Johnny Furphy just gave the Pacers glimpse of what his future may hold

There was a lot of hope for Johnny Furphy to emerge as a legitimate contributor for the Indiana Pacers this season. It's just one game, but the second-year guard is well on his way to doing that if his latest game was any indication.

In Saturday's 128-109 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, Furphy scored 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting in 23 minutes off the bench. He also grabbed two rebounds.

It was a slow start for the Australian native to begin the season. He logged just one minute during Indiana's season-opening loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he missed 18 games due to a foot and ankle injury. Additionally, even when he played, he didn't wow anybody, averaging 2 points and 1.9 rebounds on 38.9% shooting in 11.1 minutes before Saturday's game.

Regardless, Furphy looked incredible against New Orleans and is showing the Pacers exactly what he may have in store moving forward.

Johnny Furphy can be a long-term asset for the Pacers

Furphy clearly has fans within the Pacers organization, including general manager Chad Buchanan, who spoke highly of his growth and physicality in the offseason.

"If you go back and look at last year's summer league to where he was at to where he's at now, there's definite growth in every part of his game," Buchanan said about Furphy during a July episode of the 'Setting the Pace' podcast. "We like that physicality that he brings, and I think as his body catches up to his playstyle, I think he can be very impactful for us playing off the ball with his cutting [and] his transition game."

There is a lot to like about Furphy's game. He possesses good size as a 6-foot-8 shooting guard/small forward. Additionally, he is very athletic and physical, and he provides value as a rim-runner and a cutter. He also plays with a lot of heart and energy, and he has the tools to be a solid defender. The Kansas alum has also been praised for his high basketball IQ, often being able to make smart reads and have good positioning off the ball.

Plus, Furphy just turned 21 years old on Dec. 8. He is incredibly young and fits the Pacers' timeline. Ultimately, it's just a matter of giving him the opportunity to prove himself and work on his game, which is exactly what's going on right now.

His performance against New Orleans wasn't the only sign of Furphy's potential. In three Summer League games this year, he averaged 11.3 points on 52% shooting from the field, 4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1 steal. He also had one of the highlights of the summer because of a jaw-dropping poster dunk.

It remains to be seen what exactly Furphy can become, but if his latest game was any indication, he has a bright future and can help the Pacers compete for the long haul.