Chicago Bulls: Grading the Central Division’s First Round
Indiana Pacers: B+
At No. 18 overall, the Indiana Pacers selected the Serbian-league pro Goga Bitadze. The Pacers also acquired T.J. Warren and a second round pick from the Phoenix Suns as Phoenix attempted to dump salary.
Suns will send the No. 32 pick to Pacers too, source tells ESPN. Pacers are taking Warren into salary cap space. https://t.co/NN0gxs4e8L
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2019
Warren averaged 18 points a game last year, second to Devin Booker and will be an instant offense off an already talented Pacers bench.
At 19-years-old, Bitadze averaged 12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.3 blocks in 13 games during the EuroLeague and was voted the 2018-19 Adriatic League MVP and Best Young Player during the same season.
Bitadze is 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, so he’ll pair well with Domantas Sabonis or Thaddeus Young during the course of a game. Myles Turner has started to blossom into a dominant force on the defensive end, so whenever he comes off the floor a player like Bitadze could fit right in giving Indiana good minutes early on.
Overall the Pacers improved their team and continue to build a bench mob for when Victor Oladipo is healthy.