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Indiana Pacers Exit Interviews: Oshae Brissett Has Seen Two Eras Of Pacers Basketball. He Knows The Team's Culture Is Right.
© Provided by All Pacers on FanNation Brissett just finished his third season with the Pacers
When the Indiana Pacers signed Oshae Brissett to a three-year deal, they were happy that he could help out their forward rotation. That was back in 2020-21 when the Pacers were a play-in team that was desperate for wing depth. Brissett came in, shot the lights out, and became a starter for the team down the stretch of that season — including both play-in games.
Back then, the Pacers rotation was highlighted by Macolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, and Caris LeVert. But that era of the team fell apart and went through numerous changes in the next few months, and three of those four players were dealt.
Brissett, along with Turner, remain. Brissett has seen the blue and gold transition from one era to the next. But part of what made him valuable was his fit with both groups. With the old iteration of the Pacers, he was a needed glue guy and depth piece. With the newer group, he still did those things, but he also had a more impactful role and was closer with his younger teammates.
The way Brissett always champions his teammates is notable and impressive. He's gotten a handful of Did Not Plays over the past two seasons, but he took them in stride and tried to provide a mental boost from the bench. He is always one smile away.
It helps that he's talented, too. He's a heady cutter, attentive team defender, and good transition player. There's a reason he's played over 2,500 minutes for Indiana in the last few seasons and why he stayed from one era to the next.
That's why Brissett is well equipped to describe the Pacers direction. He has seen this current group built from the group up.
"We're going in the right direction man. This team is well gelled together, and I think that it's going to take us very far," he said at his exit interview last month. He just wrapped up his fourth NBA season.
"I feel like the vibe here and the love that everyone has for each other is something that's hard to find," he added, noting that it will only get better as time passes.
The Pacers were a tight-knit roster this season. They were all close in age and had similar interests, which made interactions easy. They also had the right veterans to bring the group together for bonding experiences. As veteran James Johnson said during the season, nobody fake liked anyone else. They all had real, genuine relationships.
Brissett noticed that, too. He was a part of it and was close with several members of the roster. "Everyone's able to really vibe together. Love being around each other, love playing for each other and playing with each other," he said.
The 'playing with each other' joy was obvious. The Pacers played an upbeat style and got everyone involved with passing. They ran, shared the ball, and played randomly. They were hard to scout and difficult to slow down.
On some nights, they looked frenetic. Most nights, they looked like they had a plan, and an identity. Establishing that was important in the team's first full season of a rebuild.
Brissett was a part of the roster pre rebuild, and that group didn't have much of an identity. They had several talented players that could win them games, but it was rarely clear on a day-to-day basis how the old iteration of the Pacers wanted to create advantages or what their strengths were. It's a big part of why they struggled and couldn't reach their potential.
Now, though, it's very clear that the Pacers want to run in transition and be one of the fastest teams in the league. Brissett fits right into that style, and he noticed how much it helped the unit.
"We know exactly who we are as a team," he said.
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Brissett averaged 1.03 points per possession in transition this season. He is capable of running with the Pacers and fits well with what the team does best. That, combined with his defensive talent, is why Indiana had a positive net rating — +1.54 — when Brissett was on the court. That number dipped to -4.69 when he sat.
That's also why the 24-year old was happy with his season. His free agency will be fascinating this summer because of Indiana's roster spot conundrum, but he at least proved, once again, that he is a quality NBA player who can fit with any group.
Brissett averaged 6.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game this season. Most importantly, he proved that he can fit with two different play styles and roster builds, which bodes well for his future regardless of what team he is on. He's seen the Pacers grow in the last three seasons and knows the franchise is heading in a positive direction.
What Early NBA Mock Drafts Say The Indiana Pacers Could Do With Their Early Pick On Draft Night
© Provided by All Pacers on FanNation The Pacers have a strong pick in the 2023 NBA Draft
The NBA Draft isn't until June 22, but with the calendar flipping to May, the draft will begin to take center stage for eliminated teams. The draft lottery is in just over two weeks, as is the NBA Draft combine.
The Indiana Pacers have the seventh-best draft lottery odds after winning a tiebreaker with the Washington Wizards, so they could pick anywhere from 1-4 or 7-11 with their best selection. Who they pick in that spot will have a massive bearing on the success of the next era of Pacers basketball.
If they jump up to number one overall, the selection is obvious. Victor Wembanyama is the prize of this draft. But after that, Indiana could go a number of directions. The early mock drafts reflect that. Below you can find a roundup of what five major mock drafts suggest the Pacers could end up doing in 52 days.
ESPN (Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo): Pacers select Villanova wing Cam Whitmore seventh overall.
Whitmore is a ferocious athlete and talented scorer, and he can play multiple positions. He could be a good fit with the Pacers on the wing, though he will have to improve his off ball skills if he ends up with the blue and gold.
NBC Sports Washington (Tyler Byrum and Chase Hughes): Pacers select Kansas wing Gradey Dick seventh overall.
Dick was efficient for the Jayhawks this past season and had a quality steal rate as well. He has a solid baseline of skills before the NBA, and Indiana has needed a sweet-shooting forward for years.
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CBS Sports on April 20: Pacers select Overtime Elite wing Ausar Thompson eighth overall (Kyle Boone) or Baylor guard Keyonte George sixth overall (Gary Parrish).
