The Indiana Pacers were linked to OG Anunoby for a long time, dating all the way back to the 2023 NBA Draft, when it was reported that they were interested in trading the eighth overall pick for a defensive-minded forward.
Unfortunately for the Pacers, Anunoby was recently traded from the Toronto Raptors to the New York Knicks, ending their long-winded quest to add the All-Defensive forward to their roster.
Now, the Pacers will have to pivot and look to add someone else, but that could prove to be a blessing in disguise. Rather than adding a pure 3-and-D guy, they should be looking to bring in someone a bit more dynamic.
So, with Anunoby officially off the market, here are three better trade targets the Pacers should go after this season (or at some point in the near future).
1. Jonathan Kuminga
Of those listed among these three, Jonathan Kuminga seems the least likely to be traded, but with how much the Golden State Warriors have struggled this year, he’s definitely someone to monitor.
Kuminga still feels like a player who could benefit from a change of scenery, but he’s finally coming into his own a bit more this season with the Warriors.
So far this year, Kuminga is averaging 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 50.2% from the floor and 28.4% from beyond the three-point arc.
At just 21 years old, Kuminga still has a ton of upside, and with a potentially-expanded role with the Pacers, he could finally have a chance to blossom into the player who was selected with the seventh pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.