The Only realistic way the Pacers could acquire OG Anunoby
By Ryan Stano
Editor's Note: This article was originally published with the premise that the Pacers could free up the cap space to acquire OG Anunoby with the headline, 'The Pacers now have a chance at a big free agent thanks to Knicks trade.' It's been determined there isn't a realistic option for that to happen, so changes have been made in this article to reflect that.
The Indiana Pacers are in need of a third star. They need one to complement Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam if they want to make a run at a championship. It's something that they need to discuss as free agency approaches and how they want to acquire a third star.
They are looking for a guy who is either a star already or on the verge of being one. A defensive-minded wing is exactly what they covet to improve them on that side of the court.
OG Anunoby fits that description to a T. He is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA and is a capable scorer as well. When he was healthy, the Knicks went on a 20-5 tear with him in the lineup. The issue with him has always been health. He's a free agent now, and the Knicks just made a blockbuster move that could be replacing him.
How OG Anunoby could become a Pacer after the big Knicks trade
With the Knicks trading Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick, and some second-round picks for Mikal Bridges, Anunoby could be on his way out of New York. Despite trading for him in the middle of the season, he may no longer have a place on the roster.
If that is the case, the Pacers could be the beneficiary, but it would have to be through a sign-and-trade. Factoring in Pascal Siakam's contract and the new salary cap projection, there's no way the Pacers could free up the cap space to sign OG outright unless he were to sign for $12.8 million or less using the non-tax-paying MLE. The latter isn't going to happen, so seeking a trade is the only real shot.
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This deal has wide implications throughout the NBA. The Pacers could end up being another team that wins in this scenario.