Pacers open a season of upheaval: Tyrese Haliburton is out, Miles Turner is gone, and a reshaped rotation centers on Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson, Benedict Mathurin, and Aaron Nesmith, with Obi Toppin and a crowd of frontcourt options in the mix. The team theory leans into a volatile but potentially fertile fantasy landscape as Siakam looms in talks, adding upside but demanding an aggressive approach to use and minutes.

Value lines focus on Huff and Jackson as likely late-round anchors, Nesmith as a late-round target with steals and 3s upside, and McConnell as a viable stash in deeper formats. Siakam’s rumored arrival inflates the ceiling but introduces risk around usage; the schedule is light on back-to-backs, enabling flexible streaming and bold late-round bets on breakout wings.

The bottom line for drafters: anticipate a shifting center rotation, monitor backcourt depth behind Monte Morris, and stay ready to pivot to hot hands as the season unfolds, with a handful of deep cuts (Fury, Cam Jones, Shepard) offering late-season upside.

The host dives back into a chaotic mock draft, reconstructing a round-by-round plan while explaining why guard-heavy builds can flex into big-man help. He weighs Trey Young vs Devin Booker, tees Sabonis with a guard build, and shows how a Sabonis-Trey pairing can cover rebounds, assists, and efficiencies. The piece emphasizes not overreacting in the 3rd–4th rounds, chasing upside with Asar Thompson and Cam Whitmore, and leaning into Fantrax for better league tools.

Strategies highlight the value of “out of position” targets, filling weak spots later with safe, versatile players like Kobe White, Jared Allen, and Kobe White, while acknowledging injury risk in top-tier stars. The message closes with practical reminders: avoid over-punting, keep options open, and leverage FanDuel and Fantrax to build competition-ready squads with depth and flexibility.