2013 Draft: Pacers FAQ
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Correspondent
The NBA draft is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Barclays Center in New York City.
Where do the Pacers pick?
They have the No. 23 pick in the first round and the No. 53 pick in the second round.
Is there any possibility of trading out of the first round?
Yes. General manager Kevin Pritchard has said as much. “There’s move up, there’s move out and there’s move down,” Pritchard said Tuesday. “We always look at everything. We’re not opposed to moving the pick if we get a good player.”
If the Pacers do want to deal, they have to find a taker. While Pritchard mentioned getting back a veteran, Indiana could also acquire a future first rounder or simply sell the pick. The Pacers still have the $3 million that is allotted to each franchise, per the rules of the CBA, to take back in a trade.
Pritchard has been an active GM on draft day in the past. The Pacers have made seven draft-night trades in their past seven drafts. Expect movement of some kind Thursday – even if it’s just meaningless reshuffling in the Adam Silver hours. Pritchard did not, however, shoot down a report that the Pacers are trying to use their first-round pick as a carrot for some team to take Gerald Green off their hands.
What kind of players might they get with their two choices?
In the first round, their preference is to take a three- or four-year college player capable of making a significant impact on the roster next season. Odds are that choice would be a point guard or shooting guard, as those are the positions at which the Pacers need the most help off the bench.
At No. 53, who knows? It’s hard to tell which prospects will be left on the board that late. DraftExpress.com guru Jonathan Givony has them taking Louisville point guard Peyton Siva, “a very good distributor.”
How important is this draft to the Pacers’ arc of contention?
Coming into it, the Pacers need scoring, ballhandling and perimeter shooting. More of those needs will be addressed through free agency than will be met Thursday night. Still, this is a pretty solid opportunity. The team has every chance to find a player who can crack the rotation.
If they make a mistake, it won’t kill their future. There aren’t a ton of question marks. But the bench is thin. The Pacers have enough needs to go after the best player available. They don’t have to get the picks “right.” A hit would be nice. But the worst thing that happens is you end up with a dud in the late stages of what was thought to be a weak draft.
