Indiana Pacers: One Kyle Kuzma trade the Wizards can’t turn down

Why the Pacers and Wizards should do it

The Indiana Pacers may look like they are sending a haul for Kyle Kuzma, but in reality, they are giving up very dispensable pieces for his services. The elephant in the room is not the price for acquiring him, but his willingness to seriously consider staying in the Circle City beyond this season.

For all the risks associated with Kuzma and his free agency demands, the Pacers should nevertheless be willing to gamble for the aforesaid price. Indiana, after all, has a solid young core, financial flexibility, and sheer potential to lure him in for the long run. What they are sending to the Wizards ultimately won’t doom them considering their need for cap relief from McConnell and their boatload of first rounders next year.

Meanwhile, Washington has to do what it takes to ensure that they extract some assets for a definite flight risk like Kuzma. Reports have been persistent in linking the forward to contenders such as the Phoenix Suns, but if the latter only comes up with a deal centered on, well, Jae Crowder, the Pacers can certainly do much better than the Suns dangling a demanding veteran.

Netting two second-rounders in a deep 2023 draft class is valuable, especially since it gives the Wizards more than enough ammo to be more aggressive in trying to better their draft positioning later on. Also, while McConnell has been below average this season for the Pacers, he could easily slot in as a key rotation player for Washington given their utter lack of viable playmakers.