Setting the Pacers NBA Draft Big Board: No. 9 option

The vote for the No. 8 player on the IC Pacers NBA Draft Board was tight the whole way through with G League Ignite’s Dyson Daniels taking the spot with 41 percent of the vote to edge out Duke’s AJ Griffin at 37 percent of the vote.

Daniels showed up strong on the Pacers draft radar recently when ESPN’s Jonathan Givony had him taken by the home team with the sixth pick in his latest mock draft. Like many of the remaining players, Daniels has loads of skill in need of NBA development with time to get there, having just turned 19. Griffin is in a similar spot, although one of the few players who is younger than Daniels by a few months

As we move on to vote for the No. 9 spot, we will add another forward in Tari Eason out of LSU. An ‘old man’ at 21, but fits a profile the Pacers need as an active big wing/modern power forward with requisite NBA skills to develop at both ends of the floor.

Again, vote on your top remaining choice for the Pacers, which in this case will be the player the Pacers would take with the No. 9 pick (were they to deal down or acquire the pick via another trade) minus the first eight players on the draft board.

Remember to share a new player in the comments to add to the list for the No. 10 slot.

For reference, here are the available draft previews from Mark and Caitlin for the players thus far:

• Jabari Smith, PF - Auburn
• Jaden Ivey, G - Purdue
• Keegan Murray, F - Iowa
• Benedict Mathurin, G - Arizona
• Johnny Davis, G - Wisconsin
• Tari Eason, F - LSU
• Jeremy Sochan, F - Baylor

IC Pacers NBA Draft Big Board:

1. Jabari Smith, PF - Auburn
2. Paolo Banchero, F - Duke
3. Jaden Ivey, G - Purdue
4. Chet Holmgren, PF/C - Gonzaga
5. Keegan Murray, F - Iowa
6. Shaedon Sharpe, G - Kentucky
7. Bennedict Mathurin, G - Arizona
8. Dyson Daniels, F - G League