'Closest thing we've seen to Draymond proxy': What Pacers seek in 2023 NBA Draft
The Indiana Pacers hold five picks in the 2023 NBA Draft, which is two weeks away.
They have the Nos. 7, 26 (from Cleveland), 29 (from Boston), 32 (from Houston) and 55 (from Cleveland) picks. That gives them ammunition to potentially move up or acquire players in trades on draft night.
The best bets at No. 7 are two versatile defenders who have room to grow offensively: Jarace Walker of Houston and Taylor Hendricks of Central Florida. Multiple players get multiple nods with the lower picks, including Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Where is NBA Draft 2023?
8 p.m. ET Thursday, June 22, at Barclays Center in New York. It will be shown on ESPN.
Insider: Four things to know about the Pacers' draft approach
Seven for No. 7: Pros and cons of the players the Pacers could take
Kevin O'Connor, The Ringer
7. Taylor Hendricks, UCF
The Pacers are loaded with young talent in the backcourt, led by Tyrese Haliburton. The frontcourt could use support, though. Hendricks is a highly versatile forward who could play some small forward, or even some small-ball center. This means he could be paired with Myles Turner, and be used as either a roller or a shooter in pick-and-rolls. Or he could be a floor spacer in lineups with two bigs.
26. Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State
There may not be a better pure scorer in this class than Sensabaugh, who plays like a ’90s or ’00s bucket-getter from midrange.
29. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
TJD is a highly athletic lob threat who brings defensive versatility that could be valuable to the pro team in his backyard.
32. Rayan Rupert, France
With so many picks, you’d expect the Pacers to consolidate, but in this range it’s worth taking a shot on a player like Rupert because of his scrappy defense and offensive upside.
55. Nikola Djurisic, Serbia
Djurisic is a raw international player but his scoring flashes make him a potential steal.
Gary Parrish, CBS Sports
7. Jarace Walker, Houston
Walker will enter the NBA with incredible physical attributes and should be more capable of making an impact defensively than offensively. In time, he'll be able to play the four and some small-ball five, and stardom is possible if his offensive game develops as he grows older.
26. Rayan Rupert, France
Rupert remains unreliable offensively and very much a project. But he's a 6-6 wing with a 7-3 wingspan who has all the prerequisites to be a great perimeter defender if his shooting comes around enough to make him playable at the NBA level.
29. Marcus Sasser, Houston
Sasser is a combo guard who played a big role in helping Houston secure a No. 1 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. His ability to make plays and reliably hit jumpers will give him a chance to stick in the NBA even if he is a little on the small side.
Pat Heery, Yardbarker
7. Jarace Walker, Houston
While there may never be another Draymond Green, Walker is probably the closest thing we've seen to a Draymond proxy in a while. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Walker is strong enough to battle big men but quick enough to move laterally with guards. He also has a decent feel for the game on offense, so he could potentially be a nice pick-and-roll partner for Tyrese Haliburton. Assuming the Pacers don't trade Myles Turner this offseason, Walker and Turner would pair nicely as their respective strengths would cover for one another's weaknesses.
26. Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State
With the second of their three first round picks, the Pacers should consider Ohio State's two-guard, Brice Sensabaugh. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound freshman is an absolute bucket-getter and excellent shooter (40.5 percent from three), but doesn't project to do a whole lot more beside score. No matter! There's always a place in the NBA for scorers who can space the floor out, especially when you have an elite pass-first point guard like Tyrese Haliburton. Sensabaugh could develop into a "laser" off the bench for the Pacers after a couple of years of development.
29. Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
With their third pick in the first round, the Pacers decide to take a baller: Jaime Jaquez Jr. Nothing about this guy's appearance or athleticism jumps off the screen at you (although he surprisingly tested off the charts with his vertical leap at the NBA Combine). Yet, if you watched UCLA at all the past three years, he was usually the best player on the court. He simply knows how to play basketball. His footwork is impeccable, and he has a good midrange game and can make plays for his teammates. He has some athletic shortcomings, but there are plenty of rotation players who have stuck around the NBA for several years with elite fundamentals and a high basketball IQ.
