Here's who the Indiana Pacers are targeting, according to NBA mock drafts
The Indiana Pacers hold five selections in the 2023 NBA Draft − Nos. 7, 26, 29, 32 and 55. Pacers president Kevin Pritchard has said some of these picks are in play for trades leading up to Thursday night's event.
The Pacers have brought in dozens of players for workouts and will have a lot of information available before they make any moves.
Here's what the latest mock drafts forecast for them.
Making moves?: Pacers want to make some trades. Here's a ranking of their assets
Scuttlebutt: Pacers reportedly interested in trading No. 7 pick
Jonathan Givony, Jeremy Woo, ESPN
No. 7, Jarace Walker, Houston
Walker is believed to have a narrow draft range consisting of Detroit at No. 5, Indiana at No. 7 and Utah at No. 9. He will also conduct a workout with Orlando that opens up opportunities for him at the No. 6 and No. 11 picks. With the Pacers believed to be actively seeking an explosive, defensive-minded power forward who can bring a physical presence and multi-positional versatility, Walker is a natural fit for their roster composition, standing 6-foot-8, 249 pounds with 7-2½ wingspan. The team has plenty of shot-creation and scoring with Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield, but struggled defensively and on the glass due to their lack of physicality.
No. 26, Leonard Miller, G League Ignite
The Pacers have been engaged in trade talks involving the Nos. 26, 29 and 32 picks as they continue to weigh the best path forward. While it seems unlikely they will make all of their picks, Indiana would be justified in taking a big swing later in the draft. Miller appears ticketed for the back half of the first round as an upside player with a rare mix of size and skill, but also a wide range of potential development.
No. 29, Ben Sheppard, Belmont
Solid workouts following his strong showing in combine scrimmages have put Sheppard in first-round conversations. Teams have been intrigued by his shooting and all around play, giving him a chance to leapfrog some bigger names. With the Pacers exploring trade opportunities at this spot, keep in mind that another team may wind up selecting here.
No. 32, Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State; No. 55, Toumani Camara, Dayton
Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times
No. 7, Cam Whitmore, Villanova
Whitmore could be off the board by the time the Pacers pick because of his size and strength on the wing. He’s a big-time competitor, but he will need to consistently make shots. One scout compared him to Justise Winslow in regard to the disconnect between his NBA-ready body and lack of proven skills.
No. 26, Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara
With Buddy Hield’s future with the Pacers up in the air, Podziemski would fill the void because he really can shoot the ball. He’s got big questions on defense.
No. 29, G.G. Jackson, South Carolina
With three picks in the first round, the Pacers can take a swing on the draft’s youngest player, who needs to refine his shot while he matures.
Kyle Irving, Sporting News
No. 7, Ausur Thompson, Overtime Elite
Ausar would thrive alongside players like Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Bennedict Mathurin as a more athletic and defensive-minded wing with some off-ball scoring prowess. If Indiana really wants to fill a need for a true forward with this pick, UCF's Taylor Hendricks would not be a reach.
No. 26, Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara
Podziemski helped his draft stock at the NBA Combine, flashing passing and rebounding skills in addition to his biggest strength as a sharpshooter who knocked down 43.8% of his 3-pointers last season. The Pacers could use a shot-maker off the bench like the Santa Clara product.
No. 29, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
With their third first-round pick, the Pacers should look to add a more experienced player who could enter their rotation immediately. Playing his college basketball right down the road at Indiana, Jackson-Davis would fill a void in the Pacers' frontcourt as a capable small-ball five who can score in the pick-and-roll and provide switchability on defense.
No. 32, Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA; No. 55, Adama Sanogo, Connecticut
Austin Konenski, Sportsnaut
No. 7, Jarace Walker, Houston
Jarace Walker stands at 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds with the ability to grow into that frame even more. Scouts fell in love with Walker’s game over the closing months of the season and could easily go higher than his predicted position. Indiana adds him to a young core of Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin with the No. 7 selection in our NBA mock draft.
