A comprehensive guide to the Indiana Pacers 2019 NBA Draft

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KNOXVILLE, TN – MARCH 2: Tennessee Volunteers forward Grant Williams (2) being defended by Kentucky Wildcats forward PJ Washington (25) during a college basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Kentucky Wildcats on March 2, 2019, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Indiana Pacers don’t have an easy choice to make drafting at No. 18, but we’ve got a comprehensive guide to their drafting needs.

The NBA draft is today and the Indiana Pacers are slated to pick 18th. With this pick, they will be in a solid position to add talent to the roster, which will help them move up in the Eastern Conference. My board consists of nine targets I would have on my radar if I were Kevin Pritchard, split into three tiers.

Tiers delineate any major separation between prospects and the prospects within tiers have minimal separation. My board is primarily based on best player available, but I take fit into account within the tiers. Along with my board for pick 18, I’ll include a list of preferred second-round targets and a list of prospects to avoid at pick 18.

The pick 18 board only includes players who the Pacers could realistically select, so no Zion or any second round projected prospect.

Tier I

Brandon Clarke, F, Gonzaga

Clarke sits alone at the top of my Pacers board as the clear best player who could realistically be available at pick 18. I would bet on Clarke being off of the board by 18, but his projected range seems to include the Pacers as a possible destination. If Clarke were there at 18, I’d be pounding the table for the Pacers to call his name and bring him to Indiana.

Indiana is already stacked with bigs, with Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis and Thad Young (pending free agency) occupying minutes. Regardless of Indiana’s lack of need here, Clarke is too talented a prospect to pass up.

Despite his lackluster wingspan at only 6’8 and his status as a village elder among prospects, Clarke was the second best player in college basketball this season and is one of the more unique prospects in this draft.

Clarke’s elite functional athleticism mitigates his lack of physical tools.

He’s a rare explosive leaper who is light on his feet, allowing him to change directions and glide through space. At the rim, Clarke erases shots due to his athleticism, special feel for the game and technical perfection on contests.

His smarts make him an uber impactful team defender (10.8 block percentage, 2.3 steal percentage) with the versatility to guard the perimeter at times.

Offensively, Clarke will be able to use his athleticism on rolls, cuts and in transition immediately. His touch around the basket and in the mid-range is elite, as he shot a ridiculous 51.7 percent on two-point jumpers and 79.7 percent at the rim.

Because of this touch and shooting numbers, I expect him to be at least a passable three-point shooter in the future, as shooting touch and rim and two-point efficiency are positive indicators for future shooting development. His skill is underrated on offense as well, with plus handles and passing for his size. Clarke may never be an All-star by traditional measures, but he has a great chance at reaching that level of impact if his jumper comes around.

Indiana might have trouble finding minutes for Clarke, especially if they resign Thad Young (they could actually use Clarke in the same role as Young, who would likely provide similar impact and potentially even more offensive impact). No matter the lineup complications, Clarke is too talented a prospect to pass on if he gets to the Pacers at 18, no matter who is on the board.

Tier II

Grant Williams, F, Tennessee

Like Clarke, Williams’ immense talent supersedes any potential fit concerns, though Williams fits well with the Pacers. Unlike Clarke, Grant Williams will certainly be on the board when the Pacers make their selection at 18. Despite his old-school post game at 6’7, Williams should be an effective offensive NBA player due to his feel for the game and touch, which lends to difficult shotmaking. Due to his high-level touch, Williams is a prolific tough shot maker, his high release helping him shoot over contests.

He shot 50.2 percent on two-point jumpers and 72.2 percent at the rim which combined with his touch, like Clarke, give me confidence he’ll be a fine three-point shooter despite his college accuracy and volume.

Williams is an exceptional passer and despite his post-centric passing, it is easy to see his facilitating translating to the perimeter on short rolls, cuts and on the high-post. His feel for where teammates are going to be and decision making is top notch:

He isn’t overly athletic and can be a bit slow-footed on the perimeter at times, but Grant has the technique and powerful frame to survive on the ball. Off of the ball, his savant-level instincts shine, as he has a strong sense of positioning and understanding of help defense, making NBA-level reads and rotations for contests, stops, steals and blocks.

On the Pacers, Williams could function similarly to how Domantas Sabonis could be used, as a facilitator out of the short roll and on different actions. The Pacers desperately need passing and self-creation and Williams has the potential to fill both of those roles if the difficult shotmaking translates.

Even if the Pacers have more pressing needs, Williams’ overall goodness is too much to pass on.

PJ Washington, F, Kentucky

Similar to Williams, Washington is a dominant interior player at the college level who could translate to the perimeter at the NBA level, he dominated with his hook shot at Kentucky, his soft touch making the shot near unstoppable. His touch (starting to see a theme here, aren’t ya?), two-point percentage (45) and three-point percentage (42.3) give me confidence in his shot translating to the next level. Also, like Williams, he is a fantastic passer.

Washington’s motor on defense is notoriously inconsistent and his IQ is behind players like Clarke and Williams. He struggles against wings on the perimeter.

