Indiana Pacers: Trades that could improve their wing defense

Trade No. 1

Pacers Recieve: Josh Okogie

Timberwolves Recieve: Goga Bitadze

Before the Goga Bitadze fanboys tear this article to shreds through their computer screens, I invite you to at least watch this kid Okogie’s defensive highlights, and you’ll get a general idea of how special the former Yellow Jacket can be on the ugly end of the floor, and how good he already is.

Watching Josh play, a few things are noticeable right away: he has an unmatched motor and seems to hold pride in defending the opposing team’s best player, and his defensive physicality and fundamentals are normally only possessed by players in year seven.

Okogie, who just turned 22 in September, already shows the intangibles and ability to be an elite defender in only his third season. He reads passing lanes like a free safety, shields off drivers with a strong lower body paired with a stern 213-pound frame that easily absorbs contact from wings, and is a pretty smart team defender and weakside rim protector if needed. But it doesn’t just end there, as Josh has the lateral movement and speed to be able to swarm perimeter initiators and keep them in front when combining this with that aforementioned strength.

6-foot-4 may appear a tad short to guard top-level forwards, but his 7-foot wingspan more than makes up for it, and he utilizes it perfectly when causing havoc in either drive or passing lanes, perfectly timing contests on jumpers and layups, and even working as a tertiary rim protector.

Offensively, despite having a lackluster jump shot at this point, he could in theory still find a lot of value when playing off of the beautiful passing we are blessed to see every game by Brogdon and Sabonis, and I think his slashing and cutting could actually add value to a Pacer team that is lacking both of those skills.

Why would the T-Wolves want to do this trade?

Besides Superstar Karl Anthony Towns at the five, Minnesota doesn’t have a lot of upside or current production at that spot, as Naz Reid and Juan Hernangomez both seem best-suited at the four spot. With Goga, the Wolves could have a legit starter-level prospect after only expending a position that they’ve already put so much investment into already: the wing.

After spending lottery picks on players like Jarrett Culver and Anthony Edwards, as well as giving young scorer Malik Beasley a 4 year, $60 million contract, it seems they’ve found the guys they are going to want to pay for the future at that wing spot. Besides, Okogie’s main flaw is that he isn’t a positive shooter at this point in his career, and offensively he really only offers cutting, putback dunks, and transition effort plays thanks to his verticality and solid finishing touch.

In an offense featuring pick and roll maestros like KAT and D’Lo, it makes it hard to justify having a non-shooter like Okogie on the floor.