3 goals for the Indiana Pacers in their preseason games
By Luke Parrish
The Indiana Pacers need to find a role for Isaiah Jackson
Rookie big man Isaiah Jackson was a bit of a surprise selection in the 2021 NBA Draft but his upside on both ends of the floor should have Pacers fans excited. He can be a deadly shot blocker and a solid scorer at the next level but finding room for him in the rotation is going to be tricky.
Indiana already has two starting bigs that will take up a bulk of the playing time. Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis are going to start together – at least at first – and will stagger their minutes throughout the 48. In the event that neither is on the floor, it is likely that Goga Bitadze will be the first big off the bench to get playing time.
It is certainly possible that Bitadze and Jackson could play together but that will have to be worked out in the preseason. Indiana could have seen the two together in the Summer League but Goga was absent for personal matters.
Jackson was praised by head coach Rick Carlisle during the team’s media day and that bodes well for his role moving forward. Having a versatile defender off the bench is something this team needs in a major way. Pairing him with Oshae Brissett in the second unit could be a very exciting duo.