Workouts are in full-swing and the Pacers have another crop of players showcasing their talents at the Fieldhouse today.

Today's group is headlined by Leonard Miller, a promising forward who played for the G-League Ignite last year. They've also brought in Isaiah Wong and Adam Flagler, two seasoned college players who've parlayed strong showings in March and at the combine into some NBA buzz. Finally, the field is rounded out by players with local connections – one of whom, Johnell Davis, had a helluva March himself.

Leonard Miller

Leonard Miller is a dichotomy. In some ways he's the epitome of a modern basketball player, in others he's a tale as old as time.

Standing 6'9.25 without shoes, with a 7'2 wingspan, he fits the physical profile of an NBA big man in any era. And, like many talented bigs before him, Miller is a late bloomer. His first two years of high school he played guard. Then he shot up six-and-a-half inches over 18 months and suddenly he had a forward's body to go with an ambidextrous playmaker's game.

Naturally, the Toronto native became a hot name in recruiting circles and even attended last year's NBA Combine to gauge NBA interest. While his combination of size and skill was tantalizing, it was clear that he needed time to develop before being ready for the pros. He looked, to quote Fran Fraschilla, "two years away from being two years away."

Smartly, he withdrew from the draft and committed to playing for the G-League Ignite. I wouldn't be surprised if a few GMs are kicking themselves for not making him a promise last year, because he progressed much faster than anyone could have reasonably expected, even dominating the G-League for stretches as a 19 year old. He averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds for the year on 56/33/79 shooting splits.

How would he fit on the Pacers?

While the idea of a ball-handling big conjures visions of Giannis, the tape tells a different story. Miller is still VERY RAW. More than that, he's an awkward player.

His biggest immediate contribution would be as a defender and as a rebounder. He has a problem with fouling, like all young bigs, but he projects to be a versatile stopper, with the strength and mobility to check 3-5. More than that he has a relentless motor on the glass, simply outworking the opposition for rebounds. The fact that he finished among the top rebounders in the G-League at such a young age is no small feat.

His energy and mobility also make him effective in transition, which is a prerequisite for any prospective Pacer. Not only is he a willing rim-runner, but he can use his guard skills to push in transition after cleaning the defensive glass.

In the half-court things become trickier. His jump shot mechanics are an eyesore. To his credit, he makes enough to be encouraged by his touch but he'll likely have to revamp his shooting motion in order to become a consistent floor spacer.

While I've touted his guard-like feel, his ball handling and playmaking are nowhere near tight enough to use him as a play initiator against a set defense. As such, he'll be limited to setting screens and idling in the dunker spot. Although he's still a bit slender at 212 lbs, he has great frame and I think he can be a good pick setter in time. The concern is that he doesn't have much natural explosiveness, which leads to him getting blocked at the rim more than you'd like to see. At the same time, I'd be remiss if I didn't reiterate that he does have good touch. Between that and his herky-jerky movement style he was effective finishing in the paint, scoring about 66% of his shots at the rim.

All in all I think he's a very intriguing prospect, especially as a trade up candidate in the late-teens. Carlisle said they are looking to add a "four man" who is 6'8/6'9, has length, guards multiple positions, shoots threes, and makes plays. Other than shooting threes, Leonard Miller fits the bill.

His motor and mobility will shine playing in a fast pace system like ours and while I don't think he'll necessarily develop into an all-star, he should be a very useful player in a few years time.

Isaiah Wong

Wong is an incredibly bouncy combo guard who rising up draft boards. After leading the University of Miami to the Elite Eight last year, he one upped himself with a Final Four run this year. His hot streak continued at the NBA Draft Combine where he turned heads with his athleticism and offensive polish.

Although he is on the shorter side at 6'3, his nearly 6'7 wingspan and quick-twitch burst should allow him to hold his own in the NBA. He proved to be an effective scoring guard at the NCAA level, averaging 16.2 PPG this season on 45/38/84 shooting splits. A performance that earned him the 2022-23 ACC Player of the Year award.

Like many combo guards, Wong is a blur in transition and uses his quickness to score points. The reason he played four years in college is that he didn't show the necessary outside shooting or playmaking to survive in the NBA until this year. While he is an older prospect, and therefore has a shorter development runway, he deserves credit for taking weaknesses and turning them into strengths. He worked his way into the 74th percentile catch-and-shoot efficiency and the 81st percentile off-the-dribble shooting. He also led the Hurricanes in assists while posting a 1.57 assist-to-turnover ratio.

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After another strong season for Miami, Isaiah Wong still has more basketball to play in his senior year. His improved decision-making and shooting could make him a second round sleeper prospect.
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Defensively, he's shown flashes of being a solid point of attack defender and certainly has the physical tools to play the role. He has quick hands and can get on ball steals. His weaknesses are fighting through screens and off-ball concentration (a theme with players who have a big offensive role).

The Pacers aren't necessarily in the market for another guard but Wong is a good bet to carve out a role in the league. If they took him in the second round and stashed him for the day when TJ moves on, I could get behind the move.

Adam Flagler

Flagler is another older, 6'3 combo guard who had a tremendous amount of success at the NCAA level, including winning an NCAA championship two years ago. On the court his shooting is his biggest strength. He made 40% of his threes on over six attempts per game over the course of his career. Perhaps more importantly, however, is his leadership ability. I recommend reading the following interview to get a sense of his maturity.

https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/nba-draft-spotlight-behind-the-scenes-with-adam-flagler

While not a pure point, he's better suited to running the show than most combo guards as he's a very steady player. He averaged nearly 5 assists a game with less than 2 turnovers this past season.

Nevertheless, there are legitimate questions about whether he's a good enough athlete to compete at the NBA level. I'm not sure that he fits an on-court role on the current Pacers team but I could see them wanting his intangibles in the organization. Taking him at 55 and signing him to a two-way makes some sense.

Other News

In other news, Bennedict Mathurin will join his fellow All-Rookie First Teamers in acting as a media correspondent during the Finals.

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