On a recent episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," Simmons said it would be a "nightmare scenario" for the rest of the Eastern Conference if the Indiana Pacers can draft AJ Dybantsa this year.
And he is absolutely correct.
"That's the nightmare scenario for the East is AJ [Dybantsa] goes to the Indiana Pacers, and you just put him with [Tyrese] Haliburton and [Pascal] Siakam and all those dudes," Simmons said.
AJ Dybantsa would be a dream addition for the Pacers
The BYU forward is widely considered one of the three best prospects in this year's draft and has a chance to get drafted first overall.
Through 28 games, Dybantsa has averaged 25.1 points (leads the NCAA Division 1), 6.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 53.2% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc. Additionally, because of his frame and 7-foot wingspan, he has the tools to be a fantastic defender at the NBA level.
There is a fair debate about whether Dybantsa is more talented than Darryn Peterson or Cam Boozer, the other players in the "Big Three" of the class, but in my opinion, he is probably the safest pick in the draft, especially for the Pacers.
Dybantsa can just about do it all, and he is just 19 years old with a ton of room to grow. He can score, get to the basket, defend, and rebound at high levels. And given how important it is to have a talented wing like Dybansta at the NBA level, that makes him even more appealing to teams.
The Pacers already have a talented roster, and they should be able to re-enter the title picture once they get Tyrese Haliburton back. Even if their pick ends up going to the Los Angeles Clippers (which will happen if it falls between the 5-9 range because of the Ivica Zubac trade), they will still have a strong outlook for next season.
But adding someone like Dybantsa would make them that much more dangerous, and that's what the rest of the league should be worried about.
Plus, his game is similar to that of Bennedict Mathurin, whose time in Indiana came to an end with the Zubac trade. The Pacers still need to find his replacement, given that they will miss his skills as a ball-dominant iso-scoring wing. And Dybantsa might be the perfect guy to make that happen.
Indiana will need a lot of luck to be on their side ahead of the draft lottery this year. But if it works out in their favor, the rest of the NBA better watch out if they can get their hands on Dybantsa.