5 players the Indiana Pacers can look for in trades this summer
Who does the Magic have that the Pacers want?
The Orlando Magic are the Cleveland Browns of the NBA, they collectively stink but some of their individual parts aren’t all that bad.
The word on the street, at the Trade Deadline, was that Orlando was looking to undergo another rebuild, but at this point, they aren’t rebuilding anything they’re in a whole new just old-fashioned “building” process.
Poor Frank Vogel. Anyway, something anathema to whatever Orlando is trying to do is having long-term contracts on the ledger, like Bismack Biyombo’s unmovable 4 years/ $72 million contract. That aversion could make Orlando both vulnerable and a willing trading partner.
Aaron Gordon, PF
I talked about him a little bit in the last article, but there are a ton of free agents who will be available at discounts this offseason. But most aren’t impact players, and while banking on restricted free agents is normally a reckless thing to do, Gordon’s makes sense. If Orlando wants to blow up their already young roster, and try again, paying any player $15-$19 million a year doesn’t make a ton of sense.
It’d be worthwhile poking around because Gordon can flat play. His offensive game speaks for itself, but he’s an underrated passer too. Gordon likes to hop down the side of the lane then do this little double-underhanded shovel pass thing to the other open big after the entire defense collapses on him that always works.
Gordon is also a tenacious rebounder. It’s not uncommon to see him pogoing up and down trying for tip-ins. Then, while he’s not in Turner’s league as a shot blocker, he’s not a defensive sieve either. Gordon’s the type of versatile big that would mesh with both Turner and Sabonis well, all the while providing Oladipo with a consistent high-scoring option to dish to.
Evan Fournier, G-F
Fournier can run a master’s class on moving without the ball. Watching him whip around screens is like watching a middle-classed Frenchman’s version of what Reggie Miller used to do. Fournier is also a knockdown shooter who knows how to find the outlet spots around the perimeter and always has his hand up ready to let fly.
However, he’s not anchored behind the arch. Fournier does well at creating his own shot off the dribble, using a couple careful body-bumps to create space. Like Danny Granger, he’s miscast as a number one scoring option, but he could be a lethal second or third option on the perimeter.
His defense is undersold. He’s not spectacular, but he’s not terrible either. He struggles when he’s switched onto short quick guards, and against superstars like Kevin Durant. But who doesn’t?
All things considered be plays fundamentally sound defense uses his peripherals well and rarely loses track of his man. He’s also been available almost since Orlando signed him to his most recent contract.
It might just take two of the Pacers non-guaranteed deals to land him, providing Orlando will cap relief and Indiana with a wingman for Oladipo.