Frequent trader out West has ‘ongoing interest’ in move for Pacers guard
By Jack Simone
Outside of the Buddy Hield trade rumors, the Indiana Pacers have been pretty quiet this summer. They picked up Jarace Walker, signed Bruce Brown, and traded for Obi Toppin, adding some solid pieces around the edges while keeping most of their core intact.
Tyrese Haliburton is leading the way, and Myles Turner should be poised for another big season. But with the start of the year just weeks away, there could still be some moves for them to move.
Indiana has some intriguing potential trade chips on the roster. In addition to Hield, guys like Daniel Theis and TJ McConnell could be intriguing for contending rosters.
Phoenix Suns have had ‘ongoing interest’ in move for Indiana Pacers point guard TJ McConnell
One Western Conference powerhouse that has already made a ton of moves this summer is reportedly interested in trading for McConnell.
During an appearance on the “No Cap Room” podcast, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports unveiled that the Suns have had an “ongoing interest” in McConnell during their summer of trades.
Phoenix has already made a pair of blockbuster moves this summer, completely altering the outlook of their roster heading into next season.
The Suns traded Chris Paul in a massive move that saw them land Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards, and more recently, they flipped Deandre Ayton in a trade that saw Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson head to Phoenix.
McConnell has been a steady presence in the NBA for years. Outside of an injury-plagued season in 2021-22, he’s also been a consistent mainstay in every rotation he’s been in, having played at least 69 games in all but that lone season.
At 6-foot-1, McConnell doesn’t make his money with flashy plays or three-point bombs. Instead, he’s a monster in the passing lanes and one of the most underrated playmakers in the league.
He makes sense as a fit next to Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Beal, and from the perspective of the Pacers, getting back younger assets and/or other rotation pieces could be an intriguing proposition.
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It seems relatively unlikely that a deal gets done before the season, but by the time the trade deadline rolls around, McConnell could definitely be a name that starts popping up in trade rumors.