Grading the Indiana Pacers’ off-season moves so far
Drafting Goga Bitadze
Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis are two young centers with incredibly bright futures and high ceilings. Both guys arguably have the skills to be starters on more than half of opposing NBA rosters. It’s been a big debate among Pacers’ faithful about whether or not these two guys can co-exist on the same team, or if it could be wiser to part with one in order to get a different player back in a trade that addresses a more pressing need.
So what did the Pacers do in the 2019 NBA Draft? Well, uhh… They drafted another center.
On the surface, this was a head-scratcher. Why triple-up at your deepest position instead of drafting a forward, or perhaps some extra guard depth as Victor Oladipo continues his recovery from injury?
We got some more clarity soon as we learned that the plan now would be to start Sabonis and Turner together, leaving the backup center role for Goga Bitadze alone. It’s a bold strategy, and one that didn’t quite seem to be tested enough last season in order for the team to decide to commit to it going forward, but the organization clearly sees something in Domantas and Myles starting next to one another.
Bitadze wasn’t expected by many to be available for the Pacers to select at #18, so Indy opted to utilize the “best player available” strategy with this pick. This could end up paying off. Bitadze has already had a very impressive career in the EuroLeague and looks to have the tools to be a force in the post for years to come in the NBA.
This move was a risk, especially with guys still on the board like Brandon Clarke, who was just named Summer League MVP with the Memphis Grizzlies. Still, there’s a lot to like about Goga Bitadze. We just have to wait and see if the team can really get all three of their young centers enough playing time.