However, his frame is better than both of the aforementioned: 6’8 with a 7’2 wingspan. His wingspan is an excellent corrective tool, allowing him to challenge shots and rack up blocks when he is a step behind processing or rotating:

I’m not sure Washington has the upside of Williams or Clarke, but I am confident he will be a good NBA player and that’s not something I can say for many prospects in this draft. His size, touch, passing and defensive tools all give him a high floor as an NBA player.

For the Pacers, the fit is a bit tougher with him as a true four, especially if Indiana wants to play Sabonis there. Still, Washington is the last of our group of prospects at the top who are too good to pass on if they are at 18.

Talen Horton-Tucker, G/F, Iowa State

With the top three prospects for the Pacers at 18 out of the way, we turn to prospects who fit more of a need for Indiana while also being near the top of my board. The second youngest player in this draft, I have no idea what Talen Horton-Tucker will be. There are plenty of outcomes where he’s out of the league by his second contract and there are others where he is a super valuable pseudo-initiator.

At 6’4, 235 pounds with a 7’1 wingspan, Horton-Tucker has the frame, strength and touch (69.4 percent at the rim) conducive to volume rim attempts despite his lack of athleticism.

He flashes a rare ability to self create at times as well, suggesting some potential initiator upside.

Horton-Tucker can get an unassisted jumper whenever he wants with his handle and frame. However, he has to make them, and his dreadful 21.6 percent shooting on two-point jumpers is not an auspicious shooting signal. He’s a solid passer for his age, with some decision-making warts and some high level reads. On defense, he has his lapses like all 18-year-olds do, but there are real flashes of defensive ability on and off of the ball with his strength and frame.

The Pacers are starved for perimeter creation outside of Oladipo and their best bet in this draft may be to swing for upside there, as self-creation is king in the NBA.

Horton-Tucker is one of the few prospects in this class with legitimate self-creation upside, despite his overall rawness and significant downside.

So, despite all of the indicators going against him, Horton-Tucker would be an excellent gamble on another wing creator the Pacers so desperately need.

Kevin Porter Jr., G/F, USC

Porter finds himself high on the Pacers’ board due to his self-creation, like Horton-Tucker. Porter had a rocky freshman season, marred with off-court issues and a frightening lack of college production despite his immense talent level.

Kevin Porter can get a shot whenever he wants; whether he can make them is up in the air, as Porter’s abysmal 52.2 free throw percentage and wonky mechanics don’t inspire hope, despite all of the numbers being in a small sample size.

All it takes is one viewing of Porter to discern his talent with the ball in his hands. He is the best pull-up separator in this class (NOT pull-up shooter, which is a vital distinction), taking advantage of his elite quickness and strong handle to create space.

Porter prefers long jumpers to attacking the rim, but if his future coach can convince him to go downhill more, his functional athleticism and handle could make him a nightmare scorer in the half court.

This is the important part for Indiana. While I am higher on Porter’s feel for the game on both ends, it is still lacking, as he loses focus too often on defense and his decision making needs work.

Still, the Pacers need more guys who can create their own shot on the perimeter and Porter has chops to potentially create for himself at a high level.

Tier III

Romeo Langford, G, Indiana

The idea of Romeo Langford on the Indiana Pacers seems to inspire excitement and consternation among the Pacers’ fanbase. On one hand, he is Indiana’s hometown darling, dominating the state’s high school scene before going onto Indiana. On the other hand, he disappointed based on the lofty standards set by his status as a top recruit.

Langford’s jump shot disappointed at Indiana, as he shot a woeful 27.2 percent from deep and his mechanics are poor. However, those mechanics are fixable and he has the natural touch conducive to shooting success.

His touch helped him excel at the rim; Romeo penetrated and finished with strength and touch to make up for his lack of first step burst. He’s a solid passer, capable of making most rudimentary reads while missing the tougher ones.

I love his point of attack defense, where Langford’s length, strength and size should make him a strong and multi-position on-ball defender. His team defense is solid for a freshman. He can lose track of his man at times, but generally, his team awareness and playmaking instincts are solid.

I expect Romeo Langford to be an above average three-point shooter off of the catch and close to it off of the dribble, making him valuable as a pass/dribble/shoot wing to play off of Victor Oladipo. Read more on Langford here.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G, Virginia Tech

Alexander-Walker is another in the line of potential secondary or tertiary creators the Pacers could select with the 18th pick. He’s one of the more creative offensive players, making up for his lack of athleticism and slight frame with craft and touch. He has throwback footwork and is ambidextrous, allowing him to score in the lane and mid-range with all manner of crafty euro-steps and spins.

He passes the ball well with both hands, flashing high-level reads.

He’s a solid team defender, who can be too ambitious helping at times, but has good instincts as a weak-side defender. With Oladipo taking so much of the primary ball-handling responsibility, Alexander-Walker could slide in next to him as the de facto point guard, capable of initiating at times with his passing and handle. Otherwise, he’d do well as a floor spacer when Oladipo or someone else takes on the initiator role.

Tyler Herro, G, Kentucky

Tyler Herro might be the best shooter in the NBA draft. Despite his average three-point percentage (35.5), his free-throw percentage is ludicrous at 93.5 and his accuracy on two-point jumpers (46.7 is fantastic as well. His touch around the basket is elite and he uses his underrated burst to get there and finish with runners.