Indiana Pacers: 5 best options for the No. 13 pick in the NBA Draft
By Lance Legere
After a quick playoff exit in the NBA Play-in Tournament, the Indiana Pacers are ready for the upcoming NBA Draft, as they hope to build upon a core that has consistently found themselves in the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
It has seemed that the Pacers have always been a piece or two behind other teams. A core of Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren, and Myles Turner sounds great on paper but didn’t pan out on the court.
Time is ticking for the Indiana Pacers, and the No. 13 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft could help decide their fate for the upcoming NBA season.
Indiana is in a middle-ground where they aren’t good enough to compete for an NBA title but certainly aren’t in a position where they would find themselves in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference standings.
This isn’t necessarily a destination atop top-tier free agents shortlists, making it that much more important for Indiana to hit on their draft picks.
The East has gotten better each year while the Pacers have stayed relatively the same. Offseason moves may be looming, but a smart pick in this year’s draft could help move the Pacers up the Eastern Conference standings.
Between making the pick themselves, finding a savvy deal to move up or down in the draft, or entirely trade out of the first round, the Pacers will have a variety of options at their disposal when Thursday rolls around.
Let’s dive into five of the best options Indiana has with the No. 13 pick in the NBA Draft.