Cory Joseph had a very productive first season in Indiana. Let’s look back on how Joseph’s versatile contributions propelled the Pacers to success.
Who doesn’t love free stuff? “Buy one, get one free” is probably the most popular marketing technique in the world. “Free money” is a common saying for bets that are sure winners, and everyone wants free money. Free throws are a great way to score easy points in basketball. Also, getting Cory Joseph for free was a great way for the Pacers to win basketball games.
Well, essentially free. All the Pacers had to send out to get CoJo was the draft rights to Emir Preldzic, a player who will likely never play in the NBA. The cap-strapped Raptors were desperate to get off some salary, and Kevin Pritchard made a brilliant move to snag CoJo for nothing.
He was awesome for the Pacers this season. Joseph got his turnover rate down to a career low, he shot above his career average from deep, and he continued to be a solid team defender. He did a lot of little things that aren’t flashy or noticeable when watching the team play, but they are still important plays.
All in all, CoJo was incredibly useful as a player, and he had one of the most infectiously happy personalities on the team. Let’s travel back and examine what Joseph brought to the table in the first season in Indiana, and then let’s figure out what comes next for the Canadian National team member.