8 points, 9 seconds
Fansided

Grade the mock trade: Pacers trade for former rebounding champion

Pacers address a major need in recent mock trade.

By Elie Deglaoui

Nov 4, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Nov 4, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
facebooktwitterreddit

One of the Indiana Pacers' biggest weaknesses as a team is their lack of rebounding. Through the first few weeks of the 2024-25 NBA season, they are averaging 39.8 rebounds per game, the third-worst in the league. Additionally, they have finished as a bottom-10 rebounding team in the NBA every season since the 2016-17 campaign. A large reason for their rebounding shortcomings is that their starting center, Myles Turner, is not a great rebounder.

In nine full seasons in the NBA, Turner has never averaged more than 7.5 rebounds per game. He makes up for it in other areas, but the Pacers' lack of a rebounding big man is a problem. Because of this, it might make sense for the Pacers to land a rebounding center to boost this area of their game. In a recent article for SI.com, writer Ricardo Klein proposes a trade that would give the Pacers exactly that.

Pacers land Clint Capela in recent mock trade

Trade

On paper, Capela would make sense for the Pacers. As Klein says, the Atlanta Hawks big man "is a proven, defensive-minded center." This is completely true. Capela would help the Pacers heavily as a rebounder and an established rim protector.

This trade is questionable for the Pacers for a few reasons, however. Most notably, Capela is a free agent after this season. The Pacers already have a plethora of big men approaching free agency as Turner, Isaiah Jackson, and potentially James Wiseman are all in the final years of their deals. Landing another such big man would put the Pacers in a difficult spot.

Additionally, Capela is already 30 years old. The Pacers are in win-now mode, but they also have a young team that can help them compete in the future. Capela does not fit their timeline, and it would make little sense for the Pacers to either team him up with Turner or pencil him in as his replacement.

Furthermore, the upside of Bennedict Mathurin, who has looked incredible since taking over as a starter for the Pacers following injuries to Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith, makes this trade too risky for the team.

There is a lot to like about Capela potentially joining the Pacers at some point. He is a good big man with lots of playoff experience and can make his presence felt at every level on the court. However, this trade is ultimately too risky for the Pacers to make, and they would be giving up too much for someone they can sign in free agency.

Trade Grades

Pacers grade: D

Hawks grade: A

feed

Home/Pacers Rumors