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Indiana Pacers: Complete 2017 offseason grades

By Adrian Lawhorn

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 07: President of basketball operations, Kevin Pritchard and Head Coach, Nate McMillan of the Indiana Pacers introduce Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Darren Collison during a press conference at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on July 7, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 07: President of basketball operations, Kevin Pritchard and Head Coach, Nate McMillan of the Indiana Pacers introduce Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Darren Collison during a press conference at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on July 7, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images
Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images /

T.J. Leaf, PF

Acquired: Via 2017 NBA Draft, No. 18 overall

When pick No. 18 rolled around on draft night, the Pacers’ front office personnel was reportedly unanimous in its top choice among the players remaining on the board — that player was T.J. Leaf.

Leaf is a gifted offensive player who is skilled and versatile on that end of the floor. He is a high-percentage outside shooter, he’s effective driving to the basket and possesses a polished post-up game.

T.J. Leaf is a good athlete who rebounds well (8.2 boards per game as a UCLA freshman). He is also an underrated passer who has a nice overall feel for the game.

Leaf’s major weaknesses are his thin frame and his limited defensive potential. He should be able to bulk up during his time in Indiana, but his low ceiling as a defender could be more problematic.

In order to get minutes, Leaf will have to show that he can develop into an adequate defensive player at the NBA level. If he can’t, there is a possibility that he could end up being a bust as a mid-first round pick.

Based on his offensive skill level and potential as an NBA stretch-4, T.J. Leaf appears to have been a solid choice at No. 18 in June’s draft.

However, Leaf has plenty of work to do in order to compete for meaningful playing time with the Pacers, so he isn’t likely to be a significant contributor in the near future.

Grade: B

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