8 Points, 9 Seconds Draft Roundtable: Who should the Pacers take?
By Ryan Eggers
Who are your targets for the Indiana Pacers to look at it in the second round, either at pick No. 50 or in a potential trade up?
Matthes: There’s a good chance that Landry Shamet will fall there. But I like a trio of seniors with Indiana ties: Bonzie Colson (PF/ Notre Dame), Trevon Bluiett (G-F/ Xavier and Park Tudor), and Kelan Martin (PF/ Butler). All three can have an impact in their own respective ways. My favorite scenario is not selecting with this pick, but, as I talked about in my summer preview story, using it in a package for Goran Dragic. Miami has no selection in this draft and will be over the tax. If Indy offers Collison, this pick, a future first and some other non-guaranteed contracts, that could get it done.
East: Jevon Carter from West Virginia. Complete stud on defense who can stifle guys for all 94 feet of the court. He can also knock down shots and plays well around his limitations. Add in a high motor and you have a perfect second round pick. He might take a trade up to acquire, though. Another guy I like is Landry Shamet. I wrote about why I like him and his journey here. A last solid choice in the second round would be Rawle Alkins, a guy who showed that he could play at Arizona before he broke his foot. The Pacers love picking guys who get undervalued because of injury, so he would be a very Pacers-y pick at 50. Unfortunately, there’s a chance non of these guys are on the board when the Indiana Pacers are selecting at 50.
Hughes: As a Purdue fan, small forward Vince Edwards would be a great fit. He is a do-it-all Swiss Army knife that should be able to cement a bench role in the NBA. Edwards can score from beyond the arc and has a solid post game. He’s a great rebounder for his size and a strong defender.
Kiesel: The 50th pick is tough to predict, because once the second round starts, really anyone can go anywhere. One player I like at the guard position is Landry Shamet. He is a good scorer, makes good decisions with the ball in his hands, and proved to be a solid ball handler during his three years at Wichita State. If the Pacers pick someone like Keita Bates-Diop in the first, I could see them going for someone like Shamet in the second.
A player I think could be a real steal in the second round if the Pacers can snag him is Jarred Vanderbilt. A five-star recruit out of high school, Jarred Vanderbilt struggled with foot injuries during most of his time at Kentucky. He’s 6-foot-9 with a wing-span of over 7 feet. He’s a good rebounder and an all-around athletic freak. His biggest setback, however, is his shooting. He really can’t hit outside shots and seems to prefer staying in the paint. This is will create a problem for him in the NBA, as he will most likely be constantly mismatched down low. Vanderbilt is a project, but he’s shown a lot of potential and could be a gem, should he fulfill it.
Eggers: I wouldn’t mind seeing Indiana throw a Hoosier a bone and grab a guy like Vincent Edwards or Kelan Martin, though both would be pretty safe, throwaway-ish picks. If the Pacers really wanted to swing for the fences, a guy like Trevon Duval would be interesting for me. NBA body, raw game. He’d be a project, but with the amount of time the Pacers have invested in Joe Young, a project with a player that has the athleticism of Duval could reap excellent rewards.