Would this trade make sense for the Indiana Pacers?
When the Indiana Pacers announced that they were going to sell the majority of their assets, most people assumed that signaled a rebuild. However, the Pacers have been on record saying that they don’t believe in tanking, so will that truly be the case?
This trade would allow them to remain competitive in the East by adding a borderline All-Star-level talent. Gordon Hayward may not be playing at the level he has in years past, but he’s still a talented, versatile, efficient scorer.
Hayward’s all-around game fits the mold of the type of basketball the Pacers play. He would immediately be inserted into the starting lineup, creating a nice big three of Malcolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis, and himself.
PJ Washington would be a nice young asset for the Indiana Pacers, too. He’s shown the ability to be a quality stretch four (or small-ball five), and he could even start next to Sabonis in the frontcourt. Indiana wouldn’t be rebuilding, but instead retooling.
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This sort of change would be a very Indiana-esque move. As mentioned, they don’t like the idea of tanking, so getting quality assets that would help them remain competitive makes sense.
Plus, they just hired Rick Carlisle this offseason, so they almost certainly don’t want to waste his talent on a rebuild.
