Indiana Pacers: One trade with the Lakers that actually makes sense

Why should the Indiana Pacers trade for THT?

As the Indiana Pacers trek through the rough patches of a rebuild (or retool, whatever), they can afford to make some gambles to search for prospects who can add another layer to the team’s ceiling. One of those “gambles” is Talen Horton-Tucker, who has simply been a big misfit given the Lakers’ personnel.

Subject to the bright lights of LA, THT’s value has been perhaps overstated, but his upside, while not worth keeping in reserve instead of trading for, ahem, Kyle Lowry, is legit. He is a weak perimeter threat this season, but the catalog of his game is largely predicated on him taking it to the rack and serving as a release valve for the offense anyway. Still, unlike veteran commodities, he still has ample room to develop his weak points, and LA, given their personnel and direction, is simply not a conducive environment to hone his strengths and flaws.

While THT’s off-ball defense can be hit-and-miss, he is actually one of the Lakers’ strongest on-ball defenders, using his bulk to cover more ground than usual against both guards and small forwards. Better yet, he perfectly fits Indiana’s timeline, serving as an ideal complement to the likes of Haliburton and Duarte who prefer operating on the perimeter.

In exchange, the Pacers part ways with TJ McConnell who, despite being a positive presence on and off the court for Indiana since foraying into the Circle City, now has a dangling and undefined role amidst the team’s addition of Haliburton and their pivot to youth movement. He’s coming off an injury, trimming Indy’s leverage, justifying the need for a sweetener in the form of draft compensation to entice the lakers given their dearth of draft assets.