Will Bynum: A Perfect Fit for the Indiana Pacers
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Will Bynum:
A Perfect Fit for the Indiana Pacers
Restricted free agent Will Bynum possesses skills and qualities that would make him an
invaluable addition to several different NBA teams, especially the Indiana Pacers.
Bynum passes as well as most starting point guards, and has an uncanny ability for finding
open three-point shooters. Many of this three-point assists come off penetration moves into the
lane, creating opportunities for teammates to step into their shots. For such an aggressive
offensive player, Bynum rarely turns the ball over.
When looked upon to score, Bynum becomes the ideal third guard by supplying instant offense
off the bench. While not a high volume three-point shooter, Bynum has range. He nailed 43.4
percent of his long two-point shots in 2009-10. He can also finish at the rim. He made 54.5 of
his shots in the immediate basket area.
1Will Bynum: Two Guards in One
Bynum the Distributor: Performance in a Starting Role
Best Assist-to-Turnover Ratio - 2009-10
Chris Paul 4.29
Carlos Arroyo 4.17
Jose Calderon 4.08
Jason Kidd 3.71
Mike Bibby 3.44
Chris Duhon 3.44
Jason Williams 3.43
Will Bynum (Starter) 3.24
Rajon Rondo 3.23
Deron Williams 3.17
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50
Minimum: 1,000 minutes played
Note: Bynum’s statistics are only in games started, other players’ numbers are overall
As a starter, Bynum’s assist-to-turnover ranked among top point guards in the NBA
He rarely makes bad passes and handles the ball extremely well
Bynum: Tremendous Offense off the Bench
Players with 24 Points and 8 Assists per 48 Minutes – 2008-09
P/48 A/48
Deron Williams 25.3 13.9
Chris Paul 28.5 13.8
Tony Parker 30.9 9.7
Will Bynum 24.5 9.4
Dwyane Wade 37.6 9.3
LeBron James 36.2 9.2
Devin Harris 28.3 9.2
Chauncey Billups 24.1 8.7
Jameer Nelson 25.7 8.3
When completely healthy in 2008-09, Bynum ignited the Pistons off the bench
2A Dramatic Change of Pace
Adjusting Bynum’s Statistics for Indiana’s Much Faster Pace
The Pistons played at the NBA’s second-slowest pace in 2009-10, while Indiana had the
second-fastest pace. This will improve all of Bynum’s per game and per 48 minute statistics.
Will Bynum's Statistics
19.8
18.1
20.0
18.0
16.0
14.0
12.0 8.1 8.9
2009-10 w/ Detroit
10.0
8.0 At Indiana's Pace
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
P/48 A/48
Bynum would have averaged nearly 20 points and 9 assists per 48 minutes at
Indiana’s 2009-10 pace
3Will Bynum: Getting to the Hoop and Finishing
Comparison to Pacers’ Point Guards – 2009-10 Season
Made Field Goals per 48 Minutes in Immediate Basket Area
3.49 3.47
3.50
2.63 2.50
3.00
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
Will Bynum T.J. Ford Earl Watson A.J. Price
Bynum scored on shots near the basket more often than any of the Indiana point
guards
He surpassed Earl Watson – who saw by far the most action at the point for the
Pacers – by a wide margin
4Will Bynum and the Pacers Starting Unit
The 2009-10 Pistons best combination – in terms of plus/minus – was as follows:
1: Will Bynum
2: Ben Gordon
3: Rodney Stuckey
4: Charlie Villanueva
5. Ben Wallace
Bynum excelled as part of a three-guard arrangement with two high scoring guards
sharing the court, along with a stretch four, and defensive-minded center.
Should they keep their core intact and add Bynum, the 2010-11 Pacers best combo would be:
1: Will Bynum
2: Brandon Rush
3: Danny Granger
4: Troy Murphy
5. Roy Hibbert
Combining Bynum’s passing skills with three outstanding shooters – plus another in Mike
Dunleavy off the bench – would greatly improve the Pacers offense. This group parallels
the Pistons top unit, but has a true three man in Danny Granger as opposed to a third
guard.
