Indiana Pacers: 3 lessons from the Bucks’ NBA Finals victory

Making better draft choices will certainly do wonders for the Indiana Pacers

It’s difficult to mount a sterling record with drafting when your team is constantly picking in the late lottery at best due to an allergic reaction to rebuilding, but failing to strike the hot iron with prospects in the NBA Draft is a common motif among franchises that are stuck in the middle.

The Indiana Pacers, who have never picked in the top-10 in since 2010 when it landed superstar Paul George (no, 2011’s San Antonio-tailored Kawhi Leonard selection doesn’t count), have largely been hit-and-miss at drafting rookies. Since then, among the team’s selections, only Myles Turner and Caris LeVert are enjoying productive careers.

Picking Giannis with the 15th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft will forever be regarded as perhaps one of, if not the best non-lottery selections ever, but finding an eventual legend at that juncture is an incredibly rare exception. Still, the Bucks have been great at drafting recently, even managing to pick the likes of Malcolm Brogdon and Norman Powell in the second round.

In the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft which projects to be one of the deepest yet, the Pacers can’t afford to miss with their 13th selection. It’s too early for grand projections, but if Indy makes the most logical choice and the draft class stays true to its talent and upside, then a big-impact player is definitely not out of the woods, even at that point.