13. Edmond Sumner, guard
The 13th best player for the Indiana Pacers for the 2019-20 season was Edmond Sumner. Sumner was a guy who there was a lot of hype around coming into this season in Pacer-land. He put a lot of work in during the offseason, and fans and the team alike were excited to see what kind of spark he would bring to the team.
Unfortunately for Edmond and the Pacers, his season was cut short before it could really get started when he suffered a hand injury (fractured right third metacarpal) in the third game of the season against Brooklyn.
While he was on the court this season (appeared in 25 games), he averaged 4.6 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on 42-26-67 shooting splits, and a PER of 10. Although his numbers don’t exactly jump off the page, Sumner is a guy who can provide a spark off the bench with his intangibles. He is very long and is good at jumping into passing lanes and being disruptive on the defensive end.
Offensively, he just needs to slow down, which is something that can be worked on. He always has his foot on the gas. If he is able to slow it down a bit and let the game come to him, he could be a very effective player on offense as well. He is extremely raw and naturally gifted. After Sumner returned from his hand injury this season, he had a stretch where he scored double-digit points in three out of eight games.
The talent is there. If he is able to get healthy and stay healthy long enough to see more NBA minutes, Edmond Sumner has the potential to be a good wing player in this league.