Indiana Pacers: One trade target the Pacers could look at ahead of the deadline

The NBA trade deadline is approaching on Feb. 10th. The Indiana Pacers have had their name in trade talk all season long, and their record is proof that their current roster just isn’t working.

Myles Turner is dealing with a foot injury that may keep him sidelined past the trade deadline. If the Indiana Pacers want to make a trade, they should look at Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington.

P.J. Washington 25 games is shooting 40.9% from three on 4.6 attempts per. If he were to be traded to the Pacers, he would be their best three-point shooter. He is just 23 years old.

Justin Holiday leads the Indiana Pacers with 36.9% on 7.1 attempts per this season – playing 28.7 minutes per game.

Washington is currently in a shooting slump, missing all of his last twelve three-point attempts in his last four games. However, he remains shooting 39.7% from deep this season – this would still lead all Pacers’ players.

It has been said that the Pacers would want two first-round picks for Myles Turner or a first-round pick and a good young player in return.

The Hornets need protection at the rim and the Pacers can offer them the very best in that role. Turner leads the NBA in total blocks (118) and blocks per game (2.8).

Washington has the ability to get hot and he shoots the ball with confidence. Outside of rookie Chris Duarte, the Pacers don’t really have a great pull-up shooter.

If the Pacers aren’t able to make a trade with other rostered players such as Caris LeVert, adding this shooting would help bring more creative ways to utilize the five guys on the court for Indiana.

The Hornets have been a name in the mix for Turner, at least prior to his injury that was announced on Tuesday.

Charlotte has also made it known that P.J. Washington is a trade possibility so the motivation seems to be there on both sides.

The biggest factor on trade between these two teams is Myles’ health status, as the Hornets look to make a playoff push this year.

Charlotte is currently 24-20 and the seventh spot in the eastern conference. There is good news for a team looking into the Pacers’ situation.

P.J. Washington in Indiana would be a fun fit if his shooting stays consistent. Making trade at this point with Turner’s status is up in the air.

His transition shooting looks so simple, effortless even. Along with his ability to shoot and make plays in transition, he can rebound. Charlotte is second in the NBA in points off turnovers (19.1)

Second-chance points have been killer for Indiana. They are 14th in the NBA in allowing second-chance points. Washington has shown the athleticism to be able to rebound and has the awareness to keep a play alive.

This play stood out to me when looking at his playmaking, with a nice read in the pick and roll and then the great pass to Oubre. Then keeps the play alive, somehow getting the ball out to Gordon Hayward.

As the Pacers look to re-tool their current roster, Washington would be a fun piece to add, bringing a much-needed shooting consistency from the perimeter.

Teams who are in the playoff mix may not want to trade for someone who could miss a month or more, letting them fall farther back in the standings. Jared Weiss of The Athletic notes that Turner’s injury was caught at the right time.

"“Turner is out with a stress reaction in his left foot and will have a CT scan in two weeks to evaluate his progress, but the injury was caught early enough that it is just a deep bone bruise and has not turned into a stress fracture”"

If there is not a trade before the deadline, the Indiana Pacers will have to wait for the offseason to make a move. If it is possible, I think both sides may be motivated to get something done. It all stands on Turner’s injury status ahead of Feb. 10th.