No. 26, Jett Howard, Michigan; No. 29, Rayan Rupert, France; No. 32, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana; No. 55, Mike Miles Jr., TCU
Ricky O'Donnell, SB Nation
No. 7, Jarace Walker, Houston
Love this fit. Indiana feels like the best possible place for Walker to reach his potential, while also filling the team’s biggest need. Walker is a defensive monster at the four who’s current limitations as a shooter should be mitigated while paired with knockdown threats Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, and Myles Turner. The extra spacing should allow Walker to tap into the creation ability he showed more frequently at the high school level. Walker should be ready to go defensively from day one, and adding a player with both wing stopper and rim protection skills would go a long way to fixing last season’s No. 26 defense.
No. 26, Jordan Hawkins, Connecticut
Hawkins has a case as the best shooter in the draft. He’s so skilled at darting around screens on the perimeter to knock down threes. I worry he’s something of a one trick pony with defensive limitations and shot-creation questions, but every team in the league could use a movement shooter as skilled as he is.
No. 29, Tristan Vukčević, Real Madrid
Vukčević barely played for Real Madrid as a 19-year-old this season, but he totally won me over at the combine with his combination of size and shooting. He looks like a deadly shooter who measured taller than 6-11. If there’s a better big shooter in this class, I haven’t seen him.
Kyle Boone, CBS Sports
No. 7, Jarace Walker, Houston
Walker will be in play as early as No. 5 on draft night so the Pacers scooping him here at No. 7 would present great value. He's a ready-made combo forward with a massive reach who can be a difference-maker on defense and adds passing, playmaking and feel you more frequently get with a shooting guard or wing than a power forward.
No. 26, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Marquette
Prosper played so well on the first day of scrimmages at the combine that he pulled out of the second day, showing so much as an energetic combo forward that he likely solidified himself as a top-30 pick in this class. A really athletic, long forward who can shoot and impact winning with effort.
No. 29, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Big men who don't shoot 3-pointers don't pop off the page as definite first-rounders, and yet Jackson-Davis by most measures appears to be an anomaly. He's a dominant interior scorer and rebounder who shows great touch and makes great plays as a passer, and there is optimism in NBA circles that he will in time develop into a floor-spacer.
No. 32, Ben Sheppard, Belmont
Sheppard had a tremendous pre-draft process and starred at the NBA Combine, showcasing his shooting ability. He plays hard on both ends and could bring some underrated value in this range.
No. 55, Jordan Miller, Miami
A smooth lefty with a big game, Miller was a key piece of Miami's Final Four run who brings toughness and outside shooting to potentially operate as a depth piece in the NBA on the wing.
Kevin O'Connor, The Ringer
No. 7, Cam Whitmore, Villanova
Whitmore would need to evolve some of his ball-stopping habits to shine with Tyrese Haliburton on the Pacers, but that’s why this culture could be great for him. It could bring out the best version of him as a bruising downhill attacker with elite athleticism and scoring upside.
No. 26, Colby Jones, Xavier
With his two-way skills, Jones would be a perfect Pacers role player, and he’s ready to contribute right away. It also wouldn’t be too surprising if, as a rookie, he’s better than Whitmore, Indy’s seventh pick in this mock.
No. 29, Maxwell Lewis, Pepperdine
Yup, another wing. Why not load up on one of the commodities that’s the hardest to find in the NBA? Lewis provides 3-and-D qualities that would fit nicely next to Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin. He’d also slot in well next to Myles Turner in the frontcourt.
No. 32, Tristan Vukcevic, Serbia
Vukcevic would provide offensive upside in the frontcourt, which could make him a great fit next to Turner.
No. 55, Ricky Council IV, Arkansas
Council is an elite athlete worthy of a gamble this late in the draft.
Pat Heery, Yardbarker
No. 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.
No. 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 much more besides 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. After a couple of years of development, Sensabaugh could develop into a "laser" off the bench for the Pacers.
No. 29, Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
If I had to bet on a late-first/early-second round pick to outplay his draft position, it would be 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 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.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NBA Draft 2023: Pacers have 3 first-round picks, 5 overall
