The Indiana Pacers are a team loaded with young talent. Led by All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton and one-time champion Pascal Siakam, the Pacers are in a great spot to contend right now and in the long run.
Last season, the Pacers made their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2014. Additionally, they finished as the second-best offensive team in the league (only behind the eventual champion Boston Celtics) and are one of the most fun teams to watch. They are explosive on offense, youthful, and deep from the top of the roster all the way to the bottom.
Despite getting swept by Boston in the conference finals just a few months ago, the Pacers proved to the basketball world that they belong in championship discussions. While a title win will likely not be a realistic outcome for Indiana for a few seasons, they have an opportunity they have not had in a long time.
One of the reasons Indiana is enjoying success right now is because of some of the fantastic trades they have made in recent years. The Pacers have plenty of homegrown talent. However, the players they acquired in trades are what helped push them to the next level.
Haliburton, Siakam, Obi Toppin, and Aaron Nesmith all joined the Pacers by trade over the past couple of years. And with the team now committed to competing for a championship, it is fair to assume they will make a few more trades to capitalize on their title window in the future.
Let's take a look at who the Pacers' three best trade assets are and determine exactly how replaceable they are, starting with the most replaceable.
1. Bennedict Mathurin (most replaceable)
Of every player currently on the Pacers, Mathurin is perhaps the most common one that appears in trade rumors.
The Canadian native had a fantastic rookie campaign during the 2022-23 season after the Pacers drafted him sixth overall. On the year, Mathurin averaged 16.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Mostly utilized off the bench, Mathurin finished eighth in Sixth Man of the Year voting that year. He also finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting.
Last season was a bit of a roller coaster for Mathurin. Statistically, his numbers went down, but he shot the ball more efficiently (43.4 FG% to 44.6 FG% and 32.3 3FG% to 37.4 3FG%). He took home the MVP award for the 2024 NBA Rising Stars Challenge, scoring 22 points. However, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in March that forced him to miss the rest of the season.
Mathurin is a popular trade candidate because, while he is a promising wing with sky-high upside, he may not fit what the Pacers need. He is a great scorer, but the Pacers already have a plethora of players who are ahead of Mathurin on the depth chart. This also does not include young players like Jarace Walker and Johnny Furphy who could become key players on the team for the long haul.
The 22-year-old is a player who would probably benefit from being on another team. Unless he can become a consistent force on the defensive end, he may not be a long-term fit in Indiana. And with him due for a rookie extension next summer, it begs the question of whether the 2024-25 season will be Mathurin's last as a Pacer.
2. Andrew Nembhard
Nembhard is probably the closest Pacer to being an "untouchable" while not quite being there just yet.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a breakout campaign with the Pacers last season. His regular season campaign was nothing too special, but his performance in the playoffs gave Pacers fans a lot of reasons to be excited about his future with the team.
Nembhard started all 17 games of Indiana's conference finals run last season. In those games, he averaged 14.9 points on 56% from the field and an astounding 48.3% from the three-point line. Additionally, he averaged 5.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.
His playoff performance also includes two consecutive masterclasses against the Celtics. In Haliburton's absence for Games 3 and 4 of the conference finals, Nembhard averaged 28 points, 9.5 assists, and 5 rebounds. He also shot an amazing 56.4% from the field and 53.8% from beyond the arc.
Nembhard's playoff breakout landed him a three-year, $58.7 million contract extension. This will keep him locked up through the 2027-28 season.
Ultimately, it is fair to assume the Pacers will not trade Nembhard any time soon. He looks like a potential All-Star in the making, and he looked solid during Team Canada's run in the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, we know other teams around the league have interest in the former second-round pick and consider him a potential "lead guard."
For now, Nembhard's spot in Indiana is secure. However, if he is ever looking for a bigger opportunity, trading him may eventually become a legitimate option for the Pacers.
3. Myles Turner (least replaceable)
Let's get one thing straight--Turner is an essential part of what the Pacers are doing right now.
He has been with the team since they drafted him 11th overall in 2015. Turner is the longest-tenured Pacer and has been with the team through thick and thin. Furthermore, he is arguably a top-10 center in the league who has developed a lot since his rookie season. However, he is not untouchable for one reason--he is a free agent next year.
Last year, Turner and the Pacers agreed to a two-year, $40.9 million contract extension. Due to the nature of two-year contracts in the NBA, the two sides cannot agree to another contract until the current one expires, which is set to do so at the end of the 2024-25 season.
The big man will hit unrestricted free agency next summer. While it seems likely he will return to the team, a lot can happen before the end of next season. Though it would not make sense from a basketball perspective, there is a world where the Pacers may have to trade Turner if they fear he might leave the team next summer.
Outside of this one problem, however, the Pacers have no reason to move on from Turner. He is the perfect center to play alongside Siakam as they complement each other incredibly well on both sides of the ball. Furthermore, he is a fan favorite and seems to enjoy Indiana.
Currently, the Pacers are extremely thin at center outside of Turner. Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman, who the team signed this summer, are both question marks. Chances are that the Pacers cannot rely on either player to be their everyday starting center if it comes down to it. This, in addition to Turner's borderline elite playstyle, makes him as close to irreplaceable as anyone else on the team.