The Indiana Pacers sneakily have one of the most promising young cores in the league. Led by star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers have a slew of talented youngsters, including Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker, Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Obi Toppin, but they also have some older guys, such as Buddy Hield.
They have a solid group of veterans around their core. Myles Turner is coming off a career year, Daniel Theis just won the FIBA World Cup, and TJ McConnell is as steady as ever.
Meanwhile, Hield is set to man the shooting guard position for the upcoming season, but of all the players on the roster, he seems the most expendable. With guys like Mathurin, Nesmith, and Nembhard in place, the Pacers should feel comfortable shopping Hield.
Plus, with Hield heading into the final year of his contract, trading him just makes sense (especially if the Pacers could get a wing that fits their team a bit better). So, with that in mind, here are three guys who could replace Hield at the deadline.
3 players Pacers could replace Buddy Hield with at trade deadline: OG Anunoby
All summer long, rumblings have pointed toward the Pacers’ potential interest in trading for OG Anunoby. If the Toronto Raptors decide to blow things up, expect the Pacers to be on the phone.
Anunoby is coming off an All-Defensive season and would be a great co-star next to Haliburton in Indiana. His defensive presence would help transform the Pacers on that end of the court.
Plus, with an expanded offensive role in Indiana and Haliburton setting him up, Anunoby could take a leap on that side of the ball, too, leading to some career numbers.
Indiana would likely have to pair some picks and other assets with Hield in a deal for Anunoby, but if they can replace the veteran sharpshooter with the defensive-minded star, it would be a huge win.