Does this trade make sense for the Indiana Pacers?
Nobody really knows what the Indiana Pacers are planning on doing this season, but it is looking more and more likely that they are not going to have the same roster they do now at the end of the season.
Currently 10-16, the Pacers continue to sink down in the Eastern Conference standings and while there is a lot of basketball yet to be played, it is hard to imagine that this team will make the playoffs. Between injuries and chemistry problems, this team just does not have the right personnel to be a threat anymore, which is why a rebuild is their only path to success.
Malcolm Brogdon is under contract long-term, so he is not going to be on the move, but trading away Domantas Sabonis while his value is at its highest could make some sense. He does have two more years left on his contract after this season, but there may not be a better time for the Pacers to capitalize on his trade value.
Since the start of the 2019-20 season, Sabonis has averaged 19.6 points, 12.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists and has shot 54.5% from the floor, making him one of the most diverse players at the power-forward position in the entire NBA.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Teams To Watch For In Pacers’ Domantas Sabonis Trade Talks
Kind of like a “point-forward” at times, he is able to do a lot to help his team win games, but in Indiana, his upside is limited. Moving guys like Turner and LeVert instead could help make Domantas Sabonis a better long-term building block for the Pacers, but the value they get in this trade is too much to pass up on.
Theo Maledon, Darius Bazley and Kenrich Williams can all play right now and in addition to being young pieces to help this franchise build for the future with, the Pacers also get two first-round picks, in 2023 and 2024.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Teams To Watch For In Pacers’ Domantas Sabonis Trade Talks
This would give the Pacers five total first-round picks through 2024 and plenty of opportunities to build a young, sustainable core for the future. If the Indiana Pacers truly want to rebuild, then the Thunder are definitely the first team they should try and call to acquire future assets.