George is a solid defender but struggled with his efficiency as a freshman with the Bears. Thompson, meanwhile, is a taller perimeter player that averaged 16.3 points per game this past season in the fairly new Overtime Elite league.
USA Today Sports RookieWire (Cody Taylor): Pacers select Overtime Elite wing Ausar Thompson eighth overall.
The second listing for the Pacers and Thompson. Thompson has a twin brother, Amen, who is also an excellent prospect in this draft cycle too. Ausar won the Overtime Elite title in 2021-22 with the City Reapers, averaging 21.0 points per game in the playoffs.
Bleacher Report (Jonanthan Wasserman): Pacers selected Central Florida forward Taylor Hendricks sixth overall.
Hendricks would fit extremely well with the Pacers as a potential three-and-D wing, and that skillset is craved by every team in the NBA. He projects to be better on the defensive end than on offense, though Hendricks is a talented prospect on both sides of the ball.
Between the listed players in these mock drafts as well as Amen Thompson, Jarace Walker, and a few others, there will be plenty of options for the Pacers on draft night.
3 Early 2023 NBA Draft Targets For Pacers
© Alex Sabri 5/3/23 Will the Indiana Pacers be able to fight their way into playoff contention during the 2023-24 season?
Indiana finished with a record of 35-47, good enough for fourth in the Central Division and 11th in the Eastern Conference.
The Pacers ended last year's draft with Arizona forward Bennedict Mathurin, Gonzaga guard Andrew Nembhard and French guard Hugo Besson. Mathurin had a productive rookie season for Indiana, finishing with averages of 16.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in 78 games played and 17 starts.
"(Bennedict) Mathurin is learning a lot about playing as a starter in high-level games and what that's all about," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said in late March. "I like his vibe, I like his approach, and I like that fact that he is a sponge for information right now."
Who could the Pacers look out for at the No. 26 pick? Will they be able to find a diamond in the rough later in the first round?
Dereck LivelyWill the Pacers be able to bring in more reliable bigs before the start of the season?
Forward Jalen Smith, who placed second on the team with 5.8 rebounds per game and third with 0.9 blocks per game, has a player option for the 2024-25 season. Center Myles Turner, who signed a 2-year extension with the Pacers in January, will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025 should he not sign another extension.
Along with drafting forward Jarace Walker out of Houston, Duke center Dereck Lively could be a solid option for the Pacers to invest in as they continue to build their roster of the future. The 7-foot-1-inch big from Philadelphia, Pa., placed third on the Blue Devils with 5.4 rebounds per game and first in blocks per contest with 2.4 despite playing in just 20.6 minutes per game. He highlighted his season with a 14-rebound and 8-block performance against the North Carolina Tar Heels, grabbing five offensive boards as Duke took a 63-57 win at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
"He's the ultimate team guy," said Duke head coach Jon Scheyer, via Duke Athletics. "Any NBA franchise will be lucky to have a guy like Dereck because of what he brings to the table, of course from a basketball standpoint, but just as much as who he is as a teammate.
"I'm so proud of what he's done and wish him, Kathy and his family the best as he takes the next step. He's going to be great at the next level."
Lively's interior presence would be a welcomed addition to a Pacers team that averaged 41.5 blocks per game, good enough for 24th in the NBA.
Dariq WhiteheadWhitehead entered the 2023 NBA Draft in March, reflecting on what he learned following a solid rookie season at Duke.
"To my Duke Family, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your support this past year," Whitehead's March statement read. "Through the ups and downs, I'm beyond grateful for the love and encouragement you've shown me during my time in Durham. I will always be a Blue Devil."
A former 5-star recruit out of Newark, N.J., Whitehead chose the Blue Devils over offers from Florida State, Kansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Memphis, Oklahoma State and Rutgers, according to 247Sports. He scored 8.3 points, grabbed 2.4 rebounds and hit at a 42.9% clip from the 3-point arc, good enough to lead the team in percentage from long range.
"I think it's just putting the value on himself that he's more than just a scorer," Scheyer said in February, via On3. "The way he shot the ball? He does that in practice too. That's not just a fluke. He's a legit, really good shooter.
"The thing for him is adding an attack to the basket. Because game plans are gonna try and take away the three from him. He missed some finishes. I think he'll make those. The more he does that, the better."
Whitehead may be able to contribute early with his ability to knock down shots from deep, adding to a Pacers team that hit 36.7% of its 3-point shots last season, good enough for 11th in the NBA.
Colby JonesJones, a 6-foot-6-inch guard from Birmingham, Ala., placed third on the Xavier Musketeers with 15 points per game while leading the squad with 4.4 assists per contest. He shot 50.9% from the field and 37.8% from the 3-point line, peaking at 90.9% from the floor when the Musketeers took on Providence in March.
Jones scored 29 points when the team took down the Providence Friars in a 94-89 win in Amica Mutual Pavilion.
"Sometimes you have to acknowledge that you won because of a player or two players. We won tonight because (Xavier guard) Souley Boum and Colby Jones were outstanding," Xavier head coach Sean Miller said, via the Associated Press. "Souley Boum was as good as any guard in the country tonight. Colby was right there with him. In large part that's why we won."
Jones could be a talented scoring and playmaking option off the bench for the Pacers, contributing right away with his size and skill on offense to add to a Pacers reserve unit that ranked in at No. 2 in the league with a 61.3 offensive rating.
The post 3 early 2023 NBA Draft targets for Pacers appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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