For a Pacer Team in Transition, a New X-Factor Must Arise

Ultimate glue guy George Hill is gone. Who will pick up the burden as Indiana’s X-factor?

Many would quickly jump to a big name like Monta Ellis, a proven shooter like C.J. Miles, or a high volume scorer and mediocre shot creator like Rodney Stuckey.

Personally, I vote none of the above. While Stuckey offers creation and scoring on the offensive end, Jeff Teague and Paul George already have that handled. And much more efficiently I might add. Yes, Monta Ellis slashes well and distributes the rock, but the same argument stands. Ellis is the definition of inefficient basketball. He jacked up almost 13 shots a game on less than 43 percent shooting (including a putrid 31 percent beyond the arc on 3.5 attempts per game). Plus, he turns the ball over almost as much as he involves teammates. In a year that looks to be part two of Paul George’s coming out party, I want as many of George Hill, Stuckey, and Ellis’ combined 30 shots per game going to him as humanly possible.

To me, that means Stuckey and Ellis should come off the bench. And a trade shouldn’t be out of the question. While Hill played a nice role as an off-ball shooter who could distribute when called upon, I don’t see where the other two fit in a starting lineup with newly added Jeff Teague. There’s no room for propagation of that kind of inefficiency and mediocre defense on a team with such promising youngsters and such established defensive prowess.

With that being said, we do have another option in Miles. To be fair, he scores efficiently–can’t contest that. He can put the ball in the hoop, and he’s a proven three point shooter at 36.7 percent who knows his role. Six of his nine shots a game came from behind the arc. While he averaged more turnovers than assists, his per 36’s looked good, and you really can’t complain about his lack of dimes when he’s limited to catch and shoot 3s. Additionally, Miles’ speed and defense is much more geared toward covering 3s and small-ball 4s. He is best suited backing up Thad/George and at 28 years of age, I’d rather look to another younger prospect to partner up with Myles Turner and PG13.

That X-Factor is Glenn Robinson III. Highly touted for his impressive potential coming out of Michigan, Robinson is exactly the player Indiana needs to boost the pace, hit spot up 3s and rotate smoothly on defense. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be efficient, and at 6-6 with a 6-10 wingspan he matches up well with NBA shooting guards.

Robinson’s weaknesses would actually be concerning on other rosters. A guard with loose handle who struggles to create for himself or others: all issues that are of no concern to Indy. In lineups boasting Thad Young, Paul George, and Jeff Teague, the shot creation and distribution is there. And with Myles Turner turning out to be one of the best young floor-spacers in the NBA, this four-man unit defines flexibility–one of the major reasons that Stuckey and Ellis’ major flaws have been hidden for the past few years.

With a better defender on the floor who shoots 38 percent from outside, the Pacers have their answer. Glenn Robinson III fills some of the gaps Hill left in the backcourt and brings more to the table than Ellis and Stuckey, whose redundant skill-sets just don’t seem to mesh with the current core. In fact, if Robinson could hit threes at that same rate with higher volume, that unit could be the best floor-spacing lineup in the East outside of Boston.

With Robinson’s greatest strengths being off the ball scoring and transition ferocity, he’s in a perfect position to complement Indiana’s dedication to space and pace (and fill a role in the half-court offense). Robinson also boasts a wingspan as long as Kevin Durant, signaling potential to guard at least a couple positions–plus legit lateral quickness. Both of these things sum up to what makes Robinson so valuable- his potential to elevate Indiana on both ends of the floor.

After finishing third last year defensively, allowing 100.5 points and forcing 15 turnovers per game, this defensive identity is one the Pacers can’t afford to abandon. Minus offseason departures of George Hill, Ian Mahimni, and Solomon Hill, this unit is not threatening to finish toward the top anymore with Ellis or Stuckey as the starter.

However, Glenn Robinson III could help compensate for key losses, keeping Indy engrained among the top-10 defenses in the league. If Robinson does transition smoothly to the backcourt and Teague builds off an impressive 2015 campaign, this team could be dangerous for a frontrunner like Boston come April.