The Houston Rockets are in desperate need of a point guard following Fred VanVleet's ACL injury, and the Indiana Pacers may have their answer in T.J. McConnell.
Recently, Bill Simmons of The Ringer mentioned that the Pacers trading McConnell to the Rockets could be a good idea for both sides. Houston would have a dependable guard who can help them contend, whereas Indiana could get a young player like Reed Sheppard, who can help them in the long haul.
"Indiana, in the same boat as Boston. I don't know what their strategy is gonna be for this year, but if you can turn T.J. McConnell into Reed Sheppard, you gotta at least think about it because you're going nowhere this year anyway," Simmons said.
Would a T.J. McConnell trade even make sense for the Pacers?
McConnell had been in trade rumors in the past, largely due to other teams reportedly having interest in him. The Pacers ultimately made their stance on him crystal clear after signing him to a four-year, $44.8 million contract extension last offseason, but this does not mean that he should be considered an untouchable.
The Arizona alum brings a lot of value to the Pacers, and he will be especially important next season as the team will be without Tyrese Haliburton due to an Achilles injury. Furthermore, Indiana may still be looking to stay under the luxury tax, and if they do, trading McConnell could make sense, especially since he is already 33 years old.
Plus, assuming the Pacers would be able to land Sheppard, last year's No. 3 overall draft pick, it would give them some incentive to make this trade happen. The Kentucky alum is 21 years old, and though he had a forgettable rookie season, he showed flashes at times.
In a March game against the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Sheppard recorded 25 points on 10-for-17 shooting (including 3-for-7 from beyond the arc), five assists, two rebounds, two steals, and a block in 31 minutes. Sheppard has the tools to be a fantastic three-point shooter with a lot of upside in the NBA, and given that the Pacers are looking to be title contenders for a long time, this could be a good acquisition for them if Houston has interest in making this trade happen.
Simmons is right about Indiana likely not doing much next season. Though they still have a solid roster and could make some noise in the East even without Haliburton, another deep playoff run is highly unlikely. The complete opposite could be said for the Rockets, who are clearly all-in on competing for a championship after acquiring Kevin Durant. However, Simmons' comments also ignore one major thing: the Pacers should still be title contenders again after this year.
There are reasons for the Pacers to trade McConnell, but only under the right circumstances. They may not be legitimate contenders next season, but once they get their star guard back and work out some other problems with their roster (i.e., their center situation), they should be able to re-insert themselves into the title picture.
Assuming they do, they will need a guy like McConnell on the roster. He is one of the best backup point guards in the entire league, and he is a fantastic fit for what the Pacers do. The Pennsylvania native is a dependable guard who can lead an offense and step up when needed. This was especially noticeable during the 2025 NBA Finals, when McConnell averaged 15.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals while shooting 56.4% from the field in Games 5-7.
On paper, trading McConnell to Houston could make sense for both sides. However, this is also a very risky move for Indiana, and it might not be one worth taking. At least not now.