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report
7. Jarace Walker, Houston
Walker’s potential shoot-dribble-pass versatility would fit cleanly at the 4 next to Myles Turner, assuming the freshman continues to build on the flashes of 3-point range, drives past closeouts, live-dribble playmaking and some self-creation skill. We’re hearing an elbow injury forced him to cancel his pro day, so it will be interesting to hear who he’s able to work out for over the next few weeks.
No. 26, Noah Clowney, Alabama
Clowney enters the draft with a project label, though certain teams will be willing to invest and wait on the potential rewards of adding frontcourt three-and-D.
29. Jett Howard, Michigan
With a valued, translatable skill set for off-ball scoring, and questions about athleticism and defense, Howard’s draft range is wide, likely from No. 15 to No. 30.
32. Bobi Klintman, Wake Forest
Klintman is drawing late first and early second-round interest from teams who like the idea of a stretch 4, buy his defensive potential and think his talent/upside was masked by a limited role at Wake Forest.
55. Jordan Miller, Miami
Marginal shooting improvement this season created some optimism, though Miller will draw second-round looks for his slashing, finishing and wing defense.
Christopher Kline, FanSided
7. Taylor Hendricks, UCF
The Pacers have been searching for help at the power forward position and the solution could be Taylor Hendricks. An unheralded recruit who rocketed up draft boards as a freshman at UCF, Hendricks is the ultimate 3-and-D prospect. He’s one of the best volume spot-up threats in the draft and he’s a legitimate 4 or 5-position defender, capable of sliding his feet with guards or roaming around the paint and blocking shots.
26. Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Jaime Jaquez Jr. spent four productive years at UCLA. He’s older and there are legitimate concerns tied to his 3-point shooting and limited athleticism, but he’s a crafty playmaker who can score every which way inside the arc. The Pacers are looking to make the jump to contention sooner than later and have shown a proclivity for more experienced prospects in the past.
29. Colby Jones, Xavier
Colby Jones is the perfect Swiss Army knife wing to round out Indiana’s busy first round. He can spread the floor, provide rapid-fire decision-making as a passer, and defend all over the perimeter. He doesn’t have many holes in his role player repertoire.
32. Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Marquette
Oliver-Maxence Prosper was another big standout at the combine, using his 6-foot-8 frame and bouncy athleticism to torch defenses as a straight-line driver. He can space the floor and he should defend multiple spots in due time. The Pacers get more size and athleticism to strengthen the frontcourt.
55. Jaylen Clark, UCLA
Jaylen Clark gets after it on the defensive end. His penchant for pickpocketing and disruption could make him stick in the Pacers’ backcourt, which is frightfully short on reliable defenders right now.
Eric Samulski, AMNY
7. Taylor Hendricks, UCF
The Pacers could look to move up in a deal with Portland, but this is a no-trades NBA Mock Draft so, if they stay here, they could snag Hendricks, who is a combo forward with positional size who can be a solid 3-and-D wing. He also shows flashes of scoring versatility that could give him intriguing upside and make him a good fit alongside Myles Turner.
26. Colby Jones, Xavier
The Pacers took Taylor Hendricks in the first round of our NBA Mock Draft, so it’s time for them to add some guard help. Jones is a 6’6″ plus defender whose scoring efficiency, passing, and decision-making would be an immediate fit in Indiana next to Haliburton and Mathurin.
29. Bobi Klintman, Wake Forest
This is Indiana’s third first-round pick in our NBA Mock Draft, so they can swing for the fences here. they can add Klintman here since the 6’10” forward can be more of a small ball center and has a different skillset to Walker. Klintman moves fluidly and has shown an ability to handle the ball well for his size, shoot from the floor beyond the arc, and pass well. We know the Pacers are high on him, so snagging the Swedish big man here makes sense.
Krysten Peek, Yahoo
7. Jarace Walker, Houston; 26. Ben Sheppard, Belmont; 29. Bobi Klintman, Wake Forest; 32. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana; 55. Jordan Miller, Miami.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NBA Draft 2023: Pacers have No. 7 overall pick, five overall
