NBA India Games 2019: Indiana Pacers' roster for the historic preseason games in Mumbai

Yash Matange

NBA India Games 2019: Indiana Pacers' roster for the historic preseason games in Mumbai image

The historic NBA India Games features the Sacramento Kings and the Indiana Pacers in two preseason games on Oct. 4 and 5 at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai. 

While the Kings have been looking for their first playoff appearance since 2006, the Pacers have been very consistent in that regard. 

They have combatted injuries, free agency departures, and a blockbuster trade by drafting well, and transitioning from one superstar to another to remain a playoff regular over the past decade.

MORE: Recapping Draft Day 2019 for the Indiana Pacers

Here's how the 2019-20 roster looks for the Indiana Pacers as per the team's website:

Backcourt

# Player Experience Age
4 Victor Oladipo 6 years 27
7 Malcolm Brogdon 3 years 26
26 Jeremy Lamb 7 years 27
9 T.J. McConnell 4 years 27
3 Aaron Holiday 1 year 22
15 Naz Mitrou-Long 2 years 26
5 Edmond Summer 2 years 23
16 CJ Wilcox 3 years 28
8 Justin Holiday 6 years 30

Victor Oladipo, the team's last All-Star (2018), suffered a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his right knee this past January and has been out of action since. 

In June, Kevin Pritchard, the Pacers' President of Basketball Operations, revealed that Oladipo could be until December 2019 or January 2020. There is no word yet on whether he would still travel with the team to India but it is highly unlikely that he will take the court. 

However, there are still reasons for hope. Given the hole they needed to fill in the guard department, the Pacers acquired 2017 Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon from the Milwaukee Bucks and then signed Jeremy Lamb and T.J. McConnell as free agents. 

Although neither of these three guards might be at the same level as Oladipo was before his injury but their signings certainly add much-needed guard depth to the roster.

Frontcourt

# Player Experience Age
10 Brian Bowen II Rookie 20
24 Alize Johnson 1 year 23
22 T.J. Leaf 2 years 22
20 Doug McDermott 5 years 27
11 Domantas Sabonis  3 years 23
14 JaKarr Sampson 4 years 26
33 Myles Turner 4 years 23
1 T.J. Warren 5 years 25
88 Goga Bitazde Rookie 20
37 Amida Brimah Rookie 25
23 JaKeenan Gant Rookie 23

For the better part of the last decade, the Pacers have been among the best defensive teams in the league. 

Early on, it was the duo of David West and Roy Hibbert, combined with their great perimeter defenders but last year, when they ranked third in the league, it was a complete team effort. 

For this team as well, defence will most likely be their calling card. 

Myles Turner led the league last season in blocks per game with 2.7 and the acquisition of T.J. Warren provides the team with a reliable 3-and-D wing.

The team would be dealing with the huge loss of Thaddeus Young in the frontcourt but trust Nate McMillan and his staff to develop a scheme to combat his absence. 

Goga Bitazde, the rookie from Georgia, is the only player listed as a pure center on the roster but other bigs like Turner and Sabonis have played appreciable minutes at the center position previously in the team's small-ball lineups. 

MORE: History of the Indiana Pacers

The Pacers haven't officially released their full 2019-20 preseason schedule yet but these couple of games in India, given the dates, would most likely tip-off the team's preseason slate. 

For the latest updates on the Pacers' roster for their trip to India and the rest of the preseason, stay tuned to this page.

For more updates and stories on the NBA India Games 2019, you can follow NBA.com's page dedicated to the historic event. 

Yash Matange

Yash Matange Photo