WRG 2012 Mock Draft - #26 Indiana Pacers

We have built our team by targeting players we think fit well in our system and in our locker room and acquiring those players.  That sounds obvious and easy, but it's a challenge.  We have built around older, more established college stars who really love and understand basketball but don't always come with a flashy game.

It's hard to watch us play sometimes and not think of bringing in some more explosive athletes or younger, less developed players.

However, we had a terrific season last year and we are good right now and it's time to bring in someone safe who we think can help us and give us a little insurance against not faring well in free agency.

Our backcourt needs help and we see a young man available who we think can be a regular rotation player for us, back up both positions and be a live sparkplug off the bench.  He's a cool-headed winner who played several roles on essentially a pro team, and he can really shoot.

The Pacers select Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

"This draft never saw anyone from Kentucky get pick- What? Really? Damn. Well at least I'm the only one named Lamb that got drafted, right?"

WRG 2011 Mock Draft - #15 Indiana Pacers

First, let's get this out of the way.  We are taking you, Jimmer Fredette.  However, we have some conditions.

1. You are now from Indiana.  No one will ever question this.

2. You have to be our backup PG as well as a scorer off the bench.  You won't start, but you will get starter's minutes.  We would like you to win Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year.  Thank you.

3. Um.  This is delicate.  See, we saw you average 28.9 ppg and win the Naismith last season and we really don't want to change anything.  You know, anything. Soooooooooo. Yeah.  We'd like you to sign this - um - agreement.  You know.  Like they have at BYU.  So just go ahead and put your John Hancock by the "x" there, OK?  You'll almost be a lottery pick!

Honey, I've got something to tell you. Now keep in mind I'm probably only going to play 15 years or so and that shoooould just flyyyyyy by...

WRG Mock Draft, #13: Indiana Pacers

Many people look at us and say "The Pacers need a point guard". Jarret Jack is hitting free agency, TJ Ford is injury prone, and we've banished Jamaal Tinsley to Elba. Travis Diener is nothing more than a backup at best. In a point guard heavy draft, we obviously are going to take a point guard, right? WRONG.

We would have happily snatched up Jrue, Brandon, Jonny, Ricky, Tyreke, or Stephen if they somehow fell to us...but they didn't. After these guys, we feel there is a dropoff on our draft board in point guards. TJ Ford is small and has injury problems, and Ty Lawson is shorter than him (he also has a couple injury concerns of his own). Eric Maynor only weighs 2 pounds heavier than TJ Ford. We don't want to take a chance with that. None of these available point guards tickle our fancy enough to "reach" for them right here.

We would like get some toughness and height inside, and while we like DeJuan Blair, we are frightened by his knee issues more than we let on. Mike Dunleavy has knee issues. Danny Granger reportedly had knee issues. Marquis Daniels had knee issues. If we take Blair, we will take a huge cap hit and have to sign on Dr. James Andrews as our trainer.

With the 13th pick, the Indiana Pacers select:

I'm gonna take advantage of the mismashes.

Earl Clark, F, Louisville

While we weren't thrilled with Earl Clark's interviews (who was?), we do like his versatility and athleticism. He can come in and play the 3 and 4, as well as be a player who can orchestrate offense. With Mike Dunleavy, Earl Clark, and Roy Hibbert, we can put a lineup out there with 3 outstanding passers who aren't point guards, and get the ball to Danny Granger, an elite scorer. Clark also has shown he can run the floor, and we want to make sure our pick can run, as we play at one of the fastest paces in the league.