Over the summer, the Indiana Pacers had a quiet offseason with little roster turnover. Outside of Jalen Smith (whose role with the team was diminishing anyway), the team did not lose any player of note. Instead, the team committed to the guys who led them to a conference finals appearance, signing Pascal Siakam, Obi Toppin, T.J. McConnell, and Andrew Nembhard to new deals.
Unfortunately, this team will not stay intact forever as the Pacers must make moves at some point. While nothing is imminent, the Pacers are rumored to be a team potentially active in the trade market. Furthermore, they have plenty of free agents this upcoming offseason they must make a decision on.
One week into the new year, here are four players the team could realistically move on from by this point next year.
1. Obi Toppin
Toppin is in his second season with the Pacers and is continuing to play some solid basketball. Last summer, after a career year, the Pacers brought the Brooklyn native back on a four-year, $58 million contract. Even at the time, many considered this a very tradeable contract for Indiana if that is the route they decide to take. Less than a month away from this year's trade deadline, this idea is more relevant than ever.
Though he is putting together another solid campaign, Toppin remains a top trade candidate for Indiana. He is unlikely to ever play a bigger role than he currently is, and his contract makes it easier for the Pacers to include him in a package deal for an upgrade.
It is important to note that head coach Rick Carlisle already suggested Toppin is unlikely to go anywhere ahead of the trade deadline. While this could still be true, there is no denying that he is a good trade piece. Whether it is soon or closer to the summer, the Pacers moving on from Toppin could be a good idea for both sides as long as the deal makes sense.
2. Aaron Nesmith
Aaron Nesmith is the starting small forward for the Pacers and is one of the most versatile players on the team. He is an excellent 3-and-D player who is only improving and has played his role very well. It also helps that he is on an incredibly team-friendly contract. In all likelihood, the Pacers will not trade Nesmith unless they get a clear upgrade for him. However, there is also a chance his upgrade is already on the team.
He has already cooled off from his sizzling-hot start to the season, but Bennedict Mathurin has played his way into the Pacers' future. Currently, Nesmith is sidelined due to an ankle injury. When he comes back, the Pacers will have a big choice to make. If Mathurin continues to play well, it will be difficult for the team to bring him off the bench again, making Nesmith a legitimate trade candidate.
3. James Johnson
This answer is a bit of a cop-out since it seems like this could legitimately be James Johnson's last year in the league (though this sentiment held true for the last handful of years). Judging by the sound of things, Johnson is not going anywhere ahead of this year's deadline and has a spot on the Pacers roster as long as he wants it. However, this is already the 15th season of his career, and he has a minimal role on the court. Retirement is approaching for Johnson, and it could happen as soon as this year.
4. James Wiseman
After a solid preseason, many Pacers fans were excited for James Wiseman, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, to redeem himself and shed his "draft bust" label. Unfortunately for Wiseman and Indiana, the Nashville native suffered a season-ending Achilles injury just five minutes into his Pacers debut.
The Pacers signed Wiseman to a partially guaranteed contract that had a team option for the 2025-26 season. As it stands, it seems close to inevitable that the Pacers will move on from Wiseman at some point this year, maybe even sooner rather than later.