be overlooked.
In the G League, Moore did many things well, but it is hard to say what skills would transfer for a player of his skillset. He shot a tidy 35.2 percent from long range and 55.2 percent overall in the minors, very efficient numbers. He had an offensive rebound rate over 10 percent and a free throw rate of 45.2 percent, which are both insanely good figures that are indicative of his supreme effort.
But it’s hard to say how that would look in the NBA. Trying harder than everyone else might make you look amazing in the minors, but in the NBA where the talent disparity is so much larger, Moore’s determination might not be enough for him to be effective.
The Bad
Ben Moore was a young guy with a high motor who couldn’t keep up with the pro game yet. I think it is obvious what his biggest weakness was.
Fouls.
He had four of em’ in nine minutes of playing time. The NBA rule is that you foul out with six fouls in 48 minutes. Moore had an astronomical 16 fouls per 36 minutes. So that is… bad.
In the G League, Moore kept his fouls down to a modest 2.7 fouls per 36 minutes, which is far more encouraging. But his time with the Mad Ants showcased another one of Moore’s biggest flaws: turnovers.
He had a turnover rate of 14.3 percent in the G League, approximately the rate of Lance Stephenson. The difference is that Stephenson has a higher usage rate. Moore isn’t a forceful dribbler or polished passer, so turnovers were a frequent problem for the youngster.
Outside of that, there wasn’t anything that was a glaring negative for Moore. He had a great true shooting percentage, he hit the glass hard, he played solid defense, and he worked his tail off. Ben has the hallmark of a guy who could break into the NBA one day thanks to a lack of negatives. He just needs to polish up the fouling and turnovers.
A gif to describe Ben Moore’s season
As is customary with play season recaps, we need a gif to represent the players season.
This is a perfect encapsulation of Ben Moore. He works hard. And he plays hard. That is really all you can ask of your young guys.
What’s Next for Ben Moore?
The true answer: who knows?
This past season was the NBA’s first season implementing the two-way contract, and Moore was a recipient of one. We don’t have any historical data to tell us what happens next for these guys. Alex Poythress had his two-way contract converted to a full NBA deal halfway through the season. Moore didn’t have that luxury, so it is hard to say what is coming for him.
He is eligible for a two-way contract again next season, so maybe the Pacers pursue that route. Or maybe another team swoops in and steals Moore away from the Pacers organization. It is hard to say. But it is obvious given how productive he was in Fort Wayne that the Pacers would like to keep him within the organization in some capacity.
Next: 2017-18 Pacers Player Reviews: Ike Anigbogu
Regardless of what happens to Ben Moore, his infectious happy attitude and sensational work ethic will not soon be forgotten. He didn’t get to play much for the Indiana Pacers, but his time this season was still fun to watch.