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About last night: The Indiana Pacers stay busy on draft day

By Jonathan Matthes

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: Goga Bitadze poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted with the 18th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: Goga Bitadze poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted with the 18th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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Goga Bitadze of the Indiana Pacers
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 20: Goga Bitadze poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted with the 18th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

9:29 PM – Indiana Pacers select Goga Bitadze, C, Georgia (the country) with 18th pick

Goga Bitadze is a strong pick, it would have been regardless of the T.J. Warren trade, but especially after. Bitadze represents further renovation of the Indiana Pacers’ front court. Here’s the theory: if you are going to commit to playing Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner together, you’re need a reliable backup Center who can protect the rim. That was an issue for the Pacers even last season, take Turner out of the equation and the middle was opened up.

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Enter the 6-11 Georgian with his 7-2 wingspan. Though not the same, he swatted 2.3 blocks per game last year in Euroleague play. While he’ll have to keep developing his game and tune it up to the NBA level, the aptitude is there and he plays defense with ferocity.

On offense he plays more like an American center than a European one. He’s comfortable in the post and will enjoy the battles inside. He also compliments his post game with a decent enough jumper and he has a good handle, especially for someone of his size.

Whether TJ Leaf remains on the team or not, the Pacers have a much younger more dynamic front court. Sabonis and Turner are well known and will both be 23 next season. Warren, who can play both forward spots, is the old man at 26. Bitadze who brings a post acumen on both ends of the floor, will be 20.

And Leaf, who on his good days can shoot and stretch, is 22. The road for playing time for Leaf did just get much tougher, which is a good thing for the team as a whole. A strong and competitive front court is not a bad thing.

11:08 PM – Indiana Pacers select KZ Okpala with 32nd pick

Psych! Actually, the Pacers traded Okpala to Miami for three second round picks. In summary, the Pacers found a way to trade some stacks of money for T.J. Warren and three future second round picks. Miami spectacularly only has four more of their own picks under their control, all second rounders (2022, 2024, 2025, 2026). Indiana will now control three of those four. All that is neat, but we’ll move along now.

12:09 AM – The 50th pick didn’t happen, dealt to Utah

His name is Jerrell Brantley, he was a power forward from the College of Charleston. That’s actually the alma mater for former Pacer point guard Anthony Johnson. And Brantley is now a Utah Jazz. Indiana received a future second, the pick was not disclosed when this story was written.

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