The Indiana Pacers want to exit their rebuild and get back to the playoffs after three straight years in the lottery. Tyrese Haliburton just made his first All-Star appearance, and the Pacers have plenty of young talent on their roster. They plan on adding to it on draft night. Indiana has the seventh overall pick, but rumors suggest they could trade it for a veteran wing.
The Pacers are determined to improve their roster. Marc Stein even linked them to free agent Harrison Barnes (subscription required), who head coach Rick Carlisle knows well from their time together in Dallas. Expect them to make moves, but what can Indiana get done in this crucial offseason?
Bleacher Report dropped some trades to shake up the draft night, and it had the Pacers moving up. Could Indiana swing a deal to get into the top three? It would be franchise-altering, but won’t be easy.
Indiana Pacers trade up in top 3 in 2023 NBA Draft
This hypothetical trade has the Pacers finally trading away Myles Turner to move up in the draft. Here is the shocking deal that would certainly create plenty of buzz on draft night.
The 2023 NBA Draft features the most-hyped prospect since LeBron James in Victor Wembanyama. He is going first overall to the Spurs. The next tier is two prospects that would be number-one picks in plenty of drafts. Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller are expected to go two and three in some order. Both could be multiple-time All-Stars and franchise changers.
The Pacers would be ecstatic to move up, but is this deal a possibility? Here is a look at the trade from both sides before handing out a grade for Indiana.
Would the Trail Blazers trade the number 3 pick for Myles Turner?
Portland wants to trade the number three pick for win-now help. Blazers superstar Damian Lillard has made it clear that he does not want to play with a prospect. Portland must be back in contention next season, and many experts believe if the franchise makes the pick, it will be the end of Dame’s time in the Pacific Northwest.
Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported the Blazers are only trading the pick if they get “one of a select number of premium targets to pair with Lillard” in return. Does Turner qualify?
The Pacers’ big man is an incredible talent. He is one of the league’s best shot-blockers and a floor-spacing center that could change the way Portland plays. Turner has struggled to stay healthy in recent years and is just below an All-Star-level talent, but he is impactful when on the floor.
The Trail Blazers would be moving back four spots, dumping Nurkic, and getting a clear upgrade at the five. They would have to consider it. It is not an immediate yes, and Portland would prefer to get more, but it may be the best offer available on draft night. If the Blazers need to trade three to keep Dame, they might do it.
Would the Indiana Pacers make this trade?
This is a no-brainer trade for the Pacers. Myles Turner is a fantastic talent and is just entering his prime, but he is not an elite player. The 27-year-old has twice led the league in blocked shots, but he has never been an All-Star.
The number three pick has proven to be a star in recent years. Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Evan Mobley have all gone at the spot since 2016. The Pacers could be getting an All-NBA talent. It does not matter what happens at two. Tyrese Haliburton fits well next to Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller.
Jusuf Nurkic has three years and $54.4 million remaining on his contract, but the Pacers have plenty of cap space and little long-term money on their books. Nurkic has struggled to stay healthy and is not the ideal fit at the five in Indiana, but it is worth taking on his deal to get the number three pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Grade: A+
The Indiana Pacers would love for this option to become available on Thursday night, and it could turn into a win-win trade if Myles Turner further blossoms in Portland playing next to Damian Lillard. The Portland Trail Blazers may not make this deal, but Pacers fans can dream.
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