Indiana Pacers: Ranking the team’s 5 most realistic trade assets

The 13th overall pick in the deep 2021 NBA Draft may entice other teams to trade with the Indiana Pacers

While the Indiana Pacers will select at the penultimate lottery spot with the 13th overall pick, make no mistake as the upcoming draft is widely projected to be the deepest one in recent memory. Alas, it should be more than enough to induce a trade either with rebuilding teams or those in win-now mode needing some new infusion on the youth front.

Ideally, the Pacers keep this pick in hopes of acquiring a prospect that will arm them with some flexibility for the future while elevating the team’s upside in the present, but if Indy travails bolder to maximize their competitive window, then dangling their first-round pick for an established veteran who can fix a lot of holes on the team is not out of the picture.

Conversely, the front office can also use the 13th pick to trade down in order to get more selections in the draft and/or future flexibility, or trade up, though it will certainly prompt them to move a critical piece alongside their selection. Either way, the draft should open up a lot of possibilities for the Indiana Pacers.

Teams who should be interested: New York, Philadelphia, Houston