3. Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers just recently committed to a rebuild last season when they stumbled into the opportunity to acquire second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton. Now with a new franchise cornerstone in place and the sixth-overall pick in tow, they could be off to a quick turnaround if they play their cards right.

Haliburton has already proved to be a dynamic two-way player: a capable perimeter defender and a floor general with patience, intelligence, and touch beyond his years. While it’s clear that he should be the one leading the Pacers into their next era of basketball, the Pacers need to surround him with the right pieces to craft a title contender from the ground up.

Through two seasons, Haliburton has proven to have few holes in his game, but one of the most obvious so far is a lack of killer instinct. He’s a gifted and willing passer but is selfless to a fault sometimes. It was clear last season with the Pacers that he was the most lethal offensive threat on the floor, but he often ceded touches and shots to Indiana’s veterans.

Grabbing Shaedon Sharpe with the sixth-overall pick would give the Pacers a jumbo backcourt with two players who can score from any spot on the court. Sharpe gives Haliburton a running mate who can take over the offense at any point in time and would be more than willing to take shots in the clutch.

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Having Sharpe alongside him would free up Haliburton to focus on playmaking and pick his spots to assert his efficient dominance. A Haliburton-Sharpe backcourt would instantly give the Pacers one of the most interesting and talented young cores in the league.