Rookie guard Taelon Peter is not likely to get much playing time for the Indiana Pacers for the rest of the season, but that's not stopping him from still making a name for himself.
On Thursday, the Liberty alum had a great performance in the Noblesville Boom's victory over the Wisconsin Herd in the G League. In the win, Peter led the game in scoring with 24 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field. Furthermore, he shot 5-for-10 from deep and recorded four assists, three rebounds, one steal, and just one turnover in 33 minutes.
Drafting Peter was a bit of a controversial move. Even though he was a late second-round pick, Indiana caught some flak for drafting him over a guy like Ryan Nembhard (who is thriving with the Dallas Mavericks). Plus, he wasn't on anybody's radar and was widely considered to go undrafted.
It's just one game in the G League, and it's important to remember that Peter didn't make much of an impact during his limited NBA run so far (which was always expected). But the way he played should make the Pacers happy, and it will be worth monitoring for the rest of the season as he looks to solidify himself as a legitimate NBA contributor.
Can Taelon Peter be a long-term asset for the Pacers?
Peter has a lot going against him. He is not much of a playmaker (though he might need to become one to stick in the NBA as a 6-foot-3 guard), is already almost 24 years old, and he plays on a team that also has Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard. It's going to be tough fr him to carve out a real role in Indiana, but on paper, there is a lot to like about Peter.
The Arkansas alum plays with heart and energy. He also showed that he can run in Rick Carlisle's system, which bodes very well for his chances. Plus, he is very athletic, and if his shot can translate (he shot 45.3% from deep on 4.9 attempts per game in his final college season), he can be a real weapon in the Pacers' offense.
He also isn't a slouch defensively. Peter can move quickly and use his athleticism to his advantage. He's never going to be a lockdown defender, but he has shown (again, in a small sample size) that he can at least be a non-negative on the defensive side of the ball.
Peter is an interesting player and will be worth keeping an eye on for a while. Will he ever become a real asset in the NBA? Probably not. But if there is any team out there that can find hidden gems, it's the Pacers.