The Indiana Pacers will soon learn their fate in the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery
With the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery slated in less than a week, the Indiana Pacers will soon know where they will end up picking in the upcoming draft. For the first time since 1989, the franchise is guaranteed to end up with a single-digit selection.
The best-case scenario is that the Pacers end up nabbing the foremost selection in the draft for the first time in franchise history. Conversely, the worst result for Indiana is they move down some notches and wind up picking ninth.
Nevertheless, the Pacers should easily be able to find an immediate contributor who can make a big impact to the team’s winning cause next season. Now, we zoom in on each prospect mocked to Indiana from various outlets.
1. AJ Griffin, Duke
Outlet: SB Nation (5th overall)
Duke standout AJ Griffin boasts high upside as a perimeter threat and an all-around, versatile defender. With the Pacers needing a massive boost to their undersized wing rotation, Griffin’s physical tools could be the kickstart to this cause.
However, if Indiana does end up with the fifth overall pick when all is said and done in the lottery, Griffin should not be the first player whom they would want to focus on. His strengths fill some urgent roster holes, but with a rare top-five pick, the Pacers may want to pick someone with higher upside, notwithstanding fit.
2. Jabari Smith, Auburn
Outlet: 8 Points, 9 Seconds (3rd overall)
In our latest mock draft, Zach Pearson had Auburn’s Jabari Smith going to the Indiana Pacers with the third overall selection. We have long professed our preference for Smith as the best prospect for the Pacers, and that still holds true at large with the draft nearing.
A natural four, Smith not only fills a position of need for Indiana, but he brings with him a unique skillset as a very talented scorer who can hit shots from any spot on the floor. That being said, given his tremendous potential, I would not be opposed to the Pacers picking him as soon as possible.
3. Keegan Murray, Iowa
Outlet: Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, ESPN & Sports Illustrated (5th overall)
Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated all have Keegan Murray landing with the Indiana Pacers as the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The Iowa standout has been a popular choice among Pacers fans, with many expressing desire for him to be picked by the team should they fall out of the top four.
Undisputedly the best forward prospect in the upcoming rookie pool outside the Banchero-Holmgren-Smith troika, Murray is a flexible frontcourt piece who is proactive and mobile defensively. On offense, he has a nifty touch inside, while he also boasts a developing perimeter game that should make him a good fit in the Circle City.
4. Jaden Ivey, Purdue
Outlet: CBS Sports (5th overall)
Unlike other major outlets, CBS Sports mocked Jaden Ivey to the Indiana Pacers as the fifth selection. The Purdue standout, pegged as the best backcourt prospect in the 2022 crop of rookies, is also another fan favorite for the Pacers. We have previously examined how Ivey could look as Tyrese Haliburton’s running mate.
Frequently drawing comparisons to Memphis superstar Ja Morant, Jaden Ivey is also an explosive guard who has a deep crest of scoring maneuvers. He can score from all over the court, and his only real weakness is his wavering effort on the defensive end. Still, while not filling an urgent need, picking Ivey should make a lot of people on the Pacers circle thrilled and contented.
5. Jalen Duren, Memphis
Outlet: The Ringer (8th overall)
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor is not too optimistic about the Indiana Pacers’ chances in the lottery, having them ending up with the eighth overall pick, but has the team still nabbing a frontcourt piece in Memphis product Jalen Duren.
Indiana needs a natural power forward more than a pure center, but picking Duren could make sense for the Pacers should they open the lid once more on the Myles Turner trade front. Duren is an excellent rim protector and a dominant defensive piece who was also arguably the best rebounder in college this year. His offense is that of a conventional center, but he has some range that could be developed further by Rick Carlisle.