3. Doug McDermott – Indiana Pacers; 3 years, $22 million
Doug McDermott may have finally found himself a stable situation. It seems like forever ago that the sharpshooting “Dougie McBuckets” was drafted in the lottery of the 2014 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. Although this will only be his fifth season in the NBA, it will also be his fifth team, having also spent time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks.
McDermott’s best skill is his three-point shooting. No matter where he is on the court he demands the defenses respect, otherwise he will burn them every time. He has shot 40.3% from three-point range for his career but has never had the opportunity to be a big contributor.
McDermott’s best stretch of his career came in the 26 games he played for the Mavericks. On a non-playoff team focusing on developing their younger players, McDermott was able to get steady touches and be a factor in the offense. He shot 47.8 percent from the field and 49.4 percent from three-point range.
Playing in Indiana will again allow McDermott to get open and fire three-point shots. Indiana is an established playoff team in the weaker Eastern Conference and already has a number of solid playmakers. Alongside Victor Oladipo, Myles Turner and Tyreke Evans, McDermott should be able to get open shots around off-ball screens and have a steady presence in the corner should Oladipo look to kick off a drive.
It may not be the flashiest signing, but McDermott provides the Pacers with another scoring option that can be relied upon at all times throughout the season.
