What could the Indiana Pacers get in return for their big man?
The Indiana Pacers are rumored to be shopping some core players this offseason as they seek postseason success. As of now, they still do not have a head coach or a direction for the future. With rumors still swirling of Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis being traded, there is another guy worth considering.
Myles Turner seems to go through the offseason gauntlet of speculation each and every year. Once again, as we near the start of the 2021 NBA season, Turner is a fan-favorite as a trade candidate. Turner has never reached his full potential in Indiana, especially on the offensive end of the floor.
We seem to always ask ourselves when Turner will hit his stride and take over games like he is capable of doing. On the defensive end, Turner is as good as it gets for an interior stopper. He is a shot-alterer and rim protector who can defend with the best of the best. Outside of that, there are just too many questions regarding his role on the team.
Turner does not get many shots on the perimeter despite being a somewhat reliable shooter from beyond the arc. He has also failed to grow as a rebounder, hovering around 6.5 rebounds per game since entering the league. For a starting center, 6.5 rebounds just will not cut it in the postseason when seeing the best centers in the league.
If the Pacers break up the Turbonis duo this offseason, what might they get in return for Myles Turner? Here are a few trade packages to monitor as the offseason looms.
Holiday brothers unite
Right off the bat, here is a trade that fans should be pleased with on both sides. The Pacers are able to unload Myles for a defensive contributor and veteran. Jrue Holiday, the oldest of the three Holiday brothers, is reunited with the younger two – assuming the Pacers retain Justin Holiday in free agency.
The Pacers add a two-way combo guard who adds plenty of experience on the wing. If the Pacers keep Victor Oladipo, having a defensive unit of Malcolm Brogon, Holiday, and Oladipo would alleviate some of the problems from losing Turner down low. Holiday has averaged 1.5 steals per game over his entire career while adding 0.5 blocks and 3.9 rebounds.
Holiday is no slouch on offense either. He has averaged 19.7 points per game since 2017 on .475/.338/.758 shooting splits. He can slide into the starting lineup as a wing and play in the backcourt with the second unit at times.
For New Orleans, they are able to ship off an aging Jrue Holiday for a younger Turner. Building around Zion Williamson and Lonzo Ball, the Pelicans can play Myles at the five while stretching the floor and opening things on offense. Jaxson Hayes can continue to grow with the second unit.
Doug McDermott serves as a bit of a cap filler in this deal but also provides shooting for the Pels, who would have a number of three-point threats spread across the lineup. This trade could work for both sides but this may not be the exact deal if one were to go down.
While the Pelicans may believe they are ready to compete, trading Holiday while his value is still high may be the best for them in the long term. The Pacers, on the other hand, add much-needed veteran help and a two-way player they need.
Indiana Pacers get their own draft pick back
The Pacers traded for Thaddeus Young back in 2016 and gave up their first-round pick that year, which wound up being Caris LeVert. LeVert has become a very good player for the Nets as they seek a playoff run next year once they get Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving back at full health.
LeVert, who many believe can be the third option for Brooklyn moving forward, may also be the player they trade to acquire a need. Brooklyn has plenty of weapons but may want to shake things up and get a floor-stretching big who can defend the rim. While Jarrett Allen and DeAndre Jordan are great on the boards, they do not offer much as shooters.
LeVert is coming off his best season as a pro, scoring 18.7 points per game and hitting 36.4 percent of his threes. However, he also had a career-worst shooting season overall, connecting on his 42.5 percent of his field goal attempts.
There would be some work to be done around this deal to make the money work, but a player swap would make sense for both sides in my opinion. The Nets add a big who can protect the rim while hanging on to the younger Jarrett Allen. This opens the door for a potential DeAndre Jordan trade if they need to unload his money as well.
For Indiana, they add a budding star who can play the wing next to Oladipo. Both teams still have the pieces to compete in the Eastern Conference. The only real concern for Indiana is finding a way to immerse LeVert into the offense, which was already a problem with Turner. Might as well try someone new and see if they can find a way to use him.
Pacers get a hometown talent
Indiana shopping their players is not the only rumor that floats around every offseason. The other is that they want to add Gordon Hayward to the roster. Here, they knock out two birds with one stone by shipping Turner to a dangerous Celtics team that is ready to move on from Hayward’s big contract.
The Celtics have plenty of options and Gordon Hayward’s injuries have moved him down the list of options for Boston. Boston is lacking a defensive force that can keep opponents out of the paint on a consistent basis. Daniel Theis is a solid center but I think Turner playing with the starting group and moving Theis to the bench would elevate Boston’s lineup across the board.
The Celtics also add Jeremy Lamb, who will be coming off a torn ACL, who provides wing depth and some offensive talent if he can stay healthy. Lamb never really got going for Indiana last season before getting hurt and he could be a big cap space filler if they make a deal this offseason.
The Pacers once again add a wing player who can score when he wants to. Hayward, if the Pacers pull the trigger, would likely play the four in a small-ball lineup next to T.J. Warren and Domantas Sabonis. I think this trade is a bit of a far-fetched idea for Indiana because of Hayward’s contract, injury history, and age. However, it is definitely not out of the realm of possibility.