The NBA draft is this Thursday and the Pacers hold the 23rd pick and the 52nd pick and many wonder what are the Pacers going to do to make it to the NBA Finals next year. I have a couple ideas some realistic and some are a little more of a reach.
The Pacers have the best starting lineup in the NBA hands down. Nobody will argue with you on that David West is going to be back next year and will be destroying the paint with Roy Hibbert yet again. George Hill is a very solid point guard there is room to improve but the same with everyone. Lance Stephenson has a lot of room to improve on his jump shot but give him an off season to prepare this kid is for 2 years in a row going to turn heads. Paul George will be working again this summer with the US National Team which will help his growth he will be talking to stars around the NBA that will help him grow into the next superstar.
What needs improvement is the bench the whole bench except for Ian Mahimi and Orlando Johnson need to get a good power forward because Hansbrough is gone, DJ is gone, Green is a wild card who knows what we will get from him. I say our needs on the bench include point guard, back up small forward, and back up power forward. We can at best fill one of these needs at the draft.
Option 1
We can stay with the pick we have and get a player like Shane Larkin or Eric Green. Both of these players would be an upgrade to what we had last year. Eric Green will bring an offensive threat to the bench will help a helpless second unit score and force an offensive tempo. Shane Larkin is a sharp shooter that the Pacers needed last season too get the open shot hit the open shot. Both I wouldn't mind seeing either of these guys in a Pacers uniform next season.
Likelihood: Highly Likely
Option 2
Pacers trade first round and Danny Granger to an owner of a top 5 pick and draft a guy who will make this team as long as know big time injuries a early favorite to make it to the Finals. Otto Porter Jr., he his a big small forward who can come off the bench and just flat out score this would be the dream pick for the Pacers. There is a chance it happens the Cavaliers have voiced some interest in Granger a veteran who can score he should be fine coming off injury. Another option if we still make a trade to move up but Porter is not available would be to draft Cody Zeller a big guy who can learn from West and Hibbert and imagine Mahimi and Zeller coming off the bench two 7-footers off the bench that's scary.
Likelihood: 50/50
Those 4 players would make an immediate impact for a team ready to take the next step from surprise Eastern Conference Finals to favorite to reach the NBA Finals. We shall see what happens soon enough!
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