Ike Diogu, Marquis Daniels and Shawne Williams all have a world of potential but they each have rough edges in their games that need refined. Ike Diogu was the key in the big trade with the Warriors last season. He is a potential starting power forward in the NBA and he probably is a better player than starter Troy Murphy but he likely won’t get a chance to show that this season. Diogu played in 59 games (2 starts) for the Warriors and Pacers last season and he averaged 12.9 minutes, 6.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. Marquis Daniels also has the skills to be a starter but issues off of the court have hampered his development as a player. He played in 45 games (4 starts) last season for the Pacers and he averaged 17.8 minutes, 7.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. Shawne Williams showed off his potential at the end of last season but he’s also a very immature person which hurts his game on and off the court. He played in 46 games (3 starts) as a rookie last season and he averaged 12.1 minutes, 3.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. Jeff Foster will back up at both center and power forward for the Pacers and he’s a banger. His game is defense and rebounding and he does a good job of that. He played in 75 games (43 starts) last season for the Pacers and he averaged 23.2 minutes, 4.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Travis Diener was brought to back up Jamaal Tinsley at point guard. He only played in 26 games (0 starts) last season for the Magic and he averaged 11.1 minutes, 3.8 points, 0.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. David Harrison will also back up at power forward and center for the Pacers. He played in 24 games (2 starts) for the Pacers last season and he averaged 7.9 minutes, 3.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. Shooting guard Kareem Rush played last season overseas but the Pacers like him as a shooter. He has played in 243 games (62 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 17.3 minutes, 6.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.

The Pacers are not a very deep team so they need the starting lineup to carry them. Jamaal Tinsley will be the starting point guard again this season and they need him to have better shot selection this year as he only hit 38.9% of his shots from the floor last season and 31.6% from the three point line. Tinsley played in 72 games (all starts) last season for the Pacers and he averaged 31.2 minutes, 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Mike Dunleavy will be the starting shooting guard for the Pacers this season and they need more from him. He played in 82 games (49 starts) for the Warriors and Pacers last season and he averaged 31.5 minutes, 12.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Danny Granger will be the starting small forward for the Pacers this season and they need him to continue to improve. He played in 82 games (57 starts) for the Pacers last season and he averaged 34.0 minutes, 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. At power forward the Pacers will start Troy Murphy and they need him to not be as soft as he was last season. He played in 68 games (48 starts) for the Warriors and Pacers last season and he averaged 27.2 minutes, 10.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. The key to the Pacers is center Jermaine O’Neal who is one of the best players in Pacers history. He played in 69 games (all starts) last season and he averaged 35.6 minutes, 19.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.6 blocks per game. The Pacers need him to stay healthy as they will be toast if he misses any time due to injury.

The Pacers have released veteran point guard Darrell Armstrong.  This was probably not a smart move as the Pacers are putting a lot of trust in Jamaal Tinsley and Travis Diener to handle the point.  Armstrong played in 81 games (4 starts) last season for the Pacers and he averaged 15.7 minutes, 5.6 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.  Armstrong has had a long and productive NBA career and he will likely get another chance from some team this season.  He has now played in 790 games (335 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 9.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game.