6. Indiana’s Jalen Smith will be one of the best backup bigs available
The Pacers easily lived up to their moniker this season, outpacing nearly everyone and outscoring opponents into dominion for the most part as they marched into the playoffs. And while Tyrese Haliburton (and later, Pascal Siakam) was their evident driver, Indiana wouldn’t have succeeded this year if not for their league-leading bench.
One of the Pacers’ main forces in their second-unit attack has been Jalen Smith, who has turned in his best season yet as a professional. The 24-year-old averaged 10 points per outing in this campaign on nearly 60 percent shooting overall, which also includes a blistering 42.4 percent conversion rate from downtown.
Indiana would prefer to have him back, but they already have a glut of big men on the roster. Thus, the 76ers should be one of the teams knocking at his door, as they could very much use a floor-stretching big man who can finish plays around the rim. Even better, not only can he back up Embiid, but his play style and mobility also allows him to hypothetically play next to the superstar.