The Indiana Pacers have nothing but opportunity heading into this NBA offseason and the draft. From developing young players to the chance at adding more top prospects, the Pacers are going to be busy.
There is one draft night trade that would make sense for both sides, but seeing where Indiana lands in the lottery standings need to happen first.
Draft night will be just as busy for the Indiana Pacers this year. They will have their own lottery pick, but will they be more aggressive?
Last season the Pacers did something they hadn’t done in some time when they traded their former first-round draft pick Aaron Holiday to the Wizards. The Pacers sent the 31st pick along with Holiday to move up into the draft after trading to get the 31st pick. Front office genius from Kevin Pritchard and company.
That wild trade involving Russell Westbrook to the Lakers allowed the Pacers to receive the draft rights to the 22nd overall pick that would become athletic phenom, Isaiah Jackson.
Flash forward to now and the Indiana Pacers have the 31st overall pick again as well as the disappointment of not receiving the Cavaliers’ first-round pick as they thought.
The roster also has a former first-round pick that has lacked the production and health over the past few seasons in Goga Bitadze. With Myles Turner in the plans at this current moment and the emergence of Isaiah Jackson, there doesn’t seem to be a clear path where Bitadze fits consistent playing time to be effective.
Bitadze has one year left on his rookie contract and can be extended if the Pacers so choose, but it is hard to see that reality at this point.
This season Goga averaged 7.0 points per game and 3.8 rebounds while seeing his highest minutes per game at 14.2. Aaron Holiday in his third season averaged 7.2 points and 1.9 assists in 17.2 minutes per game.
Draft night trade proposal
This would be similar value to what the Pacers got last season for Holiday and there could be potential in this draft in the mid-20s, but it would only happen if Indiana really liked a certain player at that spot.
In seasons past, they haven’t picked well in the 20s, drafting both T.J. Leaf and Aaron Holiday around that mark. Indiana bounced back big last season by being aggressive and landed a young prospect in Jackson that had a stellar rookie season (when he did play). He has potential.
I think the San Antonio Spurs would like a gamble on a young big man who never got a full playing opportunity since being drafted. Their current center rotation is average at best and they are a team looking to reshape their team as well as Indiana.
This is a fair return for the Spurs and would make for a familiar way for the Pacers to move up in this year’s draft since they lost out on the Cleveland pick this year.