The Historical Parallel
Jim O’Brien’s most successful team was the 2001-02 Celtics. That team went 49-33 and reached
the Eastern Conference Finals with the following starting lineup:
1: Kenny Anderson
2: Joe Johnson/Eric Williams
3: Paul Pierce
4: Antoine Walker
5. Tony Battie
Like Bynum, Kenny Anderson was a tremendous passer who didn’t make many threes but
knew how to find the shooters. This unit featured a four man who could hit outside shots
and two other strong shooters – at least until Boston traded Joe Johnson during the season.
5Indiana Pacers’ Needs Analysis:
The Offensive Illusion
The Pacers ranked 16th in the NBA in points per game (100.8), but had an offense well
below average
Their offensive efficiency of 101.3 – the number of points scored per 100 possessions –
placed 26th in the league
Playing at the league’s second fastest pace of 99.4 possessions per game made it
appear that Indiana had a stronger offensive club
Turnovers, Poor Shooting, and Offensive Rebounding
Hurt Offensive Performance
Over 24 percent of Indiana’s possessions ended in a turnover. This ranked as the league’s
eighth-worst figure
The Pacers hit the 4th-most three-pointers in the league (659). But their 34.8 three-point
percentage placed 18th in the league
Indiana also had one of NBA’s worst two-point shooting percentages (47.9). They ranked
24th in this category
The team also struggled to get offensive rebounds. They grabbed just 21.6 percent of
their own misses, the league’s second-lowest percentage
An Average Defensive Club with Two Major Shortcomings
Despite allowing the 8th-most points per game (103.8), the Pacers were not a poor
defensive team
They placed 15th in defensive efficiency (104.2), which shows how they are an average
defensive club.
The Pacers’ opponents had the league’s second-highest free throw attempts per game
figure (28.6)
They also had a tough time defending the three-point shot, allowing a 36.3 percentage
(21st in NBA)
6The Pacers’ Primary Needs
1) Strong passers to set up all their good three-point shooters
2) Ballhandlers who commit fewer turnovers
3) Better rebounders, especially at the offensive end
4) Stronger defenders in the paint
The following pages demonstrate how Will Bynum
would help the Pacers immensely with needs 1 and 2 –
the two areas impacted by their point guard position
7Will Bynum: Finding the Three-Point Shooters
Three-Point Assists per 48 Minutes - 2009-10 Pistons
Will Bynum 2.13
Rodney Stuckey 1.36
Ben Gordon 1.19
Tayshaun Prince 1.13
Richard Hamilton 0.99
Jason Maxiell 0.37
Ben Wallace 0.34
Austin Daye 0.26
Charlie Villanueva 0.26
Jonas Jerebko 0.19
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50
Minimum: 750 minutes played
Bynum has the ability to locate his teammates for open three-point looks
Despite playing for a team with few three-point threats, he averaged 2.13 three-
point assists per 48 minutes
None of his teammates came close to matching his figure
This will be a major asset with the Pacers – a team with several strong long-range
shooters
8Will Bynum: Impact on Pistons’
Three-Point Shooting
G 3FGM 3FGA 3FG Pct. 3FG/Game
In Games Played by Bynum 63 301 920 32.7% 4.78
All Other Games 19 73 270 27.0% 3.84
Pistons' Made Three-Pointers per Game - 2009-10
4.78
3.84
5.00
4.00
3.00
2.00
1.00
0.00
In Games Played by Bynum All Other Games
The Pistons shot threes much better in games played by Bynum
Their percentage improved and they hit nearly one more three-pointer per game
This further demonstrates Bynum’s ability to find three-point shooters
9Will Bynum: Taking Care of the Basketball
Fewest Turnovers per 48 Minutes
by NBA Point Guards - 2009-10
Carlos Arroyo 1.64
Derek Fisher 1.68
Mike Bibby 1.97
Kirk Hinrich 2.19
Will Bynum (Starter) 2.50
Chris Duhon 2.55
Jose Calderon 2.62
Beno Udrih 2.64
Lou Williams 2.66
Steve Blake 2.85
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00
Minimum: 20 games started
Note: Bynum’s statistics are only in games started, other players’ numbers are overall
Bynum protects the basketball better than most NBA point guards
He gets to the rim and finishes more often than many players on this list, who are
more perimeter-oriented
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