NBA: Ranking every team based off draft success over the last 20 years
16. Indiana Pacers: 23 points
- 2005: Danny Granger: 1.5 (1x all-star, 1.5x multiplier for pick outside of lottery)
- 2008: Roy Hibbert: 3 (2x all-star, 1.5x multiplier for pick outside of lottery)
- 2010: Paul George: 18 (6x all-star, 1x 1st team, 4x 3rd team)
- 2015: Myles Turner: 0.5
The Pacers draft history has been, in a word, fine. They’ve only had one top 10 pick since 1996 and used it on Paul George. The only lottery miss they’ve had was in 2009 with Tyler Hansbrough but really haven’t had any picks that set them back.
Their draft history is more about what could have been than what was, though. Specifically referring to the 2011 draft when they sent Kawhi Leonard and Davis Bertans to San Antonio in exchange for George Hill.
To be fair, no one knew Kawhi Leonard would be, well, Kawhi Leonard. But it’s a fun “what-if” to imagine Kawhi and Paul George growing together in the league and going up against those great Miami Heat teams in the Eastern Conference Finals. Although that what if is probably more torture than fun for Pacers fans to think about.