Indiana Pacers: Five Possible Second Round Options
By Kyle Nishida
Shooting Guard / Small Forward Michael Gbinije
Michael Gbinije is another senior prospect that has second round value. After a successful final season with Syracuse, Gbinije has worked his way into being a viable second round pick for the Indiana Pacers.
After transferring from Duke University, Gbinije earned a better role with each season he played with the Orange. As a senior, he led the Orange with 17.5 points and 4.3 assists per game.
His numbers suggest he should be a higher pick. However, the one issue with Gbinije is he was a late bloomer in college.
Players who take longer to develop in college usually have a negative stigma attached to them. Scouts assume those types of players will not have much upside once they reach the NBA.
DraftExpress.com currently lists Gbinije as a second round pick and believe the Utah Jazz will select him 52th overall. Here is a short brief of what the site had to say about him.
"“Gbinije isn’t loaded with upside but he has positional size, solid athleticism and enough shot-making ability to make him an acceptable option for a team picking in the second round.”"
Although the Pacers need a point guard or a low-post player, Gbinije would be a nice pick for the Pacers. They do not have much depth at small forward. They have Paul George, and no one else behind him.
The Pacers could use another small forward on their bench. At 6’7” and 205 pounds, Gbinije has the size to play shooting guard and small forward. He also has good enough defensive skills to guard both positions.
Gbinije does not really have starting potential, but he could turn out to be a good role player off the bench. He has scorer’s mentality, and the Pacers need more players who can find ways to get the ball in the basket.
Overall, Gbinije will probably be available for the Pacers to take with the 50th pick overall. Although he would not address one of the Pacers’ glaring needs, he would definitely help them.
Next: PG Kay Felder