Twitter/Thon Maker
The NBA Draft is just more than a month away and teams that just got booted out are exploring their options.
The Indiana Pacers bowed out of contention in a hotly contested Game 7 against the no.2 seed in the East, Toronto Raptors. They are a team with a lot of promise with the return of Paul George, but they don't have too many assets to make a huge leap.
Just like the rest of the league, the Pacers have considerable cap space but can they lure a star to pair with Paul George?
An ESPN Insider article had their experts weigh in on the future of the Indiana Pacers. On the teams' chances of getting a star to free agency and trade, most of them were not so optimistic.
Jeremias Engelmann mentioned: "Trading for another star seems unlikely, unless that star is disgruntled -- the Pacers simply don't have many players other teams would love to have. Thus, I think getting that star through free agency is more likely. Frank Vogel is a good coach and the possibility of playing with George should be tempting to other stars."
It's unlikely that a player like Kevin Durant would choose the Pacers over his other suitors. From a basketball standpoint, playing with George-a player Durant highly respects, and a coach like Frank Vogel on an organization run by Larry Bird would be ideal for Durant and form a new beast of the East. But the Pacers won't count on a pipe dream.
David Thorpe had an interesting suggestion. "At the 20th pick in the draft, take the highest-ranked long-term prospect under the age of 20 and let him develop for a season in the D-League. In two or three years he'll be ready to help this team at a perfect time."
One player that most scouts believe would need further development is Thon Maker. Going to an organization that has a solid track record of developing young players and not pushing him right away would be a best case scenario for Maker.
ESPN Draft guru Chad Ford had the Pacers picking Diamond Stone of Maryland in his latest mock draft. Stone is a center whom they could pair with Myles Turner-pushing him down at the four spot.
If the Pacers follow Thorpe's advice, they could take Maker instead of Stone as Maker has more upside if the Pacers have more patience in developing him (and they're the best team to do that, aside from San Antonio). Besides, the team is better off with Maker becoming a stretch four.
Maker with Myles Turner, whom they foresee as an All-Star, will form a dynamic frontcourt with speed and athleticism. Maker can also improve his three-point shot making him a 7-0 stretch four who also has the handles to drive to the hoop.
Maker also has a soft spot for Indiana. The Hoosiers were one of his final college choices. Now, he gets to play with their professional team.
