The Indiana Pacers are expected to be a major player in the offseason, particularly on the trade market. With the team still home to a handful of veteran commodities under reasonable deals, the franchise could very well be a familiar trade partner for most teams in need of a switch-up.
One player that teams could look to trade for is Malcolm Brogdon. After manning the point for the Pacers in the last three seasons, his value on the team following the addition of Tyrese Haliburton appears bleaker than before. In fact, many expect the heady playmaker to be traded by Indiana this summer.
Bleacher Report recently included the Pacers in one of their trade pieces, suggesting that they move Brogdon to the Atlanta Hawks for John Collins in a one-on-one swap. Should Indiana consider trading for the young power forward?
Will a Malcolm Brogdon-John Collins swap benefit the Indiana Pacers?
If there is a clear position of need for the Indiana Pacers, it is their frontcourt. Outside of Isaiah Jackson and the ever-on-the-rumor-mill Myles Turner, the Pacers have limited options to fill the position aside from the draft. Conversely, the team has a glut of guards clogging up their depth chart, led by Malcolm Brogdon and the heavy minutes he automates in spite of a clear pivot to a youth movement.
In plain terms, yes, the Pacers should strongly consider calling the Hawks to inquire on the availability of John Collins. After all, the 24-year-old fits the team’s timeline better, and is an excellent fit for Rick Carlisle with his tenacious rebounding, athleticism as a rim runner, and sneaky three-point shot. His game has clear overlaps with Jackson’s, but Collins presents them with a surefire weapon who can be a nightly 20-10 threat.
As an added bonus, Atlanta will be incentivized from having Brogdon. The Hawks want to win now, and they will be enticed to add an experienced veteran who can play and thrive next to Trae Young. Better yet, he has experience playing for Nate McMillan, and should be a great headstart for their pursuit of being a great defensive unit, which they are not in the present.
However, hold your horses. A Brogdon-Collins swap would be very logical to do outright, but the Pacers, if they get a seeming nod from the Hawks on the interest scale, should exercise patience.
Not only is the NBA Draft coming, but the upcoming rookie pool has a deep and talented cast of frontcourt prospects, especially up top where Indiana has a great chance of selecting. If the Pacers miss out on a high selection, then they can “settle” for a guard like Jaden Ivey and move accordingly. However, if they land the likes of Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero or Chet Holmgren, then trading for Collins would be more counterintuitive.
Why should the Pacers risk the waiting game? Well, the Hawks are in no rush to make a bold move, especially with Collins having just been extended. Also, being patient on the Brogdon front could allow them to be a bit more ambitious in the offseason, allowing the front office to have a readily available asset that they can use to kickstart an enticing offer for a flight risk star.