Indiana Pacers: How will Doug McDermott fit in next year?
The verdict
Because of the clear minutes that will be available to him along with his cheap deal and the unlikelihood of a locker room power struggle, McDermott is a great feat with the Pacers. His shooting will no doubt help on the offensive end, but it’s the diversity of his gift that will really shine through.
Catch-and-shoot, coming off screens, in transition — McDermott is going to become Indiana’s primary 3-point weapon for the next three seasons, allowing coach McMillan to really modernize his offensive strategy while giving space to his ball-handling teammates.
LET’S START THE FIVE-STAR REVIEWS WITH SOME DOUGIE
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) July 1, 2018
Doug McDermott Pacers 3, $22M
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
LOVE this deal. He’s crazy underrated, works hard, and you need shooters around Dipo. LOVE that. Less than $8 mil at age 26? Yes.
From Oladipo to Myles Turner, this Pacers team is filled with guys who have been doubted and given up on at some point throughout their careers.
Indiana will already be McDermott’s fifth team in five seasons. If there’s anyone who knows about being cast aside, its this guy.
Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
With teammates that work hard and understand McDermott’s mindset, they’ll be able to come together and allow the former Creighton star to thrive in an environment that seems to bring out the best in forgotten talent.