Four free agent wings the Indiana Pacers should target
By Josh Padmore
There are some solid wings available in free agency for the Indiana Pacers to acquire via trade or free agency.
With Paul George likely to be traded, the Pacers will have a massive hole to fill on the wing. They have guys like Lance Stephenson and Glenn Robinson III, but the Pacers will need some more depth if they want to compete next season.
We’ve got four wings who could provide just that.
Two of these guys will be unrestricted free agents and two would have to be acquired via trade, which should provide a balanced look at the Pacers options once July 1 hits.
Danilo Gallinari
Kevin Pritchard is going to have to pay Danilo Gallinari a lot of money if he wants to sign him. Gallinari opted out of the final year of his contract with the Denver Nuggets, which would have paid him $16.1 million. He’s also looking for some security at the age of 28.
The big risk with Gallo is his injury history. He played in 63 games this season, which was the most he’s appeared in a season since he tore his ACL in 2013. That’s still 19 games missed.
When he’s playing, though, Gallinari gives his team a lot. He’s got legitimate 3-point range, shooting 38.9 percent from deep last season. He also can play the small-ball power forward position, which is crucial in today’s NBA. It spaces out the offense and makes it hard for the opposing team to defend.
Gallo averaged 18.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game last season for the Nuggets.
Jae Crowder
In order to acquire Jae Crowder, the Pacers would have to agree to a trade that would send Paul George to the Boston Celtics, so he would obviously be a bit more difficult to bring into the fold than Gallinari. That being said, Crowder can play.
A 26-year-old who prides himself on his defense, Crowder is an absolute bulldog. He’s also improved tremendously as a 3-point shooter. Crowder shot a career-high 39.8 percent from long range last season, and what’s even more impressive is he shot that percentage despite taking nearly six 3-pointers per game.
It would be fun, to say the least, to see a starting lineup featuring Myles Turner, Lance Stephenson and Crowder defensively. Crowder, in some ways, is a lot like Stephenson. He doesn’t back down, and he wears his emotions on his sleeve. It’s also worth mentioning that Crowder is on a bargain contract. He’ll only be making $6.8 million for next season.
Otto Porter
Again, the Pacers would need to trade Paul George in order to land Otto Porter, and Washington would also have to sign and trade Porter to Indiana. The Wizards could definitely be in play for George, though, especially after some comments made by star point guard John Wall.
Porter could step in and take George’s starting small forward spot right off the bat. He’s another guy who plays really well on both sides of the floor. He’s a terrific defender and has developed into a lethal 3-point shooter. His efficiency is absurdly impressive. Porter shot 51.6 percent from the field this season, and 43.4 percent from deep.
Porter would be getting a lot more shot opportunities in Indiana, so those percentages could drop. Nonetheless, getting a really solid young player in return for a disgruntled Paul George would be excellent.
Ben McLemore
Ben McLemore is now an unrestricted free agent, as the Kings have declined to extend him a qualifying offer. That means he can sign anywhere, including Indiana.
The start to McLemore’s NBA career has definitely been a disappointment, but he’s still an intriguing option with potential still shining under years of Sacramento related soot. It’s got to be hard for players to take a step forward when they’re in a dysfunctional situation and having to adjust to a new coach constantly. He had that and much more to deal with in Sacramento.
For instance, McLemore seemed to be heading into the right direction after his second season. After all, he averaged 32.6 minutes per game and put up career-highs all across the board. Then, George Karl became the head coach, and McLemore’s role took a serious hit.
How could he do with a new team and a better situation? The Pacers are one of the more respected organizations in the NBA. McLemore is also only 24 years old, so the signing would make a lot ofsense for the potentially rebuilding Pacers.
Next: 5 free agent wings the Pacers should NOT target
July will be a very busy month for the Pacers, and it will be a crucial month for the state of the franchise. Thankfully, Kevin Pritchard knows what he is doing.