It turns out that the Indiana Pacers’ hiring of prized head coach Rick Carlisle was only a sign of things to come for the team in the offseason. Recently, multiple media outlets reported that the Blue and Gold offered guard Malcolm Brogdon and a first-round pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for disgruntled All-Star Ben Simmons, with the latter declining the proposal.
While Carlisle’s recent press conference had fans and pundits alike projecting the Pacers roster to relatively look the same, the recent trade proposal signifies that Indiana will be an aggressive key player in the trade market. However, with Philly refusing their reported package, it’s clear that the Sixers, with all kinds of leverage on their side, have loftier ideas to entice them to phase their young star out of town.
The Indiana Pacers can still get a deal done for Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons
While the fit is a dangling thought factoring in Ben Simmons in Indy, the Pacers would be hard-pressed to find a younger star with higher upside than him. After all, he’s one of the league’s best defenders and passers, and his only real weakness is his lack of acuity with shooting and aggressiveness to score.
If the Indiana Pacers are indeed determined to find a deal that works for the 24-year-old, then they will have to get a bit more creative, especially with Philly bannering Daryl Morey, who’s one of the better deal breakers in the association. Hence, here are three trade ideas to revise the prior Ben Simmons-Malcolm Brogdon swap.
The Indiana Pacers add a wanted piece to sweeten the trade for Ben Simmons
In this proposed package, the Indiana Pacers acquire All-Star Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers for guard Malcolm Brogdon, veteran Justin Holiday and the 13th overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Clearly, the only difference with this trade is the addition of Justin Holiday. While it is not a groundbreaking leap from the prior proposal, the swingman fits perfectly with Philadelphia’s orientation to defense, especially with Danny Green, who may be out of the 76ers’ range, entering free agency.
While Simmons is better than Brogdon on defense, it does not mean that the latter is marginal as a stopper. In fact, the guard may be the best perimeter defender on the Pacers, capable of slowing down all perimeter positions, including the best that the league has to offer, with his quickness, defensive IQ and strength.
The 13th overall pick should also be a great addition for Philly, giving them a chance to plug some holes on the team in the upcoming draft, which will be one of the deepest ones in recent history.
The Indiana Pacers go big and acquire another tremendous young asset
In this deal, the Philadelphia 76ers send Ben Simmons and All-Defensive Team member Matisse Thybulle to the Indiana Pacers for Malcolm Brogdon, defensive standout Myles Turner, guard Aaron Holiday and the 13th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
If this deal comes through, it would be a shift in dynamics for the Pacers. While dealing Brogdon, a nightly 20-5-5 threat, and Turner, one of the league’s best interior defenders, is a big return, the Blue and Gold would be getting two of the best defenders in the league who both possess tremendous upside.
However, this deal starts to verge on disadvantageous for the 76ers. While Turner is an outstanding defensive asset, they may not be keen on pairing Joel Embiid next to anothe big man, though Turner’s three-point prowess may force them to think twice before turning it down. Alas, even Aaron Holiday gives some backcourt juice as a scorer and the 13th pick will be an interesting route to improve the team.
Ultimately, this may be a cost-cutting for Philly while obtaining quality pieces which can be rerouted later on, especially Myles Turner. The 76ers may not be conducive to the idea of paying north of 30 million for an ill-fitting talent in Simmons, paving the way for a trade with the Pacers.
The Indiana Pacers go full throttle on defense in star-studded three-team trade
In this three-team trade, the Indiana Pacers acquire Ben Simmons, forward Robert Covington and guard Anfernee Simons, the Philadelphia 76ers obtain All-NBA guard Damian Lillard and Aaron Holiday while the Portland Trail Blazers receive Malcolm Brogdon, All-Star center Domantas Sabonis and guard Tyrese Maxey.
The other side of the Pacers fans spectrum would rather deal Sabonis instead of Turner because of his lack of defense and the withdrawn ceiling of the offense with him as the first option. In this deal, the team doesn’t t only acquire Simmons, a versatile defender who can guard all five positions, but also Covington, who’s among the best help defenders in the league for quite some time. This easily ensures that the Blue and Gold harks back to the team’s defensive identity.
Meanwhile, the 76ers acquire perhaps the best talent next to Embiid with All-NBA point guard Damian Lillard. The superstar, who’s seemingly at odds with the Blazers’ recent moves, patches up a lot of Philly’s problems on offense while maximizing the team’s championship window. With him, Philadelphia essentially boasts two MVP-caliber players of their own.
Lastly, the Trail Blazers may be headed for a striking directional change in the offseason. While an entire reboot is not out of the woods, Portland should attempt to try what they have in their hypothetical cards with Brogdon and especially Sabonis, who’s one of the most gifted offensive centers in the league, next to their remaining core. If not, they can always maximize their value in hopes of getting a haul of draft picks and young players to commence a rebuild.