Potential Pacers Trade Targets on Draft Night
Jan 31, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Cody Zeller (40) dunks the ball during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
The Big Handsome coming back to Indy. Aside from the fact that I can’t believe I just called another guy “the big handsome” (it really is his nickname, look it up), Zeller would be another hometown hero in Indiana.
If the Pacers are serious about moving on from Hibbert and playing faster, they can do so with Zeller without losing much size. Anyone that watched Zeller’s Hoosier teams know the seven footer can get up and down the court, often times resulting in easy buckets for IU.
Zeller has an all around game, and his main knock at IU was he wasn’t aggressive enough. I think he could play center for the Pacers, and really offer great balance at that position.
Michael Jordan and the Bobcats just don’t seem sold on Zeller to me. Cody often found himself coming off the bench behind Josh McRoberts his rookie year (yep, that Josh McRoberts), only starting three games that season, while averaging 17 minutes a game. Last season Zeller started 45 games, only playing in 62 due to injury. He averaged 24 minutes a game, but still had trouble getting on the floor more than Marvin Williams, though I felt Zeller was clearly the better talent.
The Bobcats have Al Jefferson at center, and drafted another Hoosier product last year in Noah Vonleh that they could be grooming at power forward. Charlotte has already traded former Pacer Lance Stephenson to the Clippers this summer, and could be primed to deal again in order to get more help around Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson.