Victor Oladipo – Guard – Indiana Pacers
While Victor Oladipo has had a strong start to the season, the Indiana Pacers did not offer him a contract extension last year and may not be willing to commit to him long-term given his injury struggles over the years. Oladipo is finally healthy and back on the court after a year long hiatus due to a torn quad tendon and his health moving forward is definitely a yellow flag.
Indiana has lost in the first-round of the playoffs for five consecutive seasons and if things are not looking better near midseason, Oladipo is definitely a guy that is expendable to the Pacers.
Not only can Oladipo be a high-volume scorer if he remains healthy, but he was a NBA All-Star not too long ago. In back-to-back seasons from 2017-2019, Oladipo was named an All-Star and brings a lot to the table in terms of offensive efficiency.
Not only do his prior All-Star appearances make him an intriguing target for the Bulls, but his ability to play with or without the ball in his hands makes him valuable as well. Next to Zach LaVine and Coby White, the Bulls would have three very reliable guys in their back-court that they could count on and they would have that “second guy” they could lean on for support.
Of course, it would be a significant risk for the Bulls to trade for Oladipo, a guy who has only played in 130 games the last three seasons due to injuries. But, the rewards definitely outweigh the risks in this trade scenario as he has proven so far this season that he can still play at a high level.
In eight games for the Pacers, Victor Oladipo has averaged 19.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and is shooting 39.7% from three-point range, which if the season ended today, would be the best he has ever shot from beyond-the-arc.
His leadership characteristics and pure scoring abilities are what makes him the best “big name” trade target for Chicago, a team that has struggled on the offensive end of the court over the years. Acquiring Victor Oladipo definitely puts the Bulls in playoff contention this season and moving forward could give them the duo they need to contend for future championships.
