The Indiana Pacers have been one of the most fun teams in the league this season. But in a league where winning trumps all, they still have some room for improvement.
Tyrese Haliburton has them cooking on the offensive end, but defensively, they need to figure things out, as they have one of the worst defenses in the NBA through the early stages of the year.
Their run to the In-Season Tournament finals brought a ton of positive media attention to Haliburton and Indiana, but they certainly have bigger goals. Playoff-led goals.
And if they want to get to the postseason and maybe even make some noise when they get there, they could look to make some deals at the deadline.
With December 15 marking the unofficial start to trade season, as most players who were signed this past offseason become trade eligible, here are five players the Pacers should look to target.
1. Troy Brown Jr.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the best teams in the league, so they may prefer to stand pat at the trade deadline this year, but if they get active, the Pacers should make a call.
Brown Jr. isn’t playing a ton of minutes this year, but his effectiveness as a 3-and-D guy was evident all throughout last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
At 6-foot-6, he has the size to play the wing and the forward and could be a valuable asset for the Pacers to deploy at either position next to guys like Bruce Brown and Bennedict Mathurin.
If the Timberwolves are interested in guys like Buddy Hield or TJ McConnell, the Pacers should look to get Brown Jr., who is still just 24 years old, included in the deal.
2. Torrey Craig
For a team that lacks defensive play, a guy like Torrey Craig could be a cheap, valuable option for the Indiana Pacers to consider as trade season gets underway this year.
Craig is a former Pacer who would be making his return to Indiana should he dealt there, but he would be joining a much different Pacers squad than the one he last played for.
He played 51 games for the Pacers in the 2021-22 season before getting traded to the Phoenix Suns, a team he helped reach the NBA Finals just one year prior.
This past offseason, Craig signed on with the Chicago Bulls, who were looking to make strides forward. Unfortunately, things haven’t gone according to plan in Chicago.
Despite their recent success, the Bulls are still a team most expect to significantly shake things up by the trade deadline, and if that’s the case, Craig could be an obvious candidate to be moved.
This season, he’s averaging 5.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while shooting 42.1% from the field and 37.9% from behind the three-point line.
Craig is a veteran, so he may not fit the bill of a long-term solution to the Pacers’ problems, but as far as improving their ceiling this year, he could give them some solid depth at the forward position.
3. Lonnie Walker IV
Lonnie Walker IV has been having a stellar season with the Brooklyn Nets. So stellar, in fact, that it seems unlikely the Nets decide to trade him
However, with the Nets’ peculiar path forward, being as they seem to be firmly planted in the middle of the conference, would they consider selling high on Walker IV so they don’t have to extend him this summer?
Again, it seems extremely unlikely that the Nets do this, but if there’s any inkling that they could be open to trading him, the Indiana Pacers should absolutely put in a call.
Walker IV would help out their squad on both ends of the ball. He hustles on defense, and offensively, his shot creation could give Indiana’s second unit a serious boost.
So far this season, Walker IV is averaging 14.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 48.9% from the floor and 46.3% from beyond the three-point arc.
Adding Walker IV to a wing group of Bennedict Mathurin, Aaron Nesmith, and Buddy Hield would make Indiana’s one of the best in the league, as Walker IV could provide an extra level of shot creation to that subset of players.
4. Cam Reddish
This is a weird one. Cam Reddish has played well for the Los Angeles Lakers this year, so why would they consider trading him? The answer: Buddy Hield.
Before the start of the season, reports indicated that the Indiana Pacers could look to move Buddy Hield, as the two sides were unable to come to an agreement on a contract extension.
Since then, it’s been clarified that the Pacers don’t necessarily need to trade Hield, and they are content keeping him around. But if they do decide to move him, the Lakers could be an obvious landing spot.
The Lakers nearly traded for Hield a few years ago before they ultimately made a move for Russell Westbrook, and his shooting would still be a perfect fit on their roster.
Obviously, more would have to be added to a deal to make it work, but the Pacers should definitely push to have Reddish included in the deal, as his defensive abilities would be a huge help.
As they know from the In-Season Tournament finals, Reddish’s pest-like play on the defensive end makes him a valuable asset. He could give them a nice boost on that end, so if they do decide to trade Hield, and the Lakers are the landing spot, they should want Reddish included in any deal.
5. Josh Richardson
Similar to Cam Reddish, Josh Richardson isn’t necessarily a player who the Indiana Pacers should target outright, but rather a guy they should push to be included in a deal with the Miami Heat if they make one.
The Pacers have a great young group, but adding a solid veteran who can play quality minutes and defend at a solid level could help bring them to the next level.
Richardson rejoined the Heat this past offseason after spending time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, and New Orleans Pelicans.
He’s always been a nice 3-and-D wing, and that’s exactly what the Pacers would want from him if they could get him included in a deal with the Heat.
The reason Miami may be open to dealing him is because of what they could get back in return from the Pacers. If the Heat look to make moves at the deadline, guys like TJ McConnell and Buddy Hield could be of interest.
It seems likely that the Heat will try to hold on to Richardson, as they seem to be fond of his play, but the Pacers should want to bring on as many defensive-minded guys as they can in any deal.