INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Rakeem Christmas and Shayne Whittington have both been officially assigned to the Indiana Pacers’ D-League affiliate. Neither player would have received minutes on the Pacers’ active roster, so this is a way for them both to get plenty of experience instead of sitting on the bench. This was an expected move by the Pacers.
Glenn Robinson III was another player that was “on the bubble” to be assigned to the Mad Ants, but he showed enough signs to the Pacers to earn a role with the team. Robinson has been dealing with a shoulder injury, but he isn’t expected to be in the rotation once he is healthy. But the Pacers could use him in their rotation if Chase Budinger plays poorly.
Indiana decided to decline Solomon Hill’s final year player option, so it appears that he will just ride the bench this season. That means that Glenn Robinson III is probably higher on the depth chart than Solomon Hill at this point. But again, Robinson has an opportunity to play this season if Budinger struggles.
Rakeem Christmas will most likely be the third string center on the team’s depth chart next season. That of course is the case unless Christmas suddenly develops at a faster rate than expected. If that were the case, then Christmas would have the opportunity to earn the second string center role. He fits the Pacers’ needs and wants at the center position in their new system.
Every player must start from somewhere and that place is Fort Wayne for Rakeem Christmas. Shayne Whittington has been with the Pacers since 2014 and hasn’t earned a role in the team’s rotation, but he still has the opportunity to develop with the Mad Ants. Both players will get a fantastic opportunity to get better in the Developmental League, they just have to embrace it and work hard every day.