4 Pacers players who should be considered 'untouchable' in trade talks

The Indiana Pacers have some decisions to make ahead of this year's NBA Trade Deadline on February 6. Not only do they need to decide if they want to let it ride with the team that turned their season around over the last month and now looks poised for another deep playoff run, but the Pacers also must sort out their future at the deadline. Whether this is determined by standing pat or making a trade remains to be seen.

Naturally, when discussing potential trade candidates for teams, fans will often hear words like "untouchable" used. In a vacuum, declaring a player as untouchable essentially means that the team will not trade him under any circumstance (think Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, etc.). However, naming a player untouchable is usually subjective and up for debate.

When it comes to the Pacers, there are a few players who should be considered untouchable, even if all for different reasons. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that being considered an untouchable is different than simply being considered a "should not trade" (for example, someone like Bennedict Mathurin provides a lot of value and should not be traded, but it is too early to consider him untouchable, especially considering that his long-term role with the Pacers is still undefined).

Regardless, here are four Pacers who should be considered untouchable ahead of this year's trade deadline.

The 4 Pacers who should be off-limits in trade conversations

Tyrese Haliburton

Tyrese Haliburton is not a surprise and should 100% be deemed an untouchable. He is still not even 25 years old yet and is already a two-time All-Star, a one-time All-NBA Team selection, and an Olympic gold medalist. Additionally, he is the heart of the Pacers' offense and led the team to their first conference finals appearance in a decade.

Furthermore, he has embraced Indiana every chance he could since joining the team and is under contract through the 2028-29 season. The Wisconsin native is one of the brightest young stars in the NBA and is crucial to Indiana's championship aspirations

Pascal Siakam

Since acquiring him from the Toronto Raptors last season, Pascal Siakam has constantly proved his value to the Pacers. He is easily the second-best player on the team and makes his presence felt at each level of the game. Additionally, he is arguably the Pacers' most consistent player night in and night out and has taken on a veteran leadership role since joining the team.

Last offseason, he signed a four-year, $189.5 million deal that will keep him under contract through the 2027-28 season. He has made it clear he enjoys being a Pacer, and his presence is valuable to the team, especially in the postseason.

T.J. McConnell

T.J. McConnell is not an untouchable in the same sense that Haliburton and Siakam are, but there is no reason to believe that the Pacers would consider trading him within reason. McConnell is arguably the best backup point guard in the NBA and plays an essential role on the Pacers' bench, which is among the best in the league.

McConnell has constantly proven he can show up and take over when needed (i.e. last year's conference finals against the Boston Celtics), and he regularly gives opposing teams problems. The 32-year-old will never be an All-Star or anything like that, but he is very important to the Pacers, and it would be extremely difficult for the team to replace him and his presence in a hypothetical trade.

Andrew Nembhard

Entering the season, Andrew Nembhard may have been in the "should not be traded" category as opposed to being untouchable. However, during his nearly one-month absence in November due to an ankle injury, his value became incredibly evident.

Nembhard provides value on both sides of the ball, and it is obvious that the Pacers are a better team with him on the court than with him off. This season, the Pacers are 5-10 in games Nembhard does not play. On the flip side, they are 20-10 when he does.

Furthermore, as of January 12, Nembhard's 17.1 on/off net rating was second-best in the NBA, only behind Jokic.

With how his season has gone so far, it is safe to say that, barring a monstrous trade proposal, the Pacers have no motivation to move on from Nembhard this season.