Indiana Pacers: 3 players to watch in the preseason
By Luke Parrish
Cassius Stanley
The Pacers used their lone draft pick on Cassius Stanley to provide depth and athleticism on the wing. Stanley, a high-flying guard out of Duke, will wow fans with his bounce on both ends of the floor. He is an excellent rebounding guard who can go up top and slam on opponents, which will catch the eyes of fans very quickly.
If Sumner struggles early, I would not be surprised to see coach Nate Bjorkgren turn to Cassius Stanley to see how he fits with the rotation. The preseason offers an opportunity for all camp players to play a bit, though most of that is to preserve the core lineup before the season begins.
I fully expect Stanley to play plenty of minutes in the preseason as the team works to find a role for him. He could also be auditioning for the Mad Ants as the Pacers signed him to a two-way contract.
There is a lot to like about Stanley from a fan’s perspective, so I hope he gets his chance to run with the rotation a bit in the exhibitions just to get a feel for where he fits. Though I do not expect him to earn quality minutes right out of the gate, it is still going to be exciting to see him on the floor.