Despite coming down to earth in recent weeks, the Indiana Pacers are still in a great position from the lens of roster-building. After all, even if the team fails to mount a more competitive bid as the season goes on, young cornerstones in the form of Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin lead a roster flexible enough to try to win now or build further for the future through trades.
That flexibility, however, has divided fans on what direction the franchise should take. Sure, the Pacers are evidently far from being cellar dwellers as currently constructed, but they are also too raw and flawed to be touted as title threats. Their middling record so far corroborates that, so the front office will have to make some tough yet necessary roster decisions soon.
The Indiana Pacers could look at the Toronto Raptors as an ideal trade partner
Rather surprisingly, the Toronto Raptors have been one of the more disappointing clubs this season. After logging a surprise postseason appearance last season, many had them penciled in as potential wildcards in the East. Instead, the Nick Nurse-led squad seems poised for a lottery finish, with a fire sale interspersed.
The Pacers and the Raptors urgently need more clarity about how they want to tread in the near future. With that considered, here are three trades both teams should consider executing to get away from their middling position.
Option 1: The Indiana Pacers land a much-needed forward
The Indiana Pacers badly need to rebalance their roster, which is a more generalized version of saying they have to do something about their plethora of guards. The team is home to a deep cast of talented backcourt cogs, but with each passing game, it’s becoming more apparent that veteran TJ McConnell’s tenure in the Circle City should not reach another calendar flip.
Otto Porter Jr., a lanky 6’8 tweener, has seen his role and production decline after being a key rotation player for last season’s champions. However, he is exactly who the Pacers need in the present—a sizeable and true forward who can defend and shoot the ball from beyond the arc. The veteran presence is also a welcome bonus.
Meanwhile, Malachi Flynn’s role has also been marginal at best despite Toronto’s lack of viable depth behind Fred VanVleet. Still quite adept as a designated gunner, Flynn can arm Indiana with a necessary skill McConnell cannot provide as a point guard: three-point shooting.
Option 2: A memorable veteran returns to Indiana
*Thaddeus Young cannot be traded until Jan. 15.
If the Pacers want to double down on winning, they could do much worse than injecting more veteran flair into Rick Carlisle’s schemes. One player they could zero in on is Raptors forward Thaddeus Young, who also enjoyed three memorable seasons with the Blue and Gold.
Young is far from the player he was when he started games for Indiana, but his all-around skill set as a big man remains valuable. He does not need to log a lot of minutes to make a winning impact. Still, when he does appear on the hardwood, one can expect solid production from him as a post facilitator, occasional post scorer, and a malleable defender.
In return, Indiana flips Daniel Theis to Toronto, who remains sidelined with a knee injury, To sweeten the pot, however, the Pacers part with their second-round pick next year from the Spurs, which should make it a pretty attractive return asset for the Raptors given San Antonio’s projected finish.
Option 3: The Pacers and the Raptors go for a blockbuster trade
And we come to the blockbuster part, which most people presumably expected.
For this trade to push through, the Pacers must be firmly convinced of this roster’s win-now potential. In contrast, the Raptors have to be committed to retooling their roster around Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes (despite a concerning sophomore slump).
OG Anunoby is easily the perfect player to round out Indiana’s core. Currently and inarguably one of the best defenders in basketball, Anunoby’s offensive growth has made him a legitimate two-way threat who could be on his way to stardom. Toronto’s willingness to liquidate him remains to be seen, but trading him to net draft capital in return seems pretty tenable under the premise of retooling.
Gary Trent Jr. has struggled with his shot, but precedence shows that he’s much more likely to regain his form. He should be an adequate replacement for Buddy Hield and Chris Duarte, whom the Raptors will undoubtedly try to pluck from Indy. Two protected first-rounders in 2025 and 2027, as well as a 2023 first-round pick from Boston, should be enough for the Pacers to secure Anunoby and Trent Jr. from Toronto.
*Perceived price gouging with the draft picks? Blame the Rudy Gobert and Dejounte Murray trades last summer for that.