Indiana Pacers: Infinite opportunities await this offseason

We could go after a mid-tier star.

Maybe my outlook on the team’s future is not the same as the front office. As much as intel as I’d like to think I have…I actually have NO IDEA what upper management thinks of this team and how they should improve it. What if we find out in the next 2 months that Kevin Pritchard’s plan is not to draft a high-upside player, but trade for an already established one?

There was quite a lot of talk around the NBA for OG Anunoby, and even the Pacers were involved in those rumors. (Pacers and trade rumors go hand in hand especially the part where they don’t happen) Now, obviously nothing came out of it as the Raptors wanted a team’s next 5 years in exchange for the guy. But wanting that haul made sense as the Raptors honestly seemed like they wanted to contend. They set the price so high because they didn’t WANT to trade OG.

Now that their season is over and are currently at a crossroads for where the franchise goes, maybe the price goes way down this offseason. What’s not going down is the money he will want on his next deal which is the reason I am not sure making a deal for him makes sense. There’s no point in spending resources (likely draft picks AND a player) for someone who will be a FA next season and there’s even less of a point in overpaying him just to justify the resources already spent.

There are other guys around the league that teams would at least listen to offers for. I think Jaden McDaniels fills a lot of this current Pacers team need and the Timberwolves are going to have to cut costs on that roster SOMEWHERE. Unfortunately, they will probably look to do that elsewhere and keep the probable all-defensive team selection.

Another name that I’ve already said too many times is Obi Toppin who remains at the top of my list of guys who I’d want to see play next to Tyrese Haliburton.  But times have changed since before the trade deadline and Obi seems like a legit playoff role player on that Knicks team, and they might re-sign the forward before he hits restricted free agency next Summer.

There will be options out there. Guys that for whatever reason are not valued by their current franchise could be moved for one of our late first-rounders even. The late firsts are intriguing as with the success of Andrew Nembhard I do have confidence that the scouting department is doing their due diligence way past the top 20 players. With that being said the team cannot add 4 more rookies to this team with so many players under contract. Moves will have to be made with the picks or possibly current players on the roster, maybe even both.