Indiana Pacers: 5 bold predictions for 2017-18 NBA season
4. Cory Joseph will overtake Darren Collison at point guard
The point guard position for the Indiana Pacers has seen a complete overhaul since last season — Jeff Teague and Aaron Brooks have been replaced by Darren Collison and Cory Joseph.
Collison is more experienced and historically more productive than Joseph, which is why Collison is being penciled in as the starter heading into training camp.
He’s a solid player, but he does have some defensive issues that cause him to struggle against bigger and more physical guards. At 6’0″ and 175 pounds, opposing players have been able to take advantage of Collison’s diminutive size.
Was told Pacers coach Nate McMillan has long been a fan of Cory Joseph. Collison/Joseph battle at point guard should be interesting.
— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) July 14, 2017
Cory Joseph is four years younger than Darren Collison, and Joseph possesses more ideal size for an NBA point guard. Joseph is also known as a tenacious defensive player, which will allow him to bring a different dimension to the lead guard spot.
Once it becomes apparent that Indiana will not be in playoff contention this season, head coach Nate McMillan will need to decide if it is prudent to begin turning to his younger players and looking toward the future.
Cory Joseph is a good all-around player, but he’s never been on a team that used him in a key role. As the 2017-18 season progresses, look for Joseph to climb past Darren Collison on the depth chart and get a trial run as the Pacers’ starting point guard.