Indiana Pacers: Pros and cons of drafting NBA Draft prospect Josh Giddey

What are the downsides to the Indiana Pacers drafting NBA Draft prospect Josh Giddey

Passers are not valued as much as scorers in the NBA, but they are essential to running an efficient, well-oiled offense in the league. That being said, having it as a lone niche is far from ideal, especially with defenses willing to allow non-primary scorers to shoot the rock to double down on the team’s best threats as a point of concession.

While Josh Giddey’s outside shot is still developing, it’s simply not NBA-ready at this juncture. His 29.3 percent mark on triples is concerning, but that is only one part of the equation when considering his questionable shooting mechanics, which include a slow release and a sluggish overall form. It also doesn’t help that his free-throw shooting is iffy.

Also, his defense leaves a lot to be desired. Since he isn’t the most athletic player, much of what he can give as a stopper is produced cerebrally by reading the floor and getting good position. However, against bigger and quicker opponents in the NBA, his 205-lb frame will be an obvious hole for offenses to exploit, which will be aggravated further playing alongside McDermott and Sabonis, two of the team’s least effective defenders, which is very likely as a bench cog.

There’s also the skillset overlap with TJ McConnell, who’s a virtual lock to remain in Indy and veteran head coach Rick Carlisle’s seeming aversion from playing rookies which should both be aggravating factors with his projected limited opportunities as a Pacer next season. Ultimately, there are legitimate reasons around him that can force the team to look elsewhere in the draft.