Indiana Pacers: Who should be the team’s main backup center?

The Indiana Pacers have one of the league’s best big man rotation. Heading into the 2021-22 NBA season, the team will parade its frontcourt as one of their biggest anchorages in their bid to make noise in the Eastern Conference after last season’s dismal finish.

With two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis leading the charge and defensive phenom Myles Turner as his sidekick in the starting frontcourt, the Pacers have two talented big men to anchor the team, with the former serving as an efficient offensive catalyst and triple-double machine and the latter uniquely functioning as a deterring rim protector who can hoist triples.

However, with their abundance of riches in the position, who should be their primary backup next season? Let’s examine their options.

Who should man the Indiana Pacers’ primary backup center role?

While Indiana operates without a true bench big given their (rightful) proclivity with staggering Sabonis and Turner, with the Lithuanian primarily leading the bench, many are projecting third-year player Goga Bitadze to continue being the first big off the bench, albeit in a relatively meager role.

Despite limited court time for the past couple of seasons, the Georgian center has shown flashes of a modern big man skillset. Bitadze has proven, even in spurts, that he can score in the post and from the perimeter, alter shots, secure boards and move the ball. However, his problem, aside from a definitive lack of a major role, is consistency, which is supported by the team’s vacillating performance with him manning the five.

While he is a fine player who can absolutely thrive when given more province on the court, both role and minutes-wise, his rather meek play on the ball holds him back. However, his potential isn’t just jotted down from the scouting report—it surpasses the margins of a mere hypothetical. There’s a reason why a lot of fans are clamoring for him to get more minutes.

Still, a waiting game for him to blossom with time may soon prove to be a predicament for the coaching staff. Rookie Isaiah Jackson, the Indiana Pacers’ other first-round acquisition in the 2021 NBA Draft, while raw, not only has a skillset that is directly easier to incorporate, but he also fits a need for the Blue and Gold.

Indy’s big man rotation comprises of players who rely more on out-finessing their opponents instead of dominating them with their physical gifts. However, Jackson is in the latter category and his rim-running ability, 7’5 wingspan and surprisingly good court awareness are all common motifs from head coach Rick Carlisle’s ideal bench bigs (remember Tyson Chandler? Dwight Powell? DeAndre Jordan?) and should galvanize the Pacers’ motion-based second unit offense which, at times, suffers from a lack of a legitimate rim finisher.

Aside from Jackson, another factor which could cut into Bitadze’s minutes next season is their signing of tweener Torrey Craig. While he is not a center by any means, his short stint with the Phoenix Suns last season saw him play the five in short spurts.

The reason why Craig could possibly eat into Bitadze’s court time is the versatility that he offers. Basically, he’s a PJ Tucker-like player who can play all frontcourt positions, at least on defense. With him, there won’t be a big concession in the rebounding position, while the offense could heavily  benefit from the added spacing he provides. Theoretically, Carlisle can deploy him in a miniature Maxi Kleber-role.

Is Goga Bitadze still the favorite for the Indiana Pacers’ bench big man role?

Ultimately, I personally wish that Goga Bitadze keeps his spot as the first big off Indiana’s bench. He likely won’t play much when the Turbonis pairing is a full go, but his upside easily bests the team’s other options.

However, I won’t be surprised at all if coach Rick Carlisle goes with a by-committee approach to the backup center role. Historically, he has deployed a revolving door on a game-to-game basis. If the Pacers need a finisher who is mobile on defense, Jackson could easily slide into that spot. If the need for small-ball arises, Craig should be the option.

Still, while it’s easy to look at this as an embarrassment of riches, the fact subsists that the Indiana Pacers will have a lot of options to anchor their lineups next season—a luxury that many teams won’t have.