Pacers training camp preview
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Correspondent
Sixty-one. Fifty-nine. Fifty-eight, twice.
Those are the Pacers’ top win totals in franchise history.
Lofty, without question. But heights reachable again now that they’ve assembled perhaps more talent than ever before.
During the offseason, president Larry Bird spent around $58 million – not counting an impending extension for Paul George – to maintain and embellish the team’s contending status. And at least on paper, the Pacers’ bench is upgraded and the team is ready to deliver more than just a fourth consecutive playoff appearance.
The Pacers begin their quest to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999-2000 Saturday, when training camp opens. They take part in media day on Friday.
Let’s explore five questions hovering over the team as a long journey gets underway:
What is to be expected from Danny Granger? If he’s healthy, and he says he’s feeling great, big things should be expected out of the 30-year-old forward. Granger is a versatile scorer and can play defense, but it’s also been 16 months since he started a game – during which time George blew up.
Still, Granger has been an All-Star. Will his knees hold him back? Or can he be effective sharing touches with George on the perimeter?
Obviously, they will defend, but can the offense improve? Last season scoring was a problem, as the Pacers averaged 101.6 points for every 100 possessions. In the playoffs the team was at 101.3. Each figure was below average.
Nobody on the roster is really known as an elite offensive player, though George, David West and Granger are all pretty good. Unfortunately, the team lacks a true distributor, as George Hill and C.J. Watson aren’t exactly dynamic passers at point guard. New assistant Nate McMillan can help get the most out of these players on the offensive end of the floor. Cutting down on turnovers is going to be a key priority.
Will Donald Sloan and Rasual Butler make the team? Sloan should. Butler is less certain. He is on a non-guaranteed contract, while Sloan is due some guaranteed salary. Sloan is expected to survive training camp. Butler has to show more to come out with a roster spot.
Butler, 34, struggled mightily in recent stops and must harness whatever he has left. Sloan is a player the team targeted early in free agency because of his flashes as a passer. He adds some size at third-string point guard. Whatever happens, at those prices, neither guy carries any risk for the Pacers.
How will Luis Scola mesh? Pushed into a niche role as the backup power forward, the 33-year-old Argentine should thrive playing with teammates like George and Roy Hibbert – as well as the plethora of other threats on a balanced team. Scola should adjust to being more of a role player in Indiana, but he’ll be seeing a lot less action than he’s used to.
Scola has been a post threat his entire career, able to create his own shot down there, and has never averaged less than 16.7 points per 40 minutes.
How quickly can the bench come together? The Pacers have eight new players on a 16-man camp roster, and all are reserves. Either Granger or Lance Stephenson will join the second unit. Scola, Watson and Chris Copeland have a month to jell with new teammates. Some of the Pacers got a head start working out together in Los Angeles for a few days during the summer. The bench has plenty of talent. Will the parts meld?
PROJECTED STARTERS
SF: Danny Granger
PF: David West
C: Roy Hibbert
SG: Paul George
PG: George Hill
NEW FACES
Luis Scola
Chris Copeland
C.J. Watson
Solomon Hill
Donald Sloan
Rasual Butler
Darnell Jackson
Ron Howard
WHO’S GONE
Tyler Hansbrough
Jeff Ayres
D.J. Augustin
Miles Plumlee
Gerald Green
Ben Hansbrough
Sam Young (free agent)
