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After a fantastic summer league the Pacers signed 50th overall pick Alize Johnson. The 6’9” forward averaged 12.4 points and 8.6 rebounds in his five games in Las Vegas.
The details of Johnson’s contract are unknown but because of cap restrictions Indiana can only sign him to a two-year minimum deal.
The deal could be similar to the Pacers’ second-round pick Ike Anigbogu last year. The 47th overall pick got a two-year contract with his second year only partially guaranteed.
Anigbogu’s contract became fully guaranteed on July 15.
Johnson played two seasons at Missouri State after two seasons in junior college at Frank Phillips College in northern Texas. He averaged 15 points and 11.6 rebounds during his senior season at MSU.
During summer league Nate McMillan compared Johnson to Draymond Green, another second-round pick.
Coach McMillan thinks the #Pacers got a steal with second round draft pick @AlizeJohnson. pic.twitter.com/GEMTJ6tBdE
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) July 13, 2018
Johnson could be anywhere from the third- to fifth-string power forward for the Pacers. Thaddeus Young and T.J. Leaf are guaranteed to play ahead of him.
Domantas Sabonis and Kyle O’Quinn could also play some power forward depending on injury, both have experience playing at the four.
Johnson will likely spend most of his first with the season with Pacers G-League affiliate the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
But for a kid who didn’t play Division One college basketball until his junior year, any NBA contract is pretty nice.
And this is why Alize Johnson has a chance at success. What a sequence. pic.twitter.com/y8Ljez5UMd
— iPacers.com (@iPacersblog) July 7, 2018