The roster? Borderline unsalvageable.Īt the same time, it would be a basketball sin to coast through the next few months knowing they aren’t good enough to make a title run. The effort, of late and in general, is too passive and inconsistent. If so, the Warriors should forget about taking any major short-term swings. In light of Draymond Green’s indefinite suspension, there’s a decent chance Golden State’s championship aspirations have been eclipsed by its defensive anchor’s inability to control his emotions. The Golden State Warriors Go Star Hunting

Indiana might need him the most, while also offering the most mutually beneficial situation. If they aren’t aggressive, the Sixers, Knicks, Hawks, Heat, Magic (!), and several other candidates I’m not even thinking about are lurking. But given the Pacers’ weaknesses and how awesome they already are, Anunoby is the type of upgrade who justifies a prohibitive cost. Unprotected first-round picks are always valuable, and Walker is a rookie who may eventually supply an adequate facsimile of Anunoby’s production at a much lower salary. This isn’t without risk for the Pacers, though.

Acting sooner rather than later to acquire one of the most versatile defenders in the league-someone who can credibly spend a few minutes every game at the 5 and, at 26 years old, grow on the Pacers’ timeline-makes plenty of sense.

An in-season trade, though, would give Indiana his Bird Rights, which would make keeping him a little easier. Going that route is mostly theoretical and could complicate their ability to re-sign Obi Toppin or pick up Brown’s team option. Would the Raptors demand that Bennedict Mathurin be part of the deal? How much do they like Walker? Are the Pacers willing to surrender more than one unprotected first-round pick for someone they could sign as a free agent this summer, allowing them to keep their powder dry? The benefits of prying him away from Toronto are obvious, but whether it’s realistic is another question. Toronto gets Buddy Hield, Jarace Walker, and two unprotected first-round picksĪnunoby (who played at Indiana University!) is exactly what the Pacers need on defense and a neat fit on the other end. Indiana gets OG Anunoby and Otto Porter Jr. The Raptors are an obvious trade partner and Pascal Siakam is a popular name in this type of conversation, but his fading 3-point shot, age, and looming price tag are all reasons the Pacers should steer clear. Should they not feel super confident about their status as a free agent destination (which, Bruce Brown Jr.’s recent signing and Haliburton’s intention to recruit fellow stars aside, is understandable for a small-market organization) then expect an attempt to strike oil sometime over the next couple of months. But their recent play (including an impressive in-season tournament run) may warrant a more aggressive external boost. That patient route is perfectly fine: The Pacers are flexible enough to open max cap space this summer, and are young enough at some pretty important positions to develop organically.

That’s how overwhelming their offensive attack is, and how special Tyrese Haliburton has become.Ĭlick here to read the The Ringer’s 2023-24 NBA rankings. If Indy does nothing before the trade deadline, this team can still make the playoffs and be competitive in Round 1-or maybe even win a series. So far, that balance has yielded the season’s 12th-best net rating and a 13-9 record, good for fifth in the East. The Pacers are skipping around the league with the greatest offense in NBA history, and a gimmicky defense that seemingly baits opponents to feast in the paint. It’s more a temperature check for several teams that may desire some type of change-why they need it, who they’ll be interested in, and what could actually happen before the deadline passes on February 8. This primer of hypothetical trade ideas does not deal strictly with players who are newly eligible to be moved. That date doesn’t signal an immediate flurry of activity, but for general managers it does increase options, broaden negotiations, and allow deals that were once just speculative to unfold. The NBA’s unofficial trade season begins on December 15, when almost every player who signed a contract over the summer becomes trade eligible.

Memphis grizzlies trade ideas