The Indiana Pacers want to improve their roster around Tyrese Haliburton. He is taking the next step, and fans saw a glimpse of what Haliburton can do as he led the Pacers to the In-Season Tournament finals. The 23-year-old is hungry for his first taste of the playoffs, but the Pacers must upgrade around him to have a shot at a serious run.
They could attempt to improve on the margins by adding a role player or take a shot at a star. The Pacers have been linked to Pascal Siakam, who appears more likely to be dealt after the Raptors traded OG Anunoby to the Knicks.
Siakam is a two-time All-Star and would be a massive talent upgrade for the Pacers at the four, but he is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024. Marc Stein reported on Jan. 1 that Siakam will likely explore the open market if he gets dealt (subscription required). The small-market Pacers cannot run that risk and should explore these options instead.
5. Jerami Grant
Siakam is a better player than Grant. Nobody is questioning that, but it comes down to cost control for the Pacers. They are likely trading for five months of the two-time All-Star. The 76ers and others will be waiting with max contracts in free agency, and it will be tough to fully integrate Siakam on the fly. If he is unwilling to sign a long-term deal in Indiana, the Pacers would be way better off with Grant and his five-year $160 million contract on the books.
The 6’7 forward is still in his prime and has proven he can play any role his team needs. Grant has scored over 20 points per game in three of the last four seasons. He is a plus-shooter and versatile defender, who would fit nicely in Indiana next to Myles Turner and Haliburton. Grant can be the team’s number two scorer and fill their hole at the four.
The Indiana Pacers can grow that core together over the next half-decade and make multiple runs. Haliburton is still improving, so adding a rental makes little sense, especially one with an eye towards free agency.
4. Kyle Kuzma
The Wizards are in year one of a total rebuild. They have won just six of their first 32 games and have the fourth-worst point differential in the league. The 28-year-old inked a four-year deal with Washington in the 2023 offseason, but the Wizards should be open to moving him before the deadline. Jake Fischer reported that they could get “some legitimate first-round draft capital” in return.
This could be the Pacers' chance to upgrade at the four without paying the price for a star. Indiana has all of their first-round picks, but cannot afford to trade them. They are not adding in free agency, so the Pacers must do it through the draft and trade. If they have no picks left, that leaves them no avenue to upgrade their roster.
Kuzma is having the best statistical season of his career by averaging 23.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 31.3 minutes per game. The 6’9 forward helped the Lakers win the championship in 2020 and was a role player on two playoff teams. His jumper continues to improve, and Kuzma could be a deadly scoring threat playing off Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana.
There will be multiple stars available, but the Indiana Pacers can pay less for Kyle Kuzma and get his four-year decreasing contract.
3. Dejounte Murray
Things have not gone as planned for the Hawks. They hoped a full season of head coach Quinn Snyder and a few roster upgrades would push them firmly into the top six in the Eastern Conference and prime them for a postseason run. Instead, Atlanta is 13-19 on the morning of Jan. 2 and already five games back of the Pacers for the final guaranteed playoff spot.
Murray is popping up in trade rumors, and the Pacers could be a surprise team to jump in on the bidding. The 27-year-old is averaging over 20 points per game for the third straight year and offers strong perimeter defense and secondary playmaking. It has not worked next to Trae Young, but Indiana may be able to excel on both ends with two 6’5 star guards sharing the backcourt.
Murray signed a four-year $114 million extension that features a 15 percent trade kicker. The Pacers would have to offer a significant package plus pay him, but this could be their path to getting another All-Star. Murray should not demand a superstar return and could be just what Indiana needs to be a legit contender in the East.
Dejounte Murray is under contract through 2027, so acquiring him makes significantly more sense for the Pacers than getting Pascal Siakam for the rest of the season.
2. Karl-Anthony Towns
The Timberwolves have the best record in the Western Conference and second-best in the NBA on the morning of Jan. 2, so a teardown appears unlikely. They have important questions to answer, though. Minnesota has $185 million in committed salaries for the 2024-25 season without Mike Conley, Kyle Anderson, and Jordan McLaughlin on their books. The Wolves need to add a point guard and will likely be over the second tax apron afterward. Are their new owners willing to spend that much?
Anthony Edwards is the team’s best player, and they are not recouping the value they paid for Rudy Gobert. That leaves Towns as the most likely Wolves star to be traded if they decide to lessen their tax bill. KAT is an elite scorer and shooter who starts a four-year $222.6 million extension in the 2024-25 campaign.
Putting Towns next to Myles Turner may not be ideal, but the Timberwolves are making it work with Gobert and KAT. The three-time All-Star struggles to protect the rim and is a career 39.6 percent 3-point shooter. He can operate more on the perimeter and gives the Pacers a bit more versatility in how they use Turner.
Head coach Rick Carlisle loves to shoot threes and stretch the floor. Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the best shooting big men in NBA history, which could form a fantastic pairing if Minnesota decides to move on. Consider it unlikely, but possible.
1. Lauri Markkanen
The Jazz are in the middle of a full-scale rebuild and could look to shake things up. They are currently only two games out of tenth in the Western Conference but are rumored to be deadline sellers. Danny Ainge is trying to stockpile assets to build a contender in Salt Lake City, which could mean trading Markkanen at his peak for a significant haul.
The All-Star is making just $17.2 million this season and is under contract for just over $18 million in 2024-25 before becoming an unrestricted free agent. He would be extension-eligible in the offseason, but likely waits until free agency to maximize his earnings.
Markkanen has averaged 25.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game since joining the Jazz. He is a career 37.1 percent 3-point shooter, and the seven-footer is still improving. The Pacers could acquire a prime All-Star to pair with Tyrese Haliburton as they attempt to make a run in the Eastern Conference.
Will the Indiana Pacers make a significant splash before the Feb. 8 trade deadline? There have been plenty of rumors, but the franchise should avoid Pascal Siakam. Indiana should be looking for someone with multiple years left on their contract who can grow next to Tyrese Haliburton. Finding that talent won’t be easy, but stay tuned to see what the Pacers pull off.