ESPN recently published its 2022 NBArank project, an annual endeavor in which the worldwide leader in sports attempts to predict the best 100 players in the NBA, in order, for the upcoming season.
The rankings are determined by a panel of over 200 ESPN staffers, who attempt to objectively rank each player in the league. In 2021, the Pacers had four players make the top 100: Caris LeVert at 80, Malcolm Brogdon at 65, Myles Turner at 44, and Domantas Sabonis at 40. The year prior, Indiana had five players make the final list.
Three of the four players who the Pacers had on the top 100 last campaign have since been traded away, and the blue and gold now have a different crop of players competing to make the ranking. Turner still remains with Indiana, but he had a down 2021-22 season due to injury.
This year, Indiana has three players on the catalog. Turner remains, although he dropped from 44th in 2021 to 66th this year. If he can play 60 or more games in the coming season and recapture his elite defensive form, the seven-year pro has a chance to move back up closer to the top 50 next offseason. He’s still only 26 years old.
Buddy Hield is the Pacers oldest player to make the top 100 of ESPN‘s NBArank. He comes in at 90th on the final ranking, a significant drop from the 51st spot he held in 2021. With the Sacramento Kings last season, Hield put up some of the worst numbers of his professional life, which almost certainly caused him to fall. After being traded to Indiana, the sharpshooting ball handler put up career-best numbers in rebounds and assists, and his efficiency and scoring stabilized. Hield was overrated at 51 on the 2021 rankings, but he could move up from 90 if he continues his form from the end of this past season.
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Haliburton is the highest ranked Pacer on the list. The young guard is about to enter his third season in the NBA, and he put up stellar numbers for the blue and gold last season. In fact, the Iowa State product became the first player ever to finish one of their first two seasons with averages of 15.0 points and 8.0 assists per game while shooting over 40% from three-point range. The all-seeing guard can do it all.
Still just 22 years old, Haliburton is ranked 59th ESPN‘s NBArank this year. After his rookie campaign, the former Sacramento King was placed 73rd on the list. He moved up 14 spots after an impressive season.
Haliburton will have an expanded role this coming campaign, and if he is able to produce similarly with even more responsibilities, he could continue to move up the list next season.
Sabonis and LeVert were both traded away by the Pacers in February, but they both remained in the top 100 — landing in the 47th and 80th spots, respectively. Brogdon, who was traded to Boston in July, slotted in 87th on the list.
Chris Duarte and Bennedict Mathurin are the most likely Pacers to jump into the top 100 next year. Duarte already looks like a solid NBA player, he just needs to add a bit of ball handling to his game to take the next step. Mathurin has yet to play in a game, but if the summer league is an indicator, he has a chance to be one of the best rookies in the 2022 class.
- The Indiana Pacers signed veteran forward James Johnson to a contract. CLICK HERE.
- Pacers newly acquired big man Daniel Theis performed well during EuroBasket 2022. His German squad finished third in the competition. CLICK HERE.
- Former Pacers player Carlos Knox will not be retained as the head coach of the Indiana Fever. CLICK HERE.
- David Stockton, son of NBA legend John Stockton, signs with the Indiana Pacers. CLICK HERE.
- Follow on Twitter: @TEastNBA
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