Who the Indiana Pacers should have selected in every NBA Draft since 2010
By Josh Wilson
2016
First-round selection: Caris LeVert (trade to Nets agreed upon in principle) [WRONG]
Available: Pascal Siakam, Dejounte Murray
Second-round selection: Georges Niang (WRONG)
Available: Derrick Jones Jr.
Well, well, if it isn’t another draft-day ruined by a trade. The Pacers selected LeVert for the Nets in order to land Thaddeus Young, a trade that felt right at the time but was quickly soured by Paul George requesting a trade.
Pascal Siakam and Dejounte Murray were on the board. Knowing what we know now, Siakam was the right pick here, though it’s not shameful that the Pacers didn’t select him, as most people couldn’t see what Siakam would become.
Siakam won the Most Improved Player Award last season and elevated his performance even further this year to the tune of 23.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists.
LeVert wouldn’t have been a bad pick, and the Pacers look worse than they should here thanks to PG wanting out.
Should have selected: Pascal Siakam and Derrick Jones Jr.
2017
First-round selection: T.J. Leaf (WRONG)
Available: OG Anunoby
Second-round selection: Ike Anigbogu (WRONG)
Available: Edmond Sumner, Chris Boucher
Wrong. Do I have to say more than that?
T.J. Leaf hasn’t worked out for the Pacers. At all. Leaf has averaged 3.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.3 assists in 8.6 minutes per game so far in his career. Leaf just doesn’t get the job done and doesn’t look like he ever will.
OG Anunoby, on the other hand, would have been a really solid pick for the team. Anunoby is a silent killer, a scorer from all levels of the floor and a high-level defender.
The fact that both of the players the Pacers should have selected ended up on the Toronto Raptors shows how good the team in Canada has been with talent identification over the last several years.