Indiana Pacers: Don’t hesitate to sign newcomer Oshae Brissett

After fighting for real NBA minutes following an energetic and productive season for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, 22-year old wing Oshae Brissett seems to be just the player this Indiana Pacers team was looking for. Giving him 15-20 minutes in any given game should be on Indy’s developmental agenda.

Not only is he a player that adds tenfold to this team stylistically and schematically now, but a dude that could really develop into a mega valuable starter on an NBA team, and hopefully it’s the Pacers.

What makes Oshae Brissett an optimistic prospect for the Indiana Pacers?

Oshae seems to have every skill that this squad has been excruciatingly lacking the entire season. He is a wing that just has a lot of useful little skills in his tool bag that I see as fixing the holes in this team’s sinking ship.

With Brissett, you have a physically assertive, athletic 6-foot-7 wing with at least a 7-foot wingspan that, in the G-League and in limited NBA time, exhibits the feel, skill, and body to be all over the floor defensively.

What intrigues me is his ability to competently defend on the wing, and in good time rotate to the weakside to contest at the rim, which has been in high demand regardless of which bigs we have on the floor in a given time. None of the other wings on the team really do this at an even average level, and it’s been much needed in this team’s defense.

Offensively, Brissett was a bit streaky in the G-league with 43/33/73 shooting splits, but he has the catch and shoot acumen and shooting mechanics to one day become a league-average three-ball shooter.

The physicality he brings defensively carries over nicely to his offense, as he is a fearless and contact-seeking bulldozer of a driver who routinely hit tough lays in the lower league.

His “swing passing” has also gotten better since college, and it seems his iso and dribble games have continued to get tighter as he’s had a heavy offensive load in the G-League at 18 points a game with a 20.9% USG rate.

His transition game might be his most dominant skill if I was forced to pick one, his lob radius and speed make him a delight to run the break with.

What kind of contract should the Indiana Pacers try to seek?

If the Indiana Pacers want to fill a void at the defensive wing for cheap, this is the perfect opportunity. I would love to see them sign him for the rest of the season, and I don’t see why you wouldn’t want a high-energy and teammate “plus” guy like this on the team for next year as well to see what the gritty 22-year old can become.

If the Thunder could make the brilliant deal with Lu Dort for crazy cheap at four years, I don’t see why the Pacers couldn’t do the exact same thing with a player who isn’t as well known just yet.