Under-the-radar guards for Pacers: Satoransky, Jones, Curry

The Indiana Pacers have plenty of cap space to make moves when free agency starts and plenty of holes to fill on the roster. Here are a few guys that are more under the radar that could help add some depth at the guard positions to the roster.

If the Pacers keep Bojan Bogdanovic as it seems is the plan (though the Utah Jazz are trying to swoop in when free agency starts), they have around $21 million in cap space to use on other free agents. These players could potentially be had for a smaller portion of that space than the players (some good options, some not so much) previously covered here in more detail:

Restricted: D’Angelo Russell, Malcolm Brogdon, Terry Rozier

Veterans: Ricky Rubio, George Hill, Patrick Beverley, Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo

The max guys that aren’t coming: Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker

Tomas Satoransky

Satoransky is a restricted free agent so that complicates a potential deal but the Wizards may be pressed to let him go with their less than ideal cap situation. At 6’7″, Satoransky has a lot of positional versatility. He can play both guard spots and small forward.

He’s limited in what he can do offensively and isn’t going to beat anyone off the dribble. He’s made 40% of his 3-pointers in his first three seasons in the league. He’s a low usage guy that took only 6.6 shots per game over 27 minutes last season. He’s a pass-first player that moves the ball well and averaged five assists per game.

For the Pacers, he could potentially fill in at the shooting guard spot in the starting lineup while Oladipo was out. As a guy off the bench, he’d be a nice fit next to Aaron Holiday.

Tyus Jones

Jones is another restricted free agent but the Timberwolves are trying to open up space for D’Angelo Russell. Depending on how they create that necessary cap space, it’s possible that they need to renounce Jones to be able to sign Russell.

Jones has long been someone that Wolves fans have clamored for more minutes. To end the season last year, he averaged 11.2 points, 7.3 assists on 46.3% shooting over 15 games, all starts. He has not shot the ball particularly well to this point in his career and made just 31% of his 3-pointers last year.

Signing him would depend whether you think a point guard rotation of Holiday and Jones is a good enough at that spot. With both players still being relatively unproven, it may be difficult for Pritchard to go in that direction. Jones will be the same age as Holiday, who turns 23 in Septemer, when the season begins, but Jones has already been in the league for four years.

Seth Curry

His strength is unsurprising: shooting. Curry has shot 43.9% from deep in his career. Probably more of an undersized shooting guard than a point; he spent 70% of his minutes at the 2 with the Blazers. He’s only a few years removed from starting 42 games for the Mavericks and averaging over 12 points per game. He probably could he had with a cheaper contract and potentially be a room exception move.

 

3 comments

Leave a comment