9. Indiana Pacers - Noa Essengue, F, France
It's been a pretty rough start to the season for the Indiana Pacers. Having been quite inconsistent, the Pacers are on pace to finish with a top-10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Whether the Pacers can climb out of their early-season hole remains to be seen but they'll certainly have the talent to do so. And if this does evolve into a lost season for the Pacers, they're going to have a shot to greatly upgrade their roster with the addition of another talented young player. Without a clear need on the roster, the Pacers could have plenty of flexibility at the draft.
Even though the Pacers don't have a great need, I would expect them to look to find some insurance in the frontcourt - especially considering that Myles Turner is in the final year of his contract and the fact that Jarace Walker hasn't had the developmental jump that perhaps the team believed he would have at this point in his career. That could lead right to the Pacers selecting a prospect like Noa Essengue if they do end up with a lottery pick.
Why Noa Essengue makes sense for the Pacers
Let's get one thing clear; Essengue could be considered one of the riskiest prospects selected in the lottery. Any team that does end up taking a flier on Essengue would be betting on his long-term potential. On the one hand, this is the type of pick that would make sense for the Pacers considering he could develop in the shadows. But, on the other, this could be a risky pick for the Pacers due to the fact that he's unlikely to contribute anytime soon - especially if Indiana considers itself a contender in the East.
But from a talent and high-ceiling perspective, this is the type of gamble that could end up paying off for the Pacers. If they're willing to be patient and could figure out a way to keep Turner on the team, there is some reasoning behind this move. If the Pacers do believe that Turner may end up leaving in free agency, perhaps there will be a better chance that Indiana ends up taking a prospect with a better shot to contribute soon. For now, taking a gamble on a high-reward prospect like Essengue could hold value for Indiana.