Despite a rather stale offseason, the Indiana Pacers still have the assets necessary to make a big splash before or during the season. True to this, the team was recently linked as a potential landing spot for one of the league’s most disgruntled stars, Ben Simmons, whose unrelenting stance on not suiting up for the Philadelphia 76ers could prompt a move sooner than later.
It’s no secret among fans that the Pacers have had discussions with the Sixers in the offseason regarding the availability of the three-time All-Star. However, those talks failed to get much traction, with Philly rejecting a reported one-on-one swap outright involving Simmons and guard Malcolm Brogdon.
The Indiana Pacers are reportedly in play in the Ben Simmons sweepstakes
Since then, pundits have pointed to the Indiana Pacers as one of the few teams who have the assets to make a bid for the Australian playmaker. Just a few days back, ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Brian Windhorst reckoned the Blue and Gold as a sleeper team that can offer Philadelphia the best returns for their star.
In light of all these, however, many are still hesitant on whether they want Ben Simmons in the Circle City, especially since trading for him will require a hefty return despite his subpar playoff showing last season. Thus, here are three burning questions surrounding the Sixers star and his possible foray in Indiana.
Which players are the Indiana Pacers willing to part with to acquire Ben Simmons?
Playoff underachievers usually have a damper on their value. However, Ben Simmons remains one of the league’s best two-way players, despite his lack of acuity in the perimeter. Already a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and a three-time All-Star, make no mistake: attempting to pry him away from Philly will demand an exhausting lot.
But maybe not anymore. After dragging the drama this long due to sky-high demands, the Philadelphia 76ers’ front office don’t really have as much leverage now. As a result, how much can the Indiana Pacers give in a hypothetical deal?
As the Sixers are building around Joel Embiid as the clear alpha, acquiring another big who will simply clog the lane should be out of the picture. That means taking both Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner out of the picture. Indy’s best offer in this sense will be two of Brogdon, Caris LeVert and TJ Warren. Dangling first-rounders will probably be a deal breaker, but the Pacers are in control of all their first-round draft picks.
Given Philly’s bonanza of wings, LeVert probably doesn’t fill an urgent need for them. However, Brogdon’s perimeter prowess and playmaking and Warren’s efficient scoring and size boast intriguing fits around Embiid and Tobias Harris, making for a fearsome quartet on both ends.
Question is, will the Pacers be willing to part with those players? Warren may be an easier sell due to his injury issues and expiring contract, but Brogdon remains a borderline All-Star player who has proven he can be a reliable three-level scorer and facilitator. And considering his emergence as Indiana’s leader, parting with him may spawn more questions than certainties.
With Ben Simmons in tow, how will the Indiana Pacers deal with their double big dilemma?
A hypothetical entrance of Ben Simmons in the Circle City will almost immediately force the Indiana Pacers to answer a prompt question. With the 6’11 playmaker’s proven poor fit next to lane-clogging big men, the front office will have to settle their longstanding predicament regarding Turner and Sabonis.
At first glance, Turner’s ability to stretch the defense beyond the three-point line and menacing rim protection provide a perfect fit next to Simmons. Thus, even with an All-Star next to him on the scale, he’s far from a lock as a collateral damage from the trade.
On the other hand, Sabonis’ post proficiency is essentially a rewind of Simmons and Embiid’s awkward fit in the half-court. While the two-time All-Star could very well develop his perimeter stroke under five-out savant Rick Carlisle, his other selling points, such as his flashy playmaking from the center position and inside scoring, pose more overlaps than complements for Simmons.
Ultimately, what could dictate the Pacers in answering their double big dilemma may be which of the two can fetch them better fitting players and assets in return. Sabonis is the easy answer, but not a lot of teams in the league have a pressing need for an offensive-minded star who doesn’t do much on defense, especially in the early margins of the season.
How does adding Ben Simmons affect the Indiana Pacers’ ceiling as a team?
Major shakeups for the sake of an overhaul rather than doing them out of necessity always begin on rocky footing. In this sense, given Ben Simmons’ multi-layered effect on how the Indiana Pacers play out their cards if they indeed trade for him, he will probably not move the needle much for the team, at least to kick things off.
Unless the Pacers subsequently manage to construct an ideal roster tailor-made for the Australian, there’s no clear way for Indiana to crack the top of the East. And building a lineup which caters to his strengths is always easier said than done. I mean, look at Philly.
Personally, Brogdon and Warren (or even LeVert) are dynamic players who can mold their playstyles to fit different needs. In a sense, they’re much more congenial assets on a team level in roster construction. If even this balancing scale doesn’t unveil a clear edge, then how can we justify that trading for Simmons will suddenly etch Indiana among the list of contenders?
If this materializes, the Pacers will have to accept that such revamp will basically require an entire process to cement the team’s identity and direction. Until then, no one will be struck with fear seeing the Blue and Gold on their calendars, especially with the league still bombarded by a bevy of multifaceted, veteran-led contenders whose title windows are far from an worn-down chassis.