Indiana Pacers: 5 former Rick Carlisle players who can bolster the bench

Josh Richardson’s two-way prowess patches up some holes on the Indiana Pacers bench

Dallas’ Josh Richardson has been one of the better wing defenders in the past five seasons. In prior stints with Miami and Philadelphia, the 6’5 swingman flourished in a complimentary role as a spot-up shooter, perimeter stopper and secondary playmaker, albeit with mixed results.

Ideally, Richardson can come in and play significant minutes as one of the team’s primary bench players. While his shaky spot-up shooting divulges an asterisk, his steady defense and overlooked ability as a playmaker should be a pleasant addition to a bench unit lacking a true one-on-one option aside from the oft-injured Jeremy Lamb.

However, acquiring him may be tricky, especially with him holding a player option worth roughly 10.5 million, which is a tad lower than what he can get in free agency. However, a sign-and-trade with McDermott or a straight-up trade with Lamb and a second-rounder as a sweetener may entice Dallas, assuming he opts in.