The Indiana Pacers, perhaps more than most teams, are gearing for up for what is tabbed to be an eventful NBA trade deadline for the franchise. As the team continues to cascade toward the bottom of the standings with a clear win-now roster, all eyes will be on how the front office manages its assets and make defining choices as they enter a delicate period from the lens of team-building.
Despite the added cushion of the play-in tournament, the Pacers cannot reasonably expect to make a quick turnaround ad work around the chances of better health to claw their way back for an unclear postseason ticket.
However, the ownership has made it clear that a return to square one is out of the woods, expressly preferring to retool on the fly and attempt to sprint back to relevancy in the much-improved Eastern Conference.
With major moves anticipated, here are four under-the-radar pieces that the Pacers should consider making a move for before the February 10 trade deadline.
Indiana Pacers trade target No. 1: JaMychal Green, Denver Nuggets
The call for a shift to a more modern roster configuration has been even louder this season for the Indiana Pacers. While their Domantas Sabonis-Myles Turner frontcourt has worked numbers-wise, joining the small-ball party has to be at the top of the list as they wish to make a refresh.
However, with the Pacers having heightened difficulty finding a taker both, a role player swap makes more sense. One player that they could target to fill in their lack of a versatile frontcourt defender is veteran JaMychal Green, who should be very attainable as the Denver Nuggets have largely reduced his role this season.
In exchange for one of Jeremy Lamb or Justin Holiday (with the Pacers getting a sweetener for the latter), who both fill a need for the Nuggets, Green could serve as a more suitable fit for Indiana’s personnel. He can play all frontcourt positions, and is a career 37 percent shooter from downtown who can space the floor in spurts.
Green should bolster the Pacers frontcourt which is still on track to trade one of their big men. Possibly adding him, in foresight, gives Rick Carlisle a reliable, no-compromise option to pair with one of his prized centers.
Indiana Pacers trade target No. 2: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are in the best stretch of their season so far, winning six straight to get back to the postseason mix, but if reports hold true, their front office is far from satisfied on the roster-building front, determined to make win-now changes to build from their surprising postseason run a season ago.
Forward John Collins has garnered the most noise, but wingman Bogdan Bogdanovic has also been deemed as available in trade talks. The Serbian has been more than serviceable next to Trae Young, but his production has not resembled the player they envisioned with the type of contract that he was given.
As the Indiana Pacers delve into the possibility of a changing of the guards, their foray into the Caris LeVert interest mill could lead them to Bogdanovic. It remains to be seen if the Hawks are willing to take a risk with LeVert and bank on his higher normal production, but the Pacers could be interested taking on a player who should thrive in a bigger role.
Bogdanovic is far from a world beater, but he is a secondary offensive hub who can create for himself and make plays off the dribble or as a release valve. He’s not quite the defensive savant, but his length supplies enough offensive versatility to entice Indiana as they try to retool for the nth time.
Indiana Pacers trade target No. 3: Joe Ingles, Utah Jazz
Update: Joe Ingles has been ruled out for the season after tearing his ACL.
The Utah Jazz have cooled off after starting hot this season, now safely in fourth place in the West behind the Suns, Warriors, and the Grizzlies, but they are still a force to be reckoned with, especially at full-strength. However, their lack of tenable defense on the wing positions is still a big concern, giving them a big weakness against athletic 3’s and 4’s come playoff time.
Aside from Royce O’Neale and an aging Rudy Gay, the Jazz rely on average to below average defenders in Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Ingles to defend their counterparts, which is a constant gamble. On the flip side, the Indiana Pacers could interest them in one of their 3-and-D types in Justin Holiday and Torrey Craig, who should give Utah a physicality boost on the wings.
In return, the Pacers could set their sights on Ingles, which is a more realistic target compared to the Croatian ex-Pacer. Ingles is on an expiring contract anyway, so Indiana could view him as a useful rental that they could sign for cheaper if the move pans out in free agency.
The fiery Australian has declined statistically this season, but he remains a reliable secondary gauntlet on offense who can hit open threes and thread difficult passes on the perimeter or on the roll. His defense is not what it was a few seasons ago, but his on-court smarts could far outweigh the cons of having him for the Pacers’ inconsistent and predictable scoring attack.
Indiana Pacers trade target No. 4: Josh Hart, New Orleans Pelicans
Sans franchise player Zion Williamson, who is yet to log a single minute this season due to injury, the New Orleans Pelicans seem to be headed to the lottery once again, sitting at 12th place in the jampacked Western Conference.
The equally disappointing Indiana Pacers could propose some win-win deals with them before the deadline. Easily my favorite target from this list, Josh Hart is a needle mover from the wing position on both ends of the court who is on a reasonable deal. He may not be a centerpiece for a trade, but if the Pacers endorse Turner on the Pelicans, a dream fit next to Zion, he could be a wonderful asset to have as a return.
After being a one-dimensional defender early on, Hart has found ways to be more of a presence offensively. His rebounding remains elite among players of his stature, but more importantly, his passing (career-high 4.3 dimes per contest) and off-call cutting have improved enough to offset his below-average three-point shooting and less-than-ideal impact without the ball.
With the Pacers in the bottom third of the league on defense, Hart could be a versatile addition to their defensive repertoire, as he can tenably guard all wing positions and smaller frontcourt studs while making the necessary hustle plays that have been simply lacking from the team this season.
Indiana Pacers trade target No. 5: Jordan Nwora, Milwaukee Bucks
Defending champs Milwaukee Bucks have no glaring weaknesses this season, despite what their middling (by their standards) record suggests. Still, with their title window pretty much open, they seem poised to make a move for a win-now veteran piece to bolster their title defense.
Justin Holiday has been talked often as a target for the Bucks, and his skillset simply makes it an easy fit for both parties. As a possible return from their division mates, the Indiana Pacers should seek Jordan Nwora in any trade scenario for the veteran wing.
After being a passable third stringer last season, Nwora has grown into a steady rotation player for Mike Budenholzer and the Bucks, averaging a career-high 8.4 points per game in 20.2 minutes per contest as one of their primary scoring options off the bench.
At 6’8, Nwora boasts great length and versatility to be a two-way impact player from the shooting guard and small forward positions. His physical tools give him considerable backing to improve his game still, particularly on defense. Ultimately, the Pacers could benefit down the road taking a calculated risk for the lengthy wing scorer.