Indiana Pacers: 3 players to avoid in a trade involving the 13th pick

The 2021 NBA Draft is just a few weeks away, and with the upcoming pool of rookies slated to be among the deepest and most talented ones in recent memory, all teams will have the opportunity to add pieces on their roster to accelerate their rebuild, or in the case of the Indiana Pacers, bolster the squad to elevate their competitive ceiling.

Under normal circumstances, the 13th pick, which Indiana currently owns, is not so much of an attractive asset to the point of untouchability, but the extensive crop of talented rookies on deck for the upcoming draft makes it a lot more valuable. Thus, it should be big enough to move the needle for teams on the transaction pool.

The Indiana Pacers should retain the 13th overall pick for now

While keeping the 13th pick is the popular choice among fans, the win-now Pacers may ultimately opt to dangle their selection to acquire a proven commodity in return, more so with coach Rick Carlisle favoring veterans for the most part. However, there are layers as to why Indy will be better off playing the waiting game instead of settling for risky trades on draft day

The Indiana Pacers are no strangers to draft day deals, but moving away their selection has proven to bite them back later on. Thus, here are three players that the Blue and Gold should avoid at all costs in a trade involving the 13th overall pick on NBA Draft day.