David Harrison

Harrison's development has been held back by two problems, his inability to stay healthy and stay out of foul trouble. Now he has another impediment in his way - the Pacers' new up-tempo offense. If he were ever to improve enough to the point where he could reliably play 20+ minutes per game, he'd be a nice cheap source for blocked shots.

Every once in awhile Harrison has one of those 12-point, 10-rebound games in 25 minutes that makes you think that he's on the verge of breaking out. Then he'll either get hurt or pick up four fouls in eight minutes in the next game. This is a pretty important season in terms of his development - the Pacers get less scoring from their bigs than most, so they need to find out if they can rely on Harrison or go out and adjust their roster accordingly next year.

The Pacers are looking for Harrison to stay healthier than he did in 2004-05, when he missed a number of games with a knee injury. To that end, he lost 25 pounds over the offseason. He'll challenge Jeff Foster for playing time at center, after getting pressed into service as a rookie last year due to Jermaine O'Neal's suspension and injury and Foster's various injuries. His main asset is his rebounding and defense, and his main liability is his free throw shooting.

Harrison is a bit of a project. Drafted at the end of the first round, the Pacers like his size and athleticism, and his defensive skills. Chances are his playing time will be pretty slim during his rookie season. A knee injury suffered in summer ball cut down his time getting used to the pro game, so he should be an especially slow starter.

Harrison is strong, runs the floor well for a big guy and can put up good numbers when his head is in the game. Has the NBA body and strength scouts are looking for at the position. He's a big time offensive rebounder and shot blocker. Questions about his maturity level and dedication to the game are big issues for scouts. He is still very raw, doesn't have great hands, and is not an explosive jumper. He will get selected in the late first round or early second round.