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How would Brandon Miller impact the Indiana Pacers if they have the chance to draft him?

Miller is one of the top prospects in the 2023 NBA Draft
How would Brandon Miller impact the Indiana Pacers if they have the chance to draft him?
How would Brandon Miller impact the Indiana Pacers if they have the chance to draft him?

The NBA Draft Lottery is tomorrow, and the Indiana Pacers hold the seventh-best odds to jump up into the top four picks. If they are lucky, they will move up and have their highest pick since 1988, at least.

If they land any pick after one, they could have the chance to select Alabama wing Brandon Miller, who many consider to be the best prospect to come from the NCAA ranks in this draft cycle.

Miller, 20, played on an Alabama team that took shots from analytically friendly areas, which both impacts his tape and makes him a more attractive prospect. He has few reps as a midrange finisher, so it's tough to get a read on his in-between game, but he has extra reps as both a three-point shooter and a finisher at the rim. He excelled from both areas, shooting 38.4% from deep on 276 attempts while also knocking down 65.9% of his shots within 4.5 feet of the rim, per CBB Analytics.

The play finishing Miller provides is what makes him valuable on offense. Being able to put the ball on the basket from the more threatening areas on the court makes him a great complementary piece for teams with solid creators.

His more micro level skills are what allow him to get some of his shots up. His ability to create a small amount of space to get a shot off is strong, and he mixes in jab steps and clever moves to generate those looks. When combined with his wingspan, he can get a shot up over basically any non-big sized player.

He's also great at keeping defenders on his hip once he gets an advantage in the pick-and-roll. Miller didn't execute too many of such actions as a ball handler, but Alabama's system encouraged him to get all the way to the rim, and he was solid at keeping his own defender behind him when doing so.

His passing is just okay, and Miller finished with more turnovers than assists in the NCAA ranks. He wasn't asked to create much, but he still left a bit to be desired in the passing department. His volume of shots at the rim is low for someone of his ability level. But his accuracy from deep and in close was still great, and he finished with a 58.3% true shooting on 26.2% usage. Even with some warts, that gives Miller a high floor on offense.

On defense, his impact is strong. Among all NCAA freshmen, Miller finished ninth in defensive box plus-minus, per Bart Torvik, though none of the eight players above him came close to matching his offensive impact. He can make plays on the less glamorous end of the floor.

His foot speed helps him stay in front of most opponents out on the perimeter. He is thin, so some stronger opponents can take advantage of Miller. But in general, his defense is solid and he can be billed as a two-way prospect. His steal rate (1.5%) and block rate (2.4%) are both indicative of a capable defensive player.

Miller is alert enough with his off-ball defense and has good footwork on the defensive end. Because of his size and wingspan, he can guard multiple positions. The wing grades out well as a prospect on both ends of the floor, which is why most mock drafts have him going second or third overall.

Miller's skills are undeniable, but he has significant questions about his off-court life after driving a gun to the scene of a murder in January. His college teammate, Darius Miles, has been charged with capital murder. CBS Sports compiled all of the publicly-known details, and NBA teams will need to know as much about this situation, and Miller, as possible prior to the draft.

If the wing proves to any franchise that he meets their character requirements, he could be a good fit anywhere. Being able to be a three-and-D player, at a minimum, is valuable.

Those skills would fit well with the Pacers, who are in need of forwards and defensive abilities. Miller's talent as a shooter would fit well alongside Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin, and his size would allow him to fill the hole that Indiana has on the wing. Truly, Miller is a fit with any franchise given the way the NBA game is played now. But the Pacers, specifically, would be a great fit for his skill set.

Every franchise, including the Pacers, will find out tomorrow at the NBA Draft Lottery where they will be selecting. Any team that moves into the top-four could end up having a chance at Miller and his talent on both ends of the court.


  • Which NBA Draft prospects have worked out for the Indiana Pacers in 2023? CLICK HERE.
  • Indiana Pacers exit interviews: Buddy Hield knows offense is the Pacers forte. Defense must be next. CLICK HERE.
  • Who are the Indiana Pacers free agents in 2023? CLICK HERE.
  • Indiana Pacers G League affiliate team moving from Fort Wayne to Noblesville. CLICK HERE.
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Tony East
TONY EAST

Tony East is the Publisher of AllPacers. He has previously written for Forbes Sports, the West Indianapolis Community News, WTHR, and more while hosting the Locked On Pacers podcast.

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