ESPN analysts on Pacers considering options at No. 7 in NBA Draft, Jackson-Davis, Edey

[ad_1]

ESPN held a Zoom media conference with draft analyst Johnathan Givony and front office insider Bobby Marks on Friday, allowing reporters to ask about the draft after this week’s NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. I was one of about a dozen reporters on the call and asked about the Pacers’ state of affairs, as they hold the Nos. 7, 26, 29, 32 and 55 picks. I also asked about Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis and Purdue’s Zach Edey.

For context, Marks mentioned as a response to an earlier question about the Knicks lacking a first-round pick that Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard has said repeatedly that he does not plan to use all five picks and intend to trade some of them. My questions and their answers follow.

A month to maneuver: When is the NBA Draft?

Dustin Dopirak: It seems like the consensus out there is that at No. 7 it makes sense for the Pacers to take a defensive-oriented power forward, someone like Jarace Walker or Taylor Hendricks. Does that make sense to you guys? Is there another direction you think they should go? Bobby, you mentioned all the picks they have and that Kevin Pritchard is looking to move them. What kind of value do you think they could get with all the assets they’re looking to move?

Givony: I spent some with Kevin Pritchard and (Pacers general manager) Chad Buchanan this week. They were disappointed not to move up. They were telling me they were incredibly close with their lottery combinations or whatever. It was the day after the lottery and they were still picking up the pieces from that. It seems like they were looking at a lot of different things. They’re looking at guards. They’re looking at wings. They’re looking at forwards. I think that they’re at the stage of their rebuilding right now where they can go in a lot of different directions. I don’t think they’re going to be hamstrung by position. Knowing KP for a while now, he’s always been a guy who is focused on talent. He wants to make sure that five years from now he’s coming away with the best player he can in this draft. Rosters change. Guys come. Guys go, but, like, you want to make sure that you’re…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/espn-analysts-pacers-considering-options-184051519.html?src=rss

Author : IndyStar | The Indianapolis Star

Publish date : 2023-05-19 18:40:51

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.