Why the Indiana Pacers traded up for Kansas forward Johnny Furphy in 2024 NBA Draft

Furphy spent just one year in the NCAA ranks

Mar 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Johnny Furphy (10) reacts after a basket during the first half in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Vivint Smart Home Arena-Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — Johnny Furphy is an Indiana Pacer. The blue and gold traded up one slot — from 36th to 35th — to acquire the Kansas Jayhawks wing in the 2024 NBA draft. The 19-year old was not expected to still be available in the second round.

But he was, and the Pacers made sure they got him. Indiana made a deal with the San Antonio Spurs, sending away the 36th pick and cash to move up and get the Australian. His size and shooting are presently appealing, but Furphy will have to develop in other areas.

"Dream come true. So excited," Furphy said of being in the NBA. "I'm fortunate enough Indiana traded up to get me."

Indiana can develop the young forward slowly. He's only 19 and likely won't have many minutes coming his way early in his career given the depth on the Pacers roster. Furphy can get stronger before he is needed for big minutes, too.

For a team that was slated to have their top selection at 36, the Pacers weren't expecting Furphy to be available to them. The Kansas wing was invited to the green room for the NBA Draft, meaning he was originally projected to be a first-round selection. Indiana didn't have a first rounder, but they still landed Furphy.

"We were presently surprised that he was there," Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said of the Furphy selection. He noted that the new Pacer is young, and that is a contrast to the team's draft workouts. More experienced players were in Indianapolis for pre-draft sessions.

"We feel like we're willing to be more patient with a young player like Johnny," the GM said. Buchanan believes that Kansas is a great program, which will help Furphy start from a good position in the NBA.

A quick glance at Furphy's numbers shows that he is a good spot-up shooter. He was impressive in the open floor as well — his transition game shined with the Jayhawks. Those two skills alone, should they translate to the NBA, will make the forward a good fit in Indiana.

His defense and handle will need work. He's too thin to be a full-time four in the NBA right now. For the Pacers, his defensive development will be important. There's a reason the Pacers need to be patient with Furphy — his offensive game could help right away, but some other skills will grow slower.

"Like his aggressiveness. He's a very aggressive, assertive player. He knows how to play without the ball, which is beneficial for the way we play," Buchanan said of Furphy. He likes the young wing's movement away from the play and ability to get open. "He can also catch and shoot."

Buchanan echoed the opinion that Furphy needs to get stronger — basically every rookie does — but added that his play style fits with the blue and gold. "Really like the fit. He's a big wing. I think his style of play fits the way we play."

In the second round, finding upside can be challenging. Many late selections don't pan out. That's why trading up for a guy that fits well and is a higher-upside prospect makes sense. The Pacers had an opportunity they didn't expect and took it.

Trading away just cash considerations made it a no brainer. Indiana sent $1 million cash to the Spurs to complete the deal, which is expected to become official during the next league year according to a league source. The Spurs can't receive any more cash considerations in trades during the 2023-24 season, which is why the deal will take place in the 2024-25 portion of the calendar.

"You're always trying to be aggressive to get a guy you've targeted. After last night, just looking at our board, seeing who was left, where we had guys ranked, he's (Furphy) a guy we had targeted to go get," Buchanan explained. "And we wanted to make sure we got him. We didn't want to leave any room to chance."

The new Pacers player was born in Melbourne, Australia, and played there before attending Kansas. Per the NBL, Furphy is a graduate of the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence. He also played for the COE in NBL1 in both 2022 and 2023.

Because Indiana didn't pick until 36, they weren't going to be able to get first-round projected prospects into their building for pre-draft workouts. Furphy, as a result, didn't work out for the blue and gold this year. "We didn't bring him in for a workout, so we had limited access to him," Buchanan said.

But that didn't matter to the Pacers when their time came early in the second round. They believe in Furphy's abilities and tried to find ways to learn more about him. They talked to some people from Australia and on staff at Kansas. Bill Self, the Jayhawks head coach, is a close acquaintance with the Pacers. They relied on his messaging about Furphy.

"At a certain point, it doesn't matter if you've met the kid or not. You like the talent, you like what the coaches and staff and teammates that played with him have told you about him. You feel comfortable drafting him," Buchanan said. "At 36, where he was at talent wise with his age, it just felt like a no-brainer for us."

Now, it's on the Pacers to improve Furphy and turn him into a player that can one day help them on the floor. He grew into a starter for Kansas during his freshman season, and Indiana will try to keep developing him.

Buchanan mentioned Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun as a possible NBA comparison for Furphy, but he noted that it's admittedly an easy comp since they went to the same college. "He's got a little bit of several different guys," the GM said.

For the Pacers, he could turn into a number of different kinds of players. A shooter, a transition threat, or a general off-ball weapon are all possible. Those possibilities are why Indiana traded up for Furphy and hope he can be a valuable piece going forward.

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