Can any of the Pacers Summer League players make an immediate impact?

The Indiana Pacers have four exciting young players who showed off in the Summer League. How much can they impact the Pacers in the NBA, if at all?

Following a devastating loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, the Pacers’ 2018 summer league campaign will come to an abrupt halt. The Pacers held a 27-point lead after halftime but they got complacent. A fourth-quarter explosion by Trae Young cemented Indiana’s early exit. They face the Brooklyn Nets on Friday for their last Summer League game.

However, the point of the Summer League is to watch a team’s young players play and see what they can bring to the NBA teams.

There are four key players on the Pacers’ summer league roster that I’ve identified as potential difference makers on the next level: Aaron Holiday, T.J. Leaf, Alize Johnson, and Edmond Sumner.

Let’s take a deep dive into each of these four and their potential for impact on the NBA stage.

Aaron Holiday

The 23rd overall pick has had an excellent Summer League thus far. The brother of Justin and Jrue Holiday, Aaron has shown excellent poise and command of the offense through his four Summer League games. Over four games, he’s averaged a solid 14.5 points, 6.8 assists, five rebounds, and 2.8 steals per game.

Holiday’s ability to run the offense was impressive. His ball handling skills were impressive and he showed an ability to penetrate into the lane with ease. His three-point shot looked nice as well, despite what the statistics say.

Remember, efficiency is rare in the Summer League due to the increased physicality of the game.  He showed an innate ability to change speeds and direction, which is a skill that most young point guards lack. Holiday’s vision was excellent as well, showing an ability to command the defense’s respect and find open teammates.

On the negative side, Holiday’s lack of quickness and athleticism hurt him on the defensive side. Trae Young, an elite ball handler, was able to expose Holiday at the end of Wednesday’s game, getting to the rim with ease.

Despite Pacers fans’ hopes of seeing Aaron Holiday start, him taking Darren Collison’s job seems unlikely. Collison is one of the most steady veteran point guards in the NBA. He passes the ball well, led the NBA in three-point percentage last season (46.8%), and is great on the defensive end.

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Cory Joseph is a good backup but Aaron Holiday will have a good chance to take over the backup point guard job. However, Holiday does have experience playing off of the ball as he did with Lonzo Ball at UCLA. If Collison goes down with an injury, expect Holiday to see his minutes spike.

T.J. Leaf

Many have denigrated Leaf over his Summer League performance, calling him a waste of a draft pick. Although doesn’t appear to have made the strides we’d hoped for, Leaf is not a lost cause. He isn’t very quick and occasionally looked lost on the defensive end. His shot didn’t fall to the extent he hoped but like I said before, efficiency in Summer League doesn’t translate.

If Leaf’s three balls can fall consistently, he instant;y gains value. On the offensive end, Leaf showed his ability to attack closeouts and create for himself to some extent.

I doubt Leaf will ever be a guy who creates his own shot extensively but the ability to attack a closeout will be vital for his offensive game. Adding to his frame showed in the rebounding department, as Leaf cleaned up the glass in the Summer League. His motor on the offensive glass was impressive and he was able to hold his own rebounding on the defensive end.

Given the crowded nature of the Pacers’ frontcourt, Leaf won’t get much opportunity to play meaningful minutes during the NBA season. He will likely spend plenty of time with the Mad Ants, honing his skills.

Hopefully, more experience will help his defensive woes and allow him to perform when his name is called.

Edmond Sumner

The 52nd pick in the 2017 NBA draft, many viewed Sumner as more talented than his draft position suggested. He’s an excellent athlete with good speed and quickness, a great finisher around the rim, a solid playmaker, and a guy with high defensive upside.

However, Sumner’s lack of a reliable three-point shot and nagging knee injuries caused him to fall down most boards. He spent most of his rookie year rehabbing and playing in the G-League, only appearing in one NBA game.

He has looked excellent in the Summer League so far. Steve Gansey has delegated backup point guard duties to Sumner and he’s played the part. His ball handling ability and vision looked solid running the second unit. His high-level finishing ability hasn’t gone anywhere; Sumner’s combination of strong, explosive finishes and floaters and touch finishes make him a difficult cover around the rim.

Sumner’s three-point shot appears to be progressing nicely, as his mechanics look improved and he hit the open shot with some consistency. Edmond Sumner’s physicality and toughness on defense also were very welcome signs. His potential as a multi-position defender could make him a highly useful asset for Indiana in the modern NBA.

Out of all four of these players, Sumner is the one with the best chance to get significant minutes this season. Indiana’s wing depth is frighteningly low, with Doug McDermott being the Pacers’ only true backup wing.

Sumners frame combined with his offensive skill set makes him a prime candidate to be a 3-D wing this season for Indiana, something that they lacked last season. I fully expect Sumner to be Victor Oladipo’s primary backup at some point during this season.

Alize Johnson

Alize Johnson is a very intriguing prospect with a unique skillset. His most appealing traits are his rebounding and his energy. His 13.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game during the Summer League are impressive but he does all of the things that don’t show up in the stat sheet.

He plays far taller than his 6’9″ frame, fighting for every rebound. He gets a high amount of tip-ins and putbacks and is one of the few players of high age I’ve ever seen who boxes out as much as Johnson does. Johnson dives on the floor for every loose ball and is always the first one down the floor in transition.

A former 5’9″ guard, Johnson has a solid handle and shoots the three fairly well. His offensive game is raw and far from a finished product but he does show potential on that end. Johnson still isn’t a great perimeter defender and lacks ample defensive instincts and awareness.

Johnson will likely spend time in Fort Wayne early in the year to hone his skills and become a better offensive player. However, like Sumner, there is a good chance he sees meaningful minutes later in the season.

If Johnson’s development is coming along well and the Pacers’ lack of wings becomes a problem, he could take up a bench role in Indiana. Nate McMillan would be forced to play Johnson if he can become a consistent shooter due to his relentless hustle and energy.

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The Pacers have their foundation set for the near future and are one of the deepest teams in the East. If even one of these four young players can step up and take on a big role in 2018, Indiana could be in for a deep playoff run.