NBA Draft Mock 1.0: Early pre-lottery projections for all 30 teams

Cade Cunningham - Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Cade Cunningham - Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
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NBA Draft, Franz Wagner
NBA Draft, Franz Wagner – Credit: Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar via USA TODAY Sports

NBA Draft Mock 13th Pick: Indiana Pacers

After a disappointing season which saw the Indiana Pacers be embroiled in another endless string of injuries which cultivated into a lottery finish, the need for another retooling is set to be at the crux of the Blue and Gold’s blueprint this offseason to build a potent squad that can give the upper echelon in the East a run for their money.

One of the routes to improve the team will be the NBA draft, and with the 13th pick, Franz Wagner will be the best prospect available. He can easily be selected much earlier, but Indiana would be wise to put him atop their big board.

The 6’9 forward is a smooth offensive player who thrives in pace and space situations. His deft three-point touch will be a giant addition to the Pacers’ below average three-point attempt rate and conversion, especially with primary sniper Doug McDermott possibly pricing himself out of Indy’s range in free agency. His court vision is also nothing to scoff at, though his defense needs a lot of tweaks to be serviceable on that end.