Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: F Talen Horton-Tucker, 2023 Second-Round Pick (LAL), 2024 Second-Round Pick (LAL)
Indiana Pacers Receive: G Luguentz Dort, C Derrick Favors, G Kendrick Nunn, F Stanley Johnson
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Buddy Hield
Luguentz Dort is an immediate upgrade over Buddy Hield. The fact that he’s seven years younger is a bonus here for the Indiana Pacers.
True, he’s not as lethal as a three-point sniper. He’s also an upper echelon perimeter defender, an area of weakness for Hield. This trade seems perfect for a team like the Pacers. They’re swapping an older player for a younger, better one. That’s rebuilding on the fly for you.
Meanwhile, the Thunder stay loyal to their organizational philosophy here as well. They’re oppositely approaching their rebuild as the Pacers by embracing the long game.
With this deal, they make marginal additions to their increasingly large treasure trove of draft picks while taking a gamble on a younger player.
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Finally, the Lakers get their guy. They should be able to replace Nunn and Johnson on minimum deals in free agency. Swapping Horton-Tucker for Hield is a no-brainer, with James still playