Following Tyrese Haliburton injury, Pacers draft point guard depth with Marquette's Kam Jones at No. 38
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers selected Marquette guard Kam Jones, a consensus second-team All-American last season, in the second round of the NBA draft on Thursday night with the No. 38 overall pick.
Jones, a 6-4, 200-pound combo guard, played mostly shooting guard in his first three years at Marquette next to Tyler Kolek and handled point guard duties as a senior. He averaged 19.2 points, 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game this season, earning All-Big East honors for the second straight season and first-team honors for the first time.
"I'm just ready to get to Naptown and get to work," Jones told ESPN's Monica McNutt after being selected.
Jones gives the Pacers necessary backcourt help with All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton likely out for next season with an Achilles tendon tear. He can operate as a third-string point guard behind Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell and move off the ball when Haliburton returns.
Jones is considered an excellent playmaker and rim finisher, though he is a bit of a streaky shooter. He made 40.6% of his 3-pointers as a junior (95 of 234) but just 31.1% as a senior (64 of 206). His defensive style fits the Pacers as he's willing to pick up ball-handlers full-court and apply pressure. He's likely limited to the point guard and shooting guard positions but has good size for those spots.
The Pacers acquired the pick from the San Antonio Spurs in a trade Wednesday. They traded away their first-round pick -- the No. 23 overall pick -- last week to the New Orleans Pelicans to reacquire their 2026 first-round pick, which they originally sent to the Raptors to acquire Pascal Siakam. The Pacers still have the No. 54 pick in the draft.
This story will be updated.
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