Indiana Pacers: 3 reasons Kyle O’Quinn is a great pickup
3. He’s a good passer
In an age where centers are expected to do more than ever before, one’s ability to dish the basketball isn’t as impressive as it once was. This shouldn’t, however, discredit O’Quinn’s passing ability, which is woefully underrated given his lack of exposure on the court.
Re-watch any Knicks game over the past three seasons and it’s easy to see the gift O’Quinn has that even some point guards don’t have.
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Whether it’s out of the high post or off the pick-and-roll, KOQ is always capable of finding the open man for a corner 3-pointer or putting the ball in the perfect spot to hit a teammate cutting to the basket.
This is a luxury most teams aren’t afforded, and it’s one head coach Nate McMillian should look to employ heavily by initiating the offense through O’Quinn for spurts at a time.
All-Star Victor Oladipo is one of the most athletic slashers in the game. Both Doug McDermott and Bojan Bogdanovic are elite snipers. Indiana is a team full of weapons on the offensive end.
Should the ball find its way into the hands of O’Quinn, he’ll do wonders in picking apart the defense, adding another layer to a Pacers squad that struggled offensively in 2018, ranking 17th in scoring and 12th in offensive rating.