Grade the Trade: Pacers land potential final piece for 2 key players in mock deal
By Jack Simone
This season has been great for the Indiana Pacers. They have established themselves as one of the top teams in the East and look like a lock to make the playoffs. (Play-In, at the very least.)
Tyrese Haliburton has the Pacers’ offense at the top of the league, but unfortunately, their defense has lagged behind, as it’s been one of the worst in the NBA.
Because of that, it feels as though there is still a ton of room for improvement in Pacer land, and this year’s trade deadline could be the time for them to address their biggest issues.
A recent article by Michael Pina of The Ringer mocked up a deal that would see the Pacers land a potential game-changing player for two key guys on their roster.
Here’s the full outline of the mock trade:
Pacers receive: OG Anunoby, Otto Porter Jr.
Raptors receive: Buddy Hield, Jarace Walker, two unprotected first-round picks
Anunoby has been solid this year. He’s averaging 15.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 48.0% from the field and 39.0% from behind the three-point line.
Porter Jr. hasn’t gotten significant run for the Raptors this season, but just a couple of years ago, he was a crucial part of the Golden State Warriors’ championship run.
On the Pacers side of things, Hield is averaging 12.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 43.8% from the floor and 37.4% from beyond the three-point arc.
As for Walker, he hasn’t played much in the Pacers’ rotation this year despite the constant calls of fans for head coach Rick Carlisle to give him more minutes.
Let’s grade the potential deal from both sides.