While the Indiana Pacers are tabbed to undergo an eventful offseason, their options, while numerous, are far from certain avenues to immediately improve the roster. Aside from the draft, the front office only has a relatively weak free agency class to navigate to make some changes for next season.
Thus, it is almost a requisite for the Pacers to claw their way into the center of the trade market in search of better-fitting components. Luckily for them, Indiana has already been at the crux of the rumor mill over the past week or so, realistic or not.
This season, the Blue and Gold struggled mightily on defense (28th overall) and has been middle of the pack offensively despite boasting an array of electric scorers (16th overall). A lot of that is attributable to injury, but an otherwise imbalanced roster is also a culprit.
This do-it-all forward could be the versatile piece the Indiana Pacers need
Jerami Grant, who has been a fringe All-Star since signing with the Detroit Pistons last season, makes sense as a trade target for the Indiana Pacers. The 28-year-old tweener has grown from a defensive specialist into a tenable two-way, all-around weapon who should fit most teams like a glove.
The Pacers could be that team, and they could entice the Pistons into a trade if they make a run for him by offering one of Malcolm Brogdon, Buddy Hield, or Myles Turner, three players who all make wonderful fits next to Cade Cunningham.
Should the Pacers move on from Turner, that would pave the way for the team to fully embrace Isaiah Jackson with Grant, in addition to a potential frontcourt piece from the upcoming draft. As a collateral, this could easily prompt Indiana to avoid taking a gamble on TJ Warren, as both players play the same position.
Dangling Brogdon or Hield instead could work too, as this would allow the Pacers to clear their logjam in the backcourt and surround Tyrese Haliburton and Chris Duarte with more wings, which is a more glaring need for the team.
While Grant’s scoring output has decreased this season, it is largely a result of Cunningham and Saddiq Bey taking on more prominent roles. If anything, his still-impressive 19.2 scoring average bodes well as he profiles as a secondary or tertiary offensive fulcrum. He’s much better off serving that role anyway, as he was miscast as a primary option for Detroit last season.
On defense, Grant would immediately jump in as Indiana’s best defender against the league’s better wings and forwards. Currently, the Pacers only have Oshae Brissett as a tenable stopper against high-scoring cogs. Having Grant will enable the team to be more rangy and switchy defensive unit. They still project to be a mediocre defensive team with him as currently constructed, but trading for him should be a big step toward regaining their lost defensive identity.
The trade market may not be at the forefront of the Indiana Pacers’ list of priorities right now as they are in play for a top pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but should they take on the role of aggressors in the market, they should be in line for a long list of quality players and assets in return, just like Jerami Grant.