With the NBA Draft fast approaching, and the Early Entry List set, it's time to examine more in depth some of the players who could be available for each of the Pacers three picks. (I am operating under the assumption Dallas will be sending us their 2nd round pick this year, not next, to complete the Shawne Williams deal. June 1st is the final deadline for Dallas to decide.)
Obviously, the Pacers 1st Round pick is the most exciting and has the most potential for value. As we need a lot of improvement in all areas, I will be looking at players who should be available for all three picks. My plan is to post two profiles a day, for 2nd rounders, until the Draft Lottery on May 18th. After the team's first round position is finalized, I'll begin profiling 1st Rounders.
These profiles cover players I believe have some value to offer the Pacers next season and in the future. These profiles are not intended to advocate for one player over another, just examine their strengths and weaknesses, and discuss in some detail what they have to offer. For each profile I provided Ten Important Statistics to guide the discussion. When discussing how each player can help the Pacers I will try to specifically reference the team needs I identified in Setting the Table for the Pacers Summer. Here is who we will be looking at today:
Jerome Jordan - C - 7'0" 235 lbs. - University of Tulsa
| Pts/40 | Reb/40 | Ast/40 | Blk/40 | eFG% | FT% | FT/40 | FT/FG | TO/40 | PF/40 |
| 20.7 | 12.2 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 55.0% | 68.8% | 9.6 | 0.75 | 3.0 | 3.8 |
Strengths -
- Jordan has the size and length of an NBA center.
- He didn't start playing basketball until he was a junior in high school. He's still very raw with a lot of upside, but he improved significantly each year of his college career.
- He has worked hard to develop his post scoring game, and has a variety of consistent offensive moves. He has also improved his passing and doesn't turn the ball over as frequently as when he was a freshman.
- Jordan does a terrific job of drawing contact and getting to the free throw line.
- He is a strong rebounder at both ends of the floor.
- Jordan has the ability to be a decent shot blocker.
- Some highlights
Weaknesses -
- Currently, Jordan's offensive repertoire is limited to the post. He is not able to consistently step away from the basket and knock down a 12-15ft. jumper. He also needs to improve his free throw shooting to take full advantage of his work close to the basket.
- Despite his physical tools, Jordan really struggles as a defender. He has shown very poor timing and fundamentals, which make him somewhat foul prone. He is also very vulnerable when pulled away from the basket to defend the pick and roll.
- He has appeared very passive at times, and there are questions about his ability to play with maximum effort.
How he can help the Pacers -
- Down the road, the Pacers will need someone to back-up Roy Hibbert, as Jeff Foster won't be around forever. Jordan can give them a player with legit size and a burgeoning skill set. He will need to work extremely hard to diversify his offensive abilities and be consistent with his defensive fundamentals. Spending a year battling Foster in practice, and learning from him on the bench might be just what the doctor ordered.
- In the end there aren't many players with his combination of size and athleticism available in the 2nd Round. He is still raw, but is also still learning to play the game at a high level. Jordan is a player with lots of upside, and could provide significant value for the Pacers down the road.
More Information -