Before David West went ring chasing in San Antonio and Golden State, he was the heart and soul of the Indiana Pacers.
West’s departure was debilitating, and his leadership, along with his four-year averages of 13.9 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game were sorely missed. This was evident in the season of 2015-16 for the Indiana Pacers, who struggled to establish an identity at the power forward spot.
The Pacers began that season by experimenting with small ball, which found Paul George at the four spot and it failed miserably. The rest of the season followed suit as nobody established themselves as David West’s successor.