Q and A with a Clippers writer about new Indiana Pacers player CJ Wilcox

A lot of questions surround the newest Indiana Pacers player: CJ Wilcox. His time with the Los Angeles Clippers could supply some answers.

CJ Wilcox recently received a two-way contract from the Indiana Pacers. Most two-way contract players are young guys who won’t contribute, but Wilcox is 27 years old and a former first-round pick. The Pacers likely want him to play spot minutes when someone above him in the rotation is hobbled with injuries.

Unfortunately, getting a read on the type of player Wilcox is can be challenging. He doesn’t have a lot of NBA experience, he has fewer total minutes than TJ Leaf already. He played for the Indiana Pacers summer league team, but summer league is rarely a good indicator of talent. Last season, he didn’t play a single second in the NBA due to injuries.

This culmination of facts makes it very hard for Pacers fans to know what they are getting in Wilcox. To get around this problem, we need to talk to someone who has seen CJ play extensively before. Robert Flom from SBNation’s Clippers website was kind enough to help us out and tell us a thing or two about the newest Pacer. Let’s jump right in.

8 Points 9 Seconds: Wilcox was at one point a first-round draft pick, but four years later is on his second two-way contract. Why hasn’t he been able to play up to his draft position?

Flom: Unfortunately, I think CJ has mostly just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was drafted onto a Clippers team in 2014 that was a legitimate title contender (laugh if you want, it’s true), and had no room in the rotation for a shooting guard. Even as a slightly more seasoned player in his second year, the Clippers just did not have minutes for Wilcox, as he once again sat behind JJ Redick, Jamal Crawford, Austin Rivers, and Indiana Pacers legend Lance Stephenson (until he got traded). His best opportunity for NBA minutes was therefore during the 2016-2017 season in Orlando, but that team was a disaster, as were Wilcox’s numbers. If you’re looking at his career, that season was probably the turning point, with CJ shooting a miserable 8-31 from the field and 3-15 from three in just over 100 minutes. So, really, poor fortune and a stretch of some poor shooting have kept CJ from even demonstrating any real sample size of minutes in the NBA.

8.9: Did CJ Wilcox show many signs of growth early in his Clippers career? Could he continue to improve in Indiana?

Flom: It’s tough to say, again due to the limited sample size. Rumors before his second season, if I remember correctly, were that CJ was primed for a “breakout”, and I do think he played better that year. I thought his defense (again, in limited minutes in garbage time) was better, and he also turned the ball over a lot less. Really, he just seemed more composed and controlled on the court, which makes sense. Skills wise, I think his handle tightened up a bit that second year, which can be seen in his lower three-point field goal attempt rate and a higher free throw rate.

I absolutely think CJ can improve in Indiana. Up to a certain point, I think age isn’t as big a factor for
improvement in the NBA as experience is, and CJ still even hasn’t cracked the 400-minute mark yet for his total NBA career (though he does turn 28 in December). What he really needs is actual playing time: he can’t become that much better as an NBA player if he continues to sit on the bench or play in the G League.

(Authors insert: what a glorious picture. Beyond having CJ Wilcox and Lance, we also get Paul Peirce, Josh Smith, both Rivers’, and some Clipper legends. Incredible stuff.)

8.9: What can Pacers’ fans expect from Wilcox when he is on the court? What are his strengths and weaknesses?

Flom: CJ’s biggest strength as a basketball player is his outside shot. He shot 38% from three as a Clipper (tiny sample size) and is a career 41.2% three-point shooter in the G-League on a fair number of attempts. He has a quick, smooth, repeatable release, and he should be a well above-average shooter from deep if given enough playing time to get into a rhythm. Another strength is defense: while Wilcox is only average-sized at 6’5”, he does have a lengthy 6’9.75” wingspan, which is useful in bothering players on the defensive end. He’s no stopper, but he’s smart and can theoretically guard multiple positions. Finally, CJ is a willing passer and can do little things like capably fill the lane in transition and make smart cuts to the hoop.

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CJ’s biggest weaknesses are probably athleticism and lack of shot creation, which go hand in hand. He’s just not an explosive athlete, and therefore can’t create separation very easily. On the offensive end, he’s a role player best suited playing off-ball, though he can be a secondary playmaker if need be. Since he’s 28 now, that “lack of upside” which made him a late 1 st round draft pick matters less—if he can play in the NBA (and I think he can), that’s a win at this point.

8.9: Do you, or the Clippers, miss him? I ask this question because I find the best free agent pickups are often players whose incumbent team’s fans and writers are sad to lose.

Flom: Not particularly. I liked CJ and thought he was an NBA player when given the opportunity, but he wasn’t ready for big-time minutes on those Lob City teams, and he would have no room for playing time on the current Clippers roster either. Still, I’m rooting for him, and I still believe he can carve out a role in the NBA as a three-point shooter who provides just enough other things to be playable for 15 minutes a game off the bench.

There you have it, folks. Who knows if we are going to love or hate CJ Wilcox, but now we know what to expect from him. Let’s hope he can contribute in some capacity.