It’s official: the Indiana Pacers will be selecting 13th in the NBA Draft after last night’s lottery. The news came as no shock to the Blue and Gold faithful, even the uber-hopeful ones, given that the team bannered with them a near-certain 92.0 percent of securing the same pick.
While it’s arguably hard to acquire an instant game-changer in the late lottery, this upcoming crop of rookies is slated to be one of the deepest yet in recent memory. With the 2021 NBA Draft class consisting of talented prospects across the board, the Pacers will surely have a lot of options to maneuver around their pick.
The Indiana Pacers may be in for a pleasant surprise in the 2021 NBA Draft
In the face of many viable options, decisions become harder to make. This is especially true in the looming draft, where the abundance of talents will force teams to cross out a lot of talented names on their respective lists. After all, aside from the top 4, there isn’t a consensus about how the rest of the draft will pan out.
This uncertainty may be a golden opportunity for teams in the back end of the lottery, like Charlotte, San Antonio, Indiana and Golden State. With much more leeway and cushion to make an easier choice (other than the ones picking fourth or above), these teams may find themselves plucking out a surprising prospect projected to be selected earlier. Here are three players who may surprisingly fall to 13th in the hands of the Indiana Pacers.
Defensive menace Davion Mitchell may come falling to the Indiana Pacers
Various mock drafts project a highly temperamental range for Baylor standout Davion Mitchell. Profiled as arguably the best perimeter defender among his peers, the 6’2 playmaker is forecasted to be selected in the 5-10 range in most sports outlets.
However, the odds of a slight freefall for the speedy guard is quite realistic. Among teams who possess the fifth to 12th picks in the draft, only the New Orleans Pelicans have an urgent need for a guard. Most teams in front of the Pacers are either set in the backcourt (Warriors, Kings, Hornets and Spurs) or are already developing an intriguing backcourt (Magic and Thunder).
While the backcourt is not an urgent hole to fill for Indiana, they would be hard-pressed to find a better talent than Mitchell if he’s still on board at 13th. Hypothetically, he can serve as the team’s de facto sixth or seventh man on the roster to replace the free agent-to-be TJ McConnell and slide in as a starter to fill the shoes of the team’s oft-injured guards. Most importantly, he can be the asset that hoists the Pacers back to their defensive identity.
Shifting predictions for Moses Moody bodes well for the Indiana Pacers
Speaking of temperamental projections, Arkansas’ Moses Moody constantly accrues unpredictable ranges as to where he’ll end up being selected at in the NBA Draft. Some pundits have him as high as seven, while some slot him in the late 10s. Such volatility speaks volumes to this class’ impressive collection of talents.
While the likes of Josh Giddey, Franz Wagner and Corey Kispert provide more stable skillsets on offense, Moody’s higher upside as a perpetually in-demand 3-and-D cog and his young age at 19 arguably elicit a loftier ceiling compared to the aforesaid players.
Similar to Mitchell, the Indiana Pacers should strike the iron with Moody if he is available with the 13th pick. Although the team is not short of 3-and-D wings, adding a high-ceiling swingman will not only improve the defense, but also provide the Blue and Gold with more impetus to acclimate to the small-ball trend of today’s game.
Dynamic Jalen Johnson should be an easy choice for the Indiana Pacers in a surprise freefall
Among the players on this list, Jalen Johnson may be the safest bet to be selected in the top 10. His unique skillset is incredibly enticing, boasting guard-like skills as a playmaking forward with intriguing versatility as a defender and rebounder although teams may be a tad warier with his track record with injuries.
Despite all those, Johnson’s stock may slacken a bit come draft night. Some mocks are recently projecting him to be usurped by prospects initially pegged as late lottery picks. Alas, on a fit basis, only Oklahoma City, Sacramento and San Antonio are the only teams among those picking earlier than Indiana who may definitively zoom in on the Duke standout with their frontcourt needs.
It’s a no-brainer to steal Johnson if he’s still waiting for his name to be called as the Pacers are on the clock. A highly versatile frontcourt piece, he should be a very good fit next to both Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis assuming that the team drops the hammer on one of them in a trade scenario.