The Indiana Pacers find themselves in a less-than-ideal position. Nearly two months into the 2024-25 NBA season, last season's Eastern Conference Finals runner-ups own a 10-15 record. If the season were to end today, they would barely be a Play-In team as the No. 6 seed in the East. There is no doubt that the Pacers are better than they have performed, which has led to many speculating they could be active in the trade market.
Last season, the Pacers landed Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors in an effort to boost their standing in the second half of the season. This time around, the Pacers could add another reinforcement to address a major need by adding a player Siakam is very familiar with.
Pacers land Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas in mock trade
Nathaniel Holloway of TheSportingNews proposed a trade that sees the Pacers trade two of their young forwards in exchange for Washington Wizards big man Jonas Valanciunas.
Valanciunas, who signed a three-year, $30.3 million contract with Washington last offseason, played with Siakam as a member of the Raptors from 2016 to 2019. Additionally, the two shared a frontcourt during Toronto's 2018-19 championship campaign, though the Raptors traded Valanciunas to the Memphis Grizzlies in February 2019.
Even when he signed with the Wizards over the summer, many anticipated that Valanciunas would be a popular trade candidate. So far, nothing has happened that would indicate otherwise. The Lithuanian native has started just six games for the Wizards this season, averaging 12.6 points and 8.1 rebounds on the year. Furthermore, he is on a team-friendly deal, which would appeal to a team like the Pacers.
The biggest appeal of adding Valanciunas to the mix for Indiana, besides his familiarity with Siakam, is that he is a legitimate rebounder and is solid on both sides of the court. His well-rounded game would be a huge boost to Indiana, whether it be as a potential Myles Turner replacement or as a backup to him.
Valanciunas is unable to officially be traded until December 15th. However, recent reports have already suggested that the Pacers are interested in adding another center, and it would not be a shock if they call Washington's phone the second they can.
In this mock trade, the Pacers would also acquire 25-year-old small forward Saddiq Bey. Bey also signed with Washington in the offseason, but he has yet to play a game for them as he recovers from an ACL injury he suffered as a member of the Atlanta Hawks back in March.
Bey is an interesting potential acquisition for Indiana. He is a solid two-way player who, albeit a streaky player, can make his presence felt in every part of the game. In theory, when he is on, he fits in well with this Pacers team.
The biggest elephant in the room regarding this trade is that the Pacers would move on from Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker. Trading both of them for a 32-year-old center with zero All-Star appearances is a bit of a bold move. Adding Valanciunas would be a solid move for the Pacers, but not at the expense of both of their young forwards.
After his hot start after getting inserted into the starting lineup, Mathurin has come back to earth in recent games. He is inconsistent, but there is no denying the talent and potential he possesses. Mathurin has established himself as a valuable player and looks more like a long-term piece to the Pacers rather than a trade asset.
As for Walker, he is still leaving a lot to be desired on the court, but he has improved from his disappointing rookie season. Like Mathurin, Walker's play is inconsistent, especially on offense. However, he is only 21 years old and still has a lot of tools that can make him useful for the Pacers in the long run. Trading him to the team that initially drafted him this early in his career is a risky move for Indiana.
The Pacers should pursue Valanciunas, but he is not worth it whatsoever if it means giving up both Mathurin and Walker.