#DragicOrNah: Gauging Fan Interest on Trading for Goran Dragic

The Indiana Pacers have been listed as one of the possible destinations for Goran Dragic, who told the Phoenix Suns he wants out and won’t re-sign there next Summer. There are some financial realities that will make it difficult for the Pacers to retain the point guard if they deal for him, but if they want him badly enough, the team can make it work.

Trading for him — and re-signing him — will limit future flexibility, however, and almost certainly cost the Pacers their first-round draft pick this year.

So is it a good idea?

Why Would the Indiana Pacers Trade for Goran Dragic?

The upside for the Indiana Pacers is obvious: A starting unit of Goran Dragic, George Hill, Paul George, David West, and Roy Hibbert is probably even better than the one that got them to the Eastern Conference finals in back-to-back years.

Running out that smaller back court — compared to one featuring Lance Stephenson — could make the defense a bit less scary. There is no way that, for example, George Hill or Dragic would have been able to give Paul George some possessions off from guarding LeBron James as Stephenson did.

But there are plenty of teams with smaller back courts these days, and George Hill can defend people above his 6’3″ height. And there just aren’t many wing combos like LeBron and Dwayne Wade where both can exploit a size mismatch by going to the block.

Given how potent Frank Vogel’s defense has been — at times — this season, despite not having Paul George and considering all the injuries, I presume the defense would remain stout, if not otherworldly like in the past.

And the offensive upgrade could be considerable.

Unlike his mastery of defensive scheming, Vogel has shown little ability to devise a potent offense. If he had the creativity of Goran Dragic at his disposal, he could simply open things up a bit more, let the perimeter players try to run more, and we would probably see an immediate jump of a few points per 100 possessions over the Eastern Conference finals squads immediately.

Add in the fact that Dragic, Hill, and PG-13 are all accurate 3-point shooters, and you could also get major spacing benefits that help Roy Hibbert and David West score more easily down low. And we haven’t even mentioned a Dragic/West pick-and-pop duo that could be deadly given West’s impeccable mid-range shooting and Dragic’s elite ability to finish at the rim.

What Do Fans Think About the Indiana Pacers Trading for Goran Dragic?

Above is the “why they should” argument.

The “why they shouldn’t” one is easier: First-round picks are very valuable and giving up their 2015 first-rounder for a guy who might walk this Summer is insane. Throw in the salary cap issues it will create to re-sign him (as outlined here) and the prudent move is for Larry Bird to say thanks but no thanks.

Understandably, fans I’ve talked to seem to be on the fence. Some think the team should roll the dice while others think this isn’t the best opportunity to risk it all for.

Luckily, we’ve been leading a #DragicOrNah conversation on Twitter for awhile now.

Here are some of the more-interesting responses we’ve gotten from Indiana Pacers fans thus far.