.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
Naughty or Nice? The Indiana Pacers' Christmas Wishlist
The Indiana Pacers have been naughty and nice this season, but they still have a few things on their wishlist as Christmas approaches.
Every NBA team has a Christmas wishlist. Whether you’re a championship contender like the Golden State Warriors or Cleveland Cavaliers, or a team with no clear direction like the Brooklyn Nets, everyone has wishes. The Indiana Pacers are certainly no different, and we here at 8 Points, 9 Seconds have gotten a sneak peek at their list.
And yes, it is OK to open up these gifts before Christmas.
A shooting guard who can shoot
It seems redundant, but the Pacers need a shooter at the shooting guard position. It can be someone who comes off the bench or starts, as long as they can be at least league average. Monta Ellis and Rodney Stuckey are both useful players.
More from 8 Points, 9 Seconds
Both are vets with specific and helpful skill sets, and have had success in the NBA. However, neither are even league average 3 point shooters. Ellis is shooting 30% from deep, and Stuckey is just a tick better at 30.8%. With both out, the blue and gold have been trotting out Glenn Robinson III alongside Paul George. GRIII may have a bright future, but that is yet to be determined.
If the Pacers want to win this season, they need a shooting guard who isn’t Monta Ellis sized, and who can shoot at least league average from 3.
A stretchy 4 for the bench
The blue and gold have trotted out a host of power forwards with the second unit this year. The reserves have seen Lavoy Allen, C.J. Miles, Paul George, Kevin Seraphin, even a bit of Myles Turner next to Al Jefferson at the power forward spot this year.
None of the Allen/Seraphin/Turner trio have the foot speed to stay with stretch 4’s. Paul George is obviously going to play the vast majority of his minutes at small forward with the starters. C.J. Miles has been willing to bang with power forwards without complaint, but his health last year and this year both have been a concern, and at 6’6, he lacks the size to even masquerade as a power forward.
The Pacers could use a guy who can credibly guard stretch 4’s and at least make teams consider him from deep.
Health, health, and more health
There are 3, count em 3 Indiana Pacers who have played in every game this year. Jeff Tegue, Thad Young, and Al Jefferson are the only Pacers to see the court in all 29 games this year. Paul George, Monta Ellis, C.J. Miles, and Rodney Stuckey have all missed at least 4 games.
If the Pacers want to make the playoffs and make noise, they’ll probably need better health than they’ve had so far.
The Pacers wishlist isn’t long, and it’s not excessive. I’m not sure if I’d say Larry Bird has been “good” this year, but hopefully Santa is not a Frank Vogel fan and sees fit to help the blue and gold out.
