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Indiana Pacers: Ranking each player from the 2019-20 season

Taylor Giesige|
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 01: Domantas Sabonis #11 and T.J. McConnell #9 of the Indiana Pacers celebrate against the New York Knicks in the second half of a game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on February 1, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Knicks defeated the Pacers 92-85. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 01: Domantas Sabonis #11 and T.J. McConnell #9 of the Indiana Pacers celebrate against the New York Knicks in the second half of a game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on February 1, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Knicks defeated the Pacers 92-85. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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Indiana Pacers
NBA Indiana Pacers T.J. Warren (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

2. TJ Warren, forward

Coming in as the second-best Pacer for the 2019-20 season was another one of their new acquisitions in the offseason, TJ Warren.

This was another move that was surprising to some people. On the night of the 2019 NBA draft, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that there had been a trade between the Pacers and the Phoenix Suns, that would send Warren and the Suns’ 32nd pick in the draft to Indiana in exchange for cash.

That’s right. The Pacers were able to acquire TJ Warren AND a draft pick for cash.

So while the Suns were counting their money like Scrooge McDuck, the Pacers were walking away with a certified bucket getter in Warren as their new SF.

And Warren was nothing short of spectacular for the blue and gold this season. For his season, TJ averaged 18.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game on excellent 53-38-81 shooting splits and posting a PER of 17.2.

At the time the trade was made, there were some questions about Warren’s durability, as he was coming off a season in which he only appeared in 43 games, and had never played in more than 66 games in a season. But Warren made it a point that he was going to be healthy this season. And healthy he was, missing only four games this year. In a season in which the Pacers were brutalized by injuries, TJ Warren was one of the constants for them. And he was consistently very good.

More nights than not, it seemed as if TJ Warren was completely locked in. And when TJ Warren is locked in, he rarely misses. He has a way of getting into the paint and scoring that really can rival some of the best in the league. His runner from 10 feet and in is one of the smoothest shots in the game and a lot of Pacers fans would tell you that they weren’t sure he’s ever missed a runner. And they wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. This season, Warren posted games in which he scored 33 points on 15-18 shooting, 35 points on 16-19 shooting, and 26 points on 11-15 shooting. And that is just a select few. When Warren is dialed in, he is really dialed in.

And he wasn’t only excellent offensively, as he was made out to be when Indiana traded for him. Warren really upped his game on the defensive end of the floor. He takes playing defense seriously, he doesn’t like being scored on.

So what the Pacers got when they traded for Warren is a guy who is a walking bucket on offense and a more than capable wing defender on defense. All of this for CASH CONSIDERATIONS. I would say the Pacers should be overjoyed with the deal they made back in June.

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