Indiana Pacers: 5 worthy NBA Draft gambles in the second round

Filip Petrusev will boost the Indiana Pacers’ frontcourt depth and upside

One noticeable trait from Rick Carlisle‘s Dallas squads was the abundance of big men on the roster. This isn’t coincidental, but rather, by design. After all, the championship coach prefers having various frontcourt pieces with different skillsets to throw the opponents off in spurts during games.

Problem is, he doesn’t have that luxury with the Indiana Pacers as currently constructed. Off the bench, Goga Bitadze is the only option. Thus, the team would be wise to draft a frontcourt project in the second round. Gonzaga’s Filip Petrusev could be just that.

The 6’11 Serbian is far from a conventional center, but he boasts a perimeter shot that is rapidly becoming a necessity for big men in today’s game. He’s a bit limited defensively and relies more on positioning and smarts than his physical tools to defend, but his sleek post game and well-rounded offensive profile for a big man should warrant a second look here if he’s still available late in the second round.