The Indiana Pacers are inching towards a rebuild. Much of their roster, including a number of big-time players, are available as the trade deadline approaches. As they continue to endure a rough season, the Pacers must look to trade these players for strong future assets.
Indiana Pacers: Three Trade Ideas
Three-Way Trade Fiasco
The trade: the Pacers send Domantas Sabonis to the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas sends Reggie Bullock, Maxi Kleber, and a second-round pick to Indiana and Jalen Brunson and Trey Burke to the New York Knicks. The Knicks send Immanuel Quickley and Dallas’ first-round pick to the Pacers and Kemba Walker to Dallas.
Sabonis is a hot commodity on the trade market. He’s averaging about 19 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists per game. Dallas should be looking to form their own “big three,” so adding Sabonis to the Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis duo will surely pay off. In addition, with Doncic’s extension kicking in this offseason, Dallas must add talent now. Walker is a veteran who can be relied upon while Doncic sits.
New York is showing interest in Brunson, who’s showing massive improvement this season. They get him here and should be able to extend his contract this summer. Brunson, in turn, becomes the Knicks’ starting point guard of the future. They also add depth with Burke.
Indiana will look to shed other salaries to make this trade and to have everyone fit on the roster, but there are benefits. Bullock and Kleber are two solid defensive veterans who also bring three-point shooting. Indiana also gets Quickley, who’s showing flashes of being a very solid guard. Malcolm Brogdon, Chris Duarte, and Quickley are a great trio of guards to build around. Lastly, the Pacers get both a first-round and second-round pick.
New York Looks for Offense
The trade: Indiana sends Caris LeVert and Oshae Brissett to the Knicks for Walker, Obi Toppin, the Kevin Knox trade exception, and the New York first-round pick.
The Knicks are looking to add different dynamics to their offense, and LeVert can bring this. He’s averaging about 18 points and four assists per game. He looks to be available as his fit in Indiana has always looked questionable. LeVert’s scoring punch is desperately needed in New York. The Knicks lose Toppin here but can replace the depth he brings with another forward in Brissett.
As mentioned, Indiana can trade LeVert as his fit doesn’t quite work. As they move towards a possible rebuild, New York has assets to offer. Walker helps match salaries but is not quite the player a rebuilding team needs. With that being said, his contract is very tradeable. Toppin is blossoming into a legitimate NBA player, so Indiana can add him to the crop they plan to build around. Lastly, they get the Knicks’ first-round pick which still has the potential to land in the lottery.
The Most Likely Player to Leave the Indiana Pacers
The trade: Indiana sends Myles Turner to the Charlotte Hornets for Mason Plumlee and PJ Washington.
Turner looks to be very likely to leave the Pacers. He’s been in trade rumors for the last couple of seasons, and it’s finally reaching its breaking point.
Charlotte desperately needs a true center. They’re so close to looking like major playoff contenders, and Turner completes their starting five. He’s currently injured, but definitely a player worth bringing in. Turner will defend Charlotte’s rim with excellence but is also a solid offensive piece to add to the Hornets’ extremely explosive offense.
Plumlee makes the salaries work, but also fills a center void for the Pacers. If Indiana opts to move him, there’s likely a contender out there who can use him. Washington is the young piece that completes the trade for Indiana. He’s a very versatile forward who can play up to three positions. His two-way abilities will be welcomed.
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