Pacers Summer League Roster

The 2009 Summer League has started and the Pacers have a team full of young rookies, promising draft picks, and guys trying to make an NBA team.

Here is a list of the players and a little something about each player.

Tyler Hansbrough – He was the Pacers 2009 1st-Round draft pick. He had a very celebrated college career with a championship as the cherry on top. He fell into the late lottery because of his size and lack of natural athleticism. He has a guaranteed contract, so expect to see him wear #50 next season for Indiana.

A.J. Price – He was the Pacers 2nd-round pick and will struggle to make the team. The team already has a few point guards on the team and they are looking to add another. Price struggled at UConn with staying out of trouble, but when he was on the court, he could distribute the ball well.

Will Blalock – He bounced around the NBDL with the Detroit Pistons and he played in Germany last year. He could be a nice bench player, but it’s more likely that he is auditioning for a spot on any team.

Derrick Byars – He was a great player in the NBDL last season for the Bakersfield Jam. Byars even earned a 2nd Team All-NBADL selection. He is a natural scorer and good length for his position. He can play a 2-guard and small forward and could spell Danny Granger when he needs a breather.

Roy Hibbert – Hibbert showed flashes of maturity last season, but he racked up fouls at an alarming rate. He’s 7’2 and could end up being the anchor in the paint that the Pacers need, but needs to work on his post moves to put up points in the NBA.

Jared Homan – He played his college ball at Iowa State, but has played his career in Europe. He has played on Summer League teams in the past, but has not been able to catch on with a team. He is most likely a body to fill the roster, but you never know.

Aaron Jackson – Jackson was not drafted coming out of Duquesne, but that didn’t stop him from trying to make his dream come true. He earned 1st Team NABC All-District honors and put up 19.3 points a game with some defensive ability (1.7 spg). He could end up in the NBDL, but a team could take a chance on him.

Trey Johnson – He’s another product of the NBDL’s Bakersfield Jam. He averaged over 20 points per game and had a few cups of coffee in the NBA last year. He could catch on with the Pacers, but most likely, you’ll see him again in the NBDL with a possible Gatorade call-up this season.

Leo Lyons – This is a guy that I thought would get drafted this year. He helped Missouri advance into the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament this past year. He can score, he’s a good free-throw shooter, and can rebound the ball. You will be seeing this guy in the NBA someday soon, but could see him in the D-League for seasoning.

Josh McRoberts – He was a part of the deal that brought Jarrett Jack and Brandon Rush to Indiana for Ike Diogu and Jerryd Bayless. He was a top-5 recruit when he decided to go to Duke, but left a year or two too early. He has not had any consistent playing time and is in danger of being cut if Indiana can get any decent free agents this off-season. He needs a great Summer League and pre-season to earn a spot.

Brandon Rush – The Pacers are very high on Brandon Rush. He ended the season great and could see a lot of time in the starting line-up this season. He has a natural leadership quality that the team needs and can put up crooked numbers all over the box score.

Anthony Smith – Smith had a great career at Liberty University and he’s trying to catch on with a team in the States. He could end up in Europe if he doesn’t obtain a contract with an NBA or NBDL team.

Scott Vander Meer – He’s a native of Dyer, Indiana and was named to the All-Defensive Team in the Horizon League last season. He’s a 7-footer with defensive skills and the odds are in his favor that he will sign with a team at some point this season. He could be stored away in the D-League by a team that lacks big men.

Tags: a.j. price, brandon rush, josh mcroberts, leo lyons, roy hibbert, summer league, tyler hansbrough