The Indiana Pacers want to get back to the playoffs in 2024 after three straight misses. They have not won a postseason series since reaching the conference finals in 2014, but they are hoping to build an annual contender around Tyrese Haliburton. The 23-year-old made his first All-Star appearance in 2023, but the Pacers need more talent around him to get back into the mix.
Indiana has work to do this offseason, and that starts with three first-round picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. The Pacers select seventh overall, and they have to nail that pick to keep building their roster. They have brought in a ton of players for workouts, but who will they target?
Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, and Brandon Miller will be the top three picks in some order on June 22. The Pacers won’t have a shot at any of those players unless they trade up, but who could help them turn things around at seven? Here is a look at their options.
4 Best 2023 NBA Draft prospects for Indiana Pacers to finally turn things around
4. Ausar Thompson
Both Thompson twins are getting buzz of being selected in the top five as they are elite athletes with immense potential. The 6’6 wings dominated the Overtime Elite circuit this year with Ausar being billed as more of a secondary creator and defensive-minded wing. He has a seven-foot wingspan and the versatility and athletic ability to guard nearly every player on the floor.
The Pacers finished 26th in defensive rating last season, so grabbing a lockdown defender is not out of the question, but Thompson’s biggest question mark would be a massive issue in Indiana. The Pacers took the seventh-most 3-pointers last season, and head coach Rick Carlisle’s teams are always near the top of the league in that category. Thompson’s jumper is a massive question mark as his 3-point and free-throw percentages are both below average.
Ausar Thompson is not the ideal fit in Indiana unless Carlisle and his staff are convinced they can fix his jumper. The 20-year-old has altered his mechanics, but the results have not improved enough to make him a fit with the Indiana Pacers.
3. Amen Thompson
Amen is still the favorite to go fourth overall as he is a 6’6 playmaker that can run an offense. He has a seven-foot wingspan and unlimited defensive potential. Thompson is an elite athlete that is going to get his team playing faster and pushing in transition.
Tyrese Haliburton is a budding superstar that can play with anyone. It would be interesting to see how the Pacers fit these two players together. It feels like Thompson would handle the ball a bit more, and Haliburton would be used more as a scorer and floor spacer. The Pacers do not want to take the ball out of his hands, which makes drafting Amen Thompson problematic.
There are questions about Amen’s jumper, including a recent video of his form that The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor posted. Will the Pacers draft a shaky shooter at seventh overall? The only elite shooter in this range is Gradey Dick, and the other questions about his game should keep him off the board for Indiana.
The Indiana Pacers need wing and forward depth, but they should look elsewhere if either of the Thompson twins falls to seven. They need a better shooter right now to help turn things around. The Pacers want to be in the playoffs, and they need the right pieces around Haliburton to make that a reality.
2. Jarace Walker
Walker is the type of player that the Pacers would love to add this offseason. He measured at 6’7 with a 7’3 wingspan at the combine, and the 19-year-old is locked in and competes hard on the defensive end of the floor. Walker can guard any player and brings immediate versatility to whatever team he lands on.
Walker had a phenomenal lone season at the University of Houston where he averaged 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.3 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game.
His defense got the scouts’ attention, but it is his offensive game that gives him the potential to be one of the best players in this class. Walker demonstrated some playmaking chops to go with his elite finishing inside and developing jumper. He shot 34.7 percent from 3-point range last season and will need to take more steps forward to be a threat from outside in the NBA.
Jarace Walker needs time to develop, but his ceiling is immense. Do the Indiana Pacers believe in him as a versatile two-way threat that can play with any player in the league? If so, they are hoping he remains on the board when they get put on the clock. Walker is a fantastic fit and could keep growing in Indiana next to Tyrese Haliburton.
1. Cam Whitmore
The Pacers want a two-way threat that can help them quickly. Whitmore is a 6’6 wing with a 6’8 wingspan that showed flashes of a high floor and upside during his lone season at Villanova. The 18-year-old average 12.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 27.3 minutes per game. He should be able to make an impact on both ends of the floor quickly, but can he blossom into a star?
Whitmore competes hard and guards multiple positions. He could become an elite defender thanks to his athleticism, but it will take time. Whitmore shot just 34.3 percent from 3-point range last season, and there are questions about his shot-making chops moving forward.
Why is Cam Whitmore the right fit for the Indiana Pacers? He is a versatile wing with the most shooting upside. Whitmore could start next to Tyrese Haliburton for the next decade as they develop a dynamic one-two punch in Indiana.
Will Whitmore still be available at seven? That is an unknown, but the Pacers will get an exceptional young talent to add to their core. Can they help him reach his ceiling? That will be the key to ending their rebuild and jumping back into contention, so stay tuned to find out.
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