Indiana Pacers: Reaction to ESPN’s player rankings

The Indiana Pacers had five players crack ESPN’s top 100 list.

ESPN recently revealed its preseason rankings of the top 100 NBA players for the 2020-21 season. All five expected starters for the Indiana Pacers made the list but no player ranked higher than Malcolm Brogdon, who came in at 39. The full list can be found here (ESPN plus subscription required).

Brogdon, Indiana’s starting point guard, was a bit of a surprise to be the team’s highest-ranked player. I would have chosen Domantas Sabonis as Indiana’s best player but ESPN had Sabonis 50th overall and third on the Pacers. Sabonis, the lone All-Star for Indiana in 2019, is primed for a huge season in 2020-21 as he returns from injury.

I also would have placed T.J. Warren higher on the list thanks to his ability to score. However, ESPN apparently disagrees and has Warren at 63rd overall and fourth on the Pacers. Warren, who broke out in the NBA bubble last season, can be the leading scorer on a playoff team once again this season. This is not a slight towards Brogdon, I just feel as if Warren and Sabonis are better players right now and can do more for the Pacers next season.

The two headlines of the offseason, Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner, both cracked the list as well. Oladipo ranked second on the team as ESPN named him the 47th-best player in the NBA, which I believe is a fair assessment right now. With questions regarding his future and struggles since returning from injury, Oladipo is no longer the star he once was. He can return to form still but this Victor Oladipo is not what fans are accustomed to just yet.

Myles Turner, who ranked 74th on ESPN, is another tricky player to place. His talent is undeniable but he has yet to flash dominance on the glass and his usage in the offense has been minimal. Being the lowest Pacer on the list, Myles obviously has the most room to grow and I think he is a reasonable pick to be the biggest riser heading into next season.

While I do have some questions regarding the order of Pacers players, I think each of the five starters is among the top 100 players in the league right now. Indiana has a very strong starting unit this season and their performance in the upcoming season should reflect that.