After a relatively exhaustive reign of stagnancy on the player movement front, the Indiana Pacers are starting to show some signs of life in the trade market. While no concrete deal is near completion and just awaiting the hammer, there’s a big chance that the front office eventually moves the needle on that end sometime this season.
A nerdy deep dive into the numbers and a simple grasp of reality, however, present two different stories. While the Pacers are statistically one of the better performing teams in the association, their record is a far cry from their good numbers. Despite boasting the league’s 10th-best net rating, Indiana has a measly 12-17 win-loss card, a record that has them sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference alone.
As the clock starts ticking on their core, the Indiana Pacers should act big and move with conviction
However, all hope is not lost—actually, the Indiana Pacers are far from being a miserable case. Not only have they expressed more openness to move toward rebuilding—a good sign for a franchise that has embraced a fangless pursuit for wins—but the front office has a lot of wiggle room to acquire assets in return for their talented players.
Between Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, Caris LeVert and other role players on reasonable deals, the Pacers could pump out a boatload of assets to commence an overhaul. Better yet, Kevin Pritchard and company have built a good reputation over the years for finding gems in the trade market. The tools for a proper ground-up movement are there.
With those in sight, the Indiana Pacers have to move with conviction on the trade front. Here is one blockbuster trade that the front office should consider as they attempt to make a changing of the guards—and a shifting of direction.
The Indiana Pacers are well-positioned to trade for a new franchise cornerstone
In this trade idea, the Indiana Pacers acquire All-Star guard Jaylen Brown, two-time All-Defensive Team member Marcus Smart, and forward Juancho Hernangomez from the Boston Celtics for two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis, guard Caris LeVert, and veteran scorer Jeremy Lamb.
With this six-player swap, the Pacers acquire a new cornerstone to build around and a solid culture setter with loads of playoff experience, while the Celtics get an upper-tier big man and a dangerous backcourt scorer to better complement franchise player Jayson Tatum and hash out a more well-rounded scoring attack.
Better yet, this trade will see both teams have considerable roster control over their incoming pieces. This deal, however, cannot transpire before January 22, when Marcus Smart’s restriction off the trade table is lifted.
Now, should the Indiana Pacers pull the trigger on this trade?
Should the Indiana Pacers make a move for Boston’s Jaylen Brown?
From a quick glance, this is perhaps the best and most realistic avenue for the Indiana Pacers to make a big splash, especially with the Ben Simmons trade front becoming so unpredictable by the literal hour.
Conversely, this proposed deal comes with a lot of benefits for both clubs. Jaylen Brown will allow the Pacers to trot out a legitimate three-level scorer who can defend at a high level, making for a more modern attack with his shot creation. On the other hand, Domantas Sabonis gives the Celtics something they have never had since Kevin Garnett: a post operator who can create for himself on the block, shoot from the perimeter to a degree, and facilitate from all over the floor.
The other parts in this deal are no slouches, either. Marcus Smart is a much-improved playmaker who, next to Malcolm Brogdon who would slide to shooting guard, could form a potent two-way starting backcourt. Caris LeVert replaces Brown’s positional and skillset void in Boston. While not as dangerous, his scoring prowess, when healthy, is uncanny.
Ultimately, given the waning ceiling of the Tatum-Brown Celtics and the looming big changes on the Indiana Pacers’ side, this deal could very well be more than a hypothetical in the following months, especially if both franchises remain where they currently are—stuck in the middle.