The NBA Trade Deadline is less than two weeks away, so that means the basketball world will keep its pulse on trade rumors and mock up some deals they would like to see. That is no different for the Indiana Pacers as many fans wonder what their trade plans are this year. To this point, the Pacers have only been legitimately linked to one player--Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson. With the trade deadline approaching, this remains a story to monitor.
Though the Pacers have drastically turned things around since their 10-15 start, there are still some needs they might want to address in order to make a push in the second half of the season into the playoffs. One of those needs? Perimeter shooting.
The Pacers have plenty of talented three-point shooters on the roster, but they do not have a three-point specialist on the team to fully unlock their offense. In a way, they should be looking into adding someone to take over the Buddy Hield role. Recently, Bruce Veliz of Bright Side of the Sun pitched a trade that sends a player who fits the bill perfectly, and it is one that the Pacers would benefit from executing.
Pacers trade Obi Toppin for Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen in this mock trade
In this mock trade, the Pacers ship out Obi Toppin in exchange for Grayson Allen from the Phoenix Suns. On paper, this is a great trade for both teams.
From Indiana's side, the most obvious takeaway is that they get Allen, who shot a league-leading 46.1% from beyond the arc last season. This season, he is shooting 42.9%. Unfortunately for Allen, his role in Phoenix has diminished greatly this season despite him signing a new multi-year deal in the offseason. With the Pacers, Allen could slide seamlessly into a bench role and make the Pacers an even bigger threat from outside.
On the other hand, they would be moving on from Toppin. The Brooklyn native has played great in his season-and-a-half in Indiana. He provides a lot of value on the bench and has improved as an all-around player. However, the Pacers have a plethora of forwards, and with his contract, Toppin is the most likely one to be traded. Furthermore, making this trade would open the door for Jarace Walker to get some more opportunities as well.
Phoenix would benefit from acquiring Toppin because of his athleticism, versatility, and ability to stretch the floor. He can play small-ball center if needed, and Toppin would have a much bigger role in Phoenix than he does in Indiana. Landing him would also open the door to moving Kevin Durant back to small forward if that is what the Suns want to do. And all it would take is Allen, who has already received a reduced role with the team.
All things considered, this is a good trade for both sides. However, there is one major negative to doing this deal from both perspectives. Indiana is already an expensive team and will get even more expensive after this offseason assuming they re-sign Myles Turner and extend Bennedict Mathurin. Trading Toppin away to acquire someone with an even bigger AAV is a risky move in the long run. This is especially true since Allen has a $19.4 million player option for the 2027-28 season.
On the other hand, Phoenix would benefit from landing Toppin, but he does not address two of their biggest needs--rebounding and defense. Despite his size and athleticism, Toppin is not a great rebounder and is underwhelming on the defense end. He has improved in both areas, but he is a liability nonetheless. Trading Allen, who could be a great trade asset, for Toppin instead of a player who can better address those needs has the chance to backfire.
Regardless, most trades come with risks, and this is a good deal for both teams.