Are these 4 trades worth it for the Indiana Pacers?

Move off of veterans’ contracts for former MVP

This has been the trade that everyone across the league and media has been talking about for months now. The Los Angeles Lakers are starting to look better and Anthony Davis is starting to look like the MVP-caliber player he was a few years ago.

However, the roster in LA lacks depth and shooting and could use some additional assets if they hope to make another title run with Lebron and Davis. The biggest thing holding them back is a rather large contract with Russell Westbrook coming off of the bench. NBA analysis network sets up the trade like this:

Indiana Pacers Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2027 First Round Pick, 2029 First Round Pick

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Myles Turner, Buddy Hield

This move is certainly not a win-now move for the Pacers but might set them up to finish the rebuild with enough assets to trade for a high-profile player down the road. The picks from the Lakers are far enough out that it is likely that Lebron and Davis are no longer the players they are today, perhaps not even in the league anymore.

The Lakers would be adding substantial depth to try and make a run with the remaining years of Lebron and Davis’ careers. However, the Lakers may be hesitant to move so much draft capital for a trade that may not guarantee they are even the best team in the west, let alone the NBA. Expect this trade to be continued to be talked about in the coming weeks, especially with the losses the Pacers have been accruing at the same time the Lakers are stringing wins together.

Our grade: A