The Pacers have done a lot of positive things so far this offseason.
So, what is the proof of that, you might ask? Well, the Pacers opened the offseason with long, +8000 odds to win the NBA Title. But since then, have moved to +3300 – all of the books are slightly different so please check this sportsbetting.ag review to compare. Going from eight to one to just over three to one is a massive change. And keep in mind, this is with the knowledge that Victor Oladipo’s return time is uncertain.
The Busiest Team This Summer?
The Pacers were probably the most active team this offseason, but busy doesn’t always mean better. So what did the Pacers do? They basically got rid of everybody. Only three significant players remain from last season. Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, and Victor Oladipo.
Darren Collison retired, Thaddeus Young went over to the Chicago Bulls, Cory Joseph packed his backs for Sacramento, and Bojan Bogdanovic may end up a newly converted Mormon over in Utah. But with trades and free agency, there are a plethora of new players in Indiana. T.J Warren came over from Phoenix along with the Number thirty-two pick in the Draft. The Suns took a lot of heat for the trade, but they needed to clear cap space. Warren is young at just 25 but out of the immature, fresh out of college phase. He averaged 18 points per game and shoots 43% from beyond the arc. He is the perfect option to replace guys like Thaddeus and Bojan, from a production stand-point.
With the No. 32 pick that the Pacers got from the Suns, the Pacers flipped their pick to the Heat for three future second-round picks. The Heat snatched up KZ Okpala from Stanford, and the Pacers are loaded up on future draft picks that they can use to add more talent, or use as trade fodder. All in all, the T.J. Warren deal was fantastic for Indiana.
Another new face is Malcolm Brogdon. The former Milwaukee Buck was seen as a surprise deal. It happened fast. There was no offer sheets and waiting … the Pacers came in a swooped him up for an 85 million dollar, 4-year contract. Malcolm Brogdon was a key component to the Bucks dominant regular season. He’s a former Rookie of the Year and last season was over 50 percent in field goals, more than 40 percent from tre-land and a 90 percent free-throw shooter. That kind of play would be welcome by any team.
They also picked up T.J McConnell and Jeremy Lamb. The Latter is an experienced back up swing player who can work at shooting guard or small forward. He spent the last few seasons over in Charlotte where he has consistently averaged more minutes each consecutive season. In 2018, he was up to 28.5 per game and scoring 15.3 points on average. McConnell has spent his four years of NBA experience with the Philadelphia 76ers. His minutes per game have gone up and down, in 2016-2017 he was averaging 26.3 per game, but last season he was at 19.3. That said, he is a welcome addition because he’s an experienced floor general with a high court IQ that can distribute the ball and put up a few points. He’ll make a great backup and add dangerous depth to the bench.
The Draft saw bigman, Goga Bitadze with the No. 18 pick overall. The 20-year-old Center from Sagarejo, Georgia stands at 6’11 and 245-pounds. Although an NBA rookie, he already has plenty of experience in the Euro leagues and was even named the Junior ABA League MVP in the 2017-2018 season. He’s also on the Georgian National Basketball Team, so there shouldn’t be too much of a learning curve for him to fit into the Pacers’ program. They should have a reliable, ‘instant’ big-man.
All in all, the Pacers are not going to win the National Title just yet, but they are set up to be perennial playoff contenders in the Eastern Conference. When Victor Oladipo returns, they just might be able to make a run at it.
This article is provided by Tauro Sports.
