Rather have Leonard than Hill now?

[IndieRuso420]

Honestly, the Pacers are just really really awful at the draft. Since the 2010 draft, its been terrible. I dont expect anyone to put any stock into what I have to say but I was strongly against the Scola trade. I also thought going Solomon over Hardaway was STUPID. Could have used a shooter off the bench bigtime. I was a fan of the GHill trade at the time, but I could have lived with below average PGs while developing a PG/Lance/Leonard core.

If you look at our draft history since the year 2000 & exclude the 2010 draft, the Pacers have made 2 picks in thirteen years that are worth a damn. Im talking legit starters. Granger & Hibbert (who I absolutely despise now). So really you could say excluding 2010 the Pacers have made one good pick in 13 years. Granger was a no brainer who fell into our lap & should have went top 10.

Not trying to troll or be a pessimist but I am allowed to express my opinion. The Pacers are terrible at the NBA draft in the 21st century.

[Wizop]

accepting your premise that we don't scout well, what were the chances we would have taken Leonard if we hadn't traded for Hill? I'd say slim to none. if you believe we don't draft well, then trading for a proven commodity was the right thing to do.

[IndieRuso420]

I cant really say if the Pacers would have have kept Kawai. I know I would have been ok with the pick. I remember Leonard was a borderline top 10 projection heading into the draft much like Granger he fell in our lap. Also he wasnt unknown. SD ST just came off their breakout tourney performance to put them back on the map with the former Michigan coach. I remember my buddy & I kept laughing cause Bilas was obsessed with Kawai's hands. We were talking about how his game was more than just hands. Honestly too, I thought Leonard could be an athletic stretch 4 we needed that Tyler was not.

Again though I was pretty happy about the trade getting the hometown GHill at the time but I really would have been happy either way.

My point is this though. DWest is our best FA signing in franchise history. Historically, we cant sign impactful FAs. We can not continue to squander 1st rounders. The Pacers have to take an approach similar to the old Colts where roster development is all about the importance of the draft. We have simply missed too many times. Shawne over Rondo, Tyler over the PGs like Lawson, Hill over Hardaway, Rush over several serviceable players, giving up on Plumlee after one year & packaging a 1st with him for a player at the same position but 10 years older & less athletic. I know that no one is perfect, but ive seen guys on this board in the past make suggestions for picks better than what our staff has done. Pacers cant continue with these draft blunders.

[8305]

To say the Pacers haven't drafted well is nonsense. How many franchises have accumulated three talents the likes of George, Hibbert and Stephenson with a number 10, 18 and second rounder. All three of these guys were to some degree projects. These three guys support the notion that we do a solid job with player development.

Have there been misses? Absolutely. We clearly have a ways to go if the goal is to draft and develop players on par with the Spurs and OKC. And FWIW that should be the goal. The past two years I think we got hung up in the NOW over the basics of sustainability and franchise construction. The Scola trade being the poster child.

[Wizop]

I cant really say if the Pacers would have have kept Kawai.

Kept? the trade was made before the pick so Kawai was the Spurs choice. there is no way to know who we would have taken had the trade not been made but there is no guarantee that it would have been Kawai.