The Indiana Pacers made their first move of the trade deadline, though it was incredibly minor and inconsequential.
The Indiana Pacers made their first mid-season trade in over a half-decade today. They linked up with the Houston Rockets for a minor move.
In the deal, the Pacers are “acquiring” Nik Stauskas and Wade Baldwin IV. I say acquiring in quotation marks because they aren’t technically ever going to have those players on the roster. More on that momentarily.
Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news, as he always does. He announced it on Twitter today:
Houston is trading Nik Stauskas and Wade Baldwin to the Pacers, league source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 7, 2019
Let me stop you before you go off and research either of those guys. Neither of them will ever play a game in a Pacers uniform, as the team will waive both of them:
Sources: Rockets will send only a second-round pick to Pacers, no cash in deal. Pacers will waive Stauskas and Baldwin.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 7, 2019
While the full details of the trade are not yet released, the Pacers are essentially getting a 2nd round pick for free. All it costs to the team is money in Herb Simon’s wallet.
The Pacers had to waive a player to take in both Stauskas and Baldwin. Ike Anigbogu will be cut in order to clear the proper roster spots to make the trade happen:
Indiana Pacers will waive forward Ike Anigbogu to make room for deal completed with Houston, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 7, 2019
With Ike off the roster, the Pacers had two open roster spots to take in the minimum contracts of both Baldwin and Stauskas. But since both players were waived, the Pacers essentially cleared two roster spots and picked up a second round pick along the way.
It is unknown what second-round pick it will be. The Rockets have the Bucks 2021 second round pick as well as their own 2021 and 2023-2025 second rounders. The Pacers presumably will get one of the Rockets picks far off (when they could be bad post-James Harden), but it could theoretically be the Bucks one.
The Pacers have to technically send something to Houston. It will likely be a top-55 protected 2019 2nd round pick. Since the Pacers almost certainly won’t finish with a top-5 record this season, they will keep that pick and that will be the end of the deal.
It isn’t much, but it’s a smart move by the Pacers. They valued a future second-round pick more than Ike Anigbogu, so they made the move. They also created some goodwill with the Rockets organization by helping them duck the luxury tax, which is something. Having good business relationships is always good.
Improving relationships and acquiring assets? It was a minor trade, but that seems really good to me for the Indiana Pacers. Keep following along at 8 Points, 9 Seconds for more trade deadline coverage.