On point with their up-and-down season so far, the Indiana Pacers continue to struggle gaining momentum in the standings. After losing to the Milwaukee Bucks and the Minnesota Timberwolves in back-to-back games, they now tout a 9-14 win-loss card, firmly cementing themselves to 13th in the jampacked Eastern Conference.
With a tough schedule still awaiting them before a more modest deck later in the campaign, the Pacers’ character and viability to compete in the league with their roster will be tested hard. However, their middling start is far from encouraging. Despite silver linings, Indiana simply doesn’t have enough punch to overcome their lack of top-tier talent. Some changes will have to be made.
The Indiana Pacers could make an actual run for a former All-Star PG
The market is rather stale for significant need movers at this point. However, the Indiana Pacers can make a play for a former All-Star who can fill in some of their needs.
Kemba Walker, who signed with the New York Knicks this season, has been a glaringly negative on-court presence for them this season. Now, the seasoned point guard has recently been axed from Tom Thibodeau’s rotation, casting a huge cloud on his future in the Big Apple after a hyped entrance in free agency.
The four-time All-Star is far from his Charlotte days, but he still logged more than 20 points per game in the last couple of seasons repping the Boston Celtics. With the right role, even in a more diminished one, he could still be a key contributor. With the Pacers clearly intent on holding on to their uncertain competitive window, doubling down on win-now pieces is the apt direction to take, despite the towering need for a reboot.
Here is one win-win trade scenario for the Indiana Pacers to acquire the disgruntled former All-Star for the New York Knicks.
What could the Indiana Pacers offer to acquire Kemba Walker from NYK?
This deal cannot be done before December 15, but in this trade scenario, the Indiana Pacers send guard Jeremy Lamb and their 2022 second-round pick from Miami to the New York Knicks for former All-Star Kemba Walker.
Sending out an expiring contract in Lamb and a second-rounder is normally a far from justifiable return for the former All-Star, but Walker’s value has exponentially decreased, especially this season. Considering New York’s ever-grandiose plans in free agency and in the trade market, being able to offload a considerable salary like Walker’s is ideal.
For the Pacers, taking on Walker comes with a risk, but one that is calculated. His contract extends to 2023, but he’s a win-now piece who can help the team in their stubborn pursuit of a playoff spot. If things quickly go sour, he’s not a difficult piece to move, as contenders would welcome the chance to nab a former All-Star to bolster their shooting.
Should the Indiana Pacers trade for Kemba Walker?
To cut to the chase, adding Walker into the mix, given what the Pacers could give up to acquire him, is far from a harmful proposition.
The point guard position is not an area of concern for Indiana, but between Malcolm Brogdon, a natural shooting guard thrust into a lead PG role, and TJ McConnell, a non three-point shooting floor general, the Pacers do not have a modern playmaker who can hit shots from the perimeter with consistency and break down the defense with quickness to open up shots.
Walker is truly bad on defense, but the Pacers’ 12th-ranked defense boasts of perimeter defenders who can help mask his deficiencies, a stark difference from the Knicks, which primarily rely on their interior defenders to do the heavy lifting defensively. Instead, he could be a great boost on Indy’s 16th-ranked offense, which has chronically suffered from long scoring droughts.
It’s unclear how the Pacers can carve a significant role for him, but if the opportunity presents itself, Walker should be far from an unwanted commodity. H shouldn’t demand a lot of minutes at this juncture, and if even if things go south, as I’ve said, moving him will not be a trek.
And I’m sorry to say this, but if getting him means we can move on from the Brad Wanamaker project… Yep.