Pacers 2019-20 Depth Chart Preview
With the offseason almost over, the Indiana Pacers roster is basically set for the 2019-20 NBA season. After signing JaKarr Sampson on Wednesday, the Pacers roster sits at 15 players, and barring any last minute veteran signings or G-League assignments, that’s where it will stay. That means now is the perfect time to take a look at what an Indiana depth chart might look like for next season.
I am going to break down each position for the Pacers, looking at depth, skill and dependability at all five spots in the lineup. Today, the focus will be on the point guard position.
Point Guard: Malcolm Brogdon, Aaron Holiday, T.J. McConnell
Starting at point guard, we find the Pacers biggest acquisition of the offseason in Malcolm Brogdon. The Pacers paid big money and gave up a substantial amount of draft capital in order to snatch Brogdon away from their division rival, the Milwaukee Bucks, and with that hefty price comes hefty expectations for the former Rookie of the Year. Brogdon had the best year of his young career last season for the Bucks, putting up 15.6 points per game while also putting together a spectacular 50/40/90 season.
However, Brogdon was the 4th option for Milwaukee on offense, and often played off the ball alongside Eric Bledsoe in the Bucks backcourt. With Victor Oladipo out until at least December, Brogdon will have to play a much more significant role in the Indiana offense this season, especially when it comes to ball handling responsibilities and distribution on offense. If he can maintain a level of efficiency anywhere close to what he has in the past while ramping up his usage rate and shot attempts, he will be worth every dollar and pick the Pacers paid for him this offseason.
Aaron Holiday will look to earn his role as Brogdon’s backup in his second NBA season. Holiday was thrust into the rotation last season when Oladipo was injured, and was able to put up 5.9 points and 1.7 assists in just 12.9 minutes per game off the bench as a rookie. Holiday’s shooting percentages left a bit to be desired, especially from 3-point range, where he shot just under 34%. However, Holiday shot over 40% from deep in all three of his seasons at UCLA, so you can expect that number to rise as he adjusts to the NBA 3-point line and progresses as a player. Moving forward, the Pacers will expect Holiday to play a much larger role than he did last season until Oladipo comes back.
Finally, we come to offseason addition T.J. McConnell, who will fill a depth role for the Pacers at point guard. The former Sixer averaged 22 minutes per game in his four seasons in Philadelphia, but you can expect that number to drop a bit in Indiana unless Holiday struggles as the backup. McConnell was never much of a scorer or shooter in Philly, averaging less than seven points each year, but the Pacers likely won’t be asking much of him in that respect. McConnell’s most important skill for the Pacers will be his distribution, as he has averaged 4.7 assists per game throughout his career. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some small ball lineups where McConnell plays the point and Holiday slides to shooting guard in certain situations.
All in all, the Pacers should be happy with their depth at point guard. Brogdon is a fantastic player and should truly excel in the Pacers backcourt once Oladipo is back. Holiday has lots of potential and will hopefully blossom into a strong rotational player for years to come, and McConnell provides experience off the bench in case Holiday needs some time to grow into his new role.