After an incredible debut season with the Indiana Pacers, what should we expect from Oshae Brissett in 2021-22?
Everyone reading this should know that Oshae Brissett is one of my favorite Indiana Pacers at the moment. His journey to the Pacers last season was one that is typically written about or found in movies but we got to experience first hand.
His 2020-21 season with Indiana might have been limited but it was nothing short of remarkable. The Pacers found a potential building block of the future in Brissett, a player that can start or come off the bench and add a positive impact on both ends.
It is reasonable to expect that trend to continue next season as the Pacers still have questions regarding the roster. Doug McDermott may not return as he heads to free agency, leaving the Pacers with a glaring hole still on the perimeter.
Injuries seem as if they will never leave Indiana, so having depth across the rotation will be extremely valuable moving into the future. Brissett, who can fill in at a few spots when needed, is a nice piece to have when building around a roster with so many injury risks.
While Brissett’s arrival does open the door for a potential trade of T.J. Warren, Domantas Sabonis, or Myles Turner, that does not mean he is better than any of those other guys. Pairing him with Sabonis could give the Pacers a nice duo with some defensive flexibility and a better offense.
Turner and Brissett, which we have not really seen together yet, could be a deadly defensive tandem with a lot of athleticism on that end and some spacing on offense. With Warren on the roster, Brissett would likely fill in as a very steady bench option that could be the face of the second unit.
So, what should we expect from Oshae Brissett next season?
Oshae Brissett brings a lot to the table for the Indiana Pacers
When starting a rebuild, whether it be major or minor, it is important to have versatile options that can contribute to all phases of the game. After missing the playoffs, it is clear the Pacers need to start fresh with their roster and make some important business decisions.
Brissett has done more than enough to prove himself as a staple of the rotation once next season tips off. He has shown that he has what it takes to hang in the NBA and his time as a starter last season will only do him favors. Logging large minutes against the best competition in the NBA will only make him a better player moving forward.
He is still young and learning the game. With just 21 games under his belt last season and 40 games in his career, there is still plenty to clean up with Oshae. The Pacers were not good defensively last season but Oshae’s arrival helped with their intensity on that end.
Offensively, I will be very eager to see if his shooting stays as efficient as it was last season. He shot 42.3 percent from three-point range last season and has connected on 38.7 percent of his attempts in 40 career appearances.
If those numbers continue, or if he at least comes close, he will be a very important player for this team. Nothing is more valuable in the NBA than the ability to score from outside.
go ahead @Obrissy 👏 pic.twitter.com/eLdtyryRVH
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 21, 2021
Brissett also brought some flare last season with a handful of exciting plays above the rim. If Indiana can continue to get valuable minutes from the young wing, they will be in a very good spot.
What should we reasonably expect from Brissett and the Indiana Pacers next season?
With T.J. Warren returning from injury and no official word on the future of Myles Turner or Domantas Sabonis, the early expectation would be for Brissett to come off the bench while still being a major piece in the rotation.
I would expect Oshae to be a high-minute player whether he starts or not, similar to Justin Holiday and Doug McDermott. He can come off the bench for 22-26 minutes on any given night and be a force for Indiana.
He will also enter the starting lineup when injuries eventually arise. He can play pretty much anywhere on the floor with the promise of flexibility on the perimeter. Justin Holiday was the only Pacer to play in every game last season so having someone who can fill in wherever needed would be a massive boost to the roster, as we saw last season.
Predicting stat lines is quite difficult, especially when there is not a clear role for Brissett as the offseason begins. However, something in the range of 12 points, six rebounds, and a shooting percentage of 38 percent from downtown seems like a realistic goal.
If Brissett starts more often than not, then those numbers could see a significant jump to nearly 15 points and eight rebounds.
The Pacers should not be afraid to trust Brissett next season. He looked like a star on some nights last season and the Pacers found quite a bit of success with him in the lineup. I would expect that to remain the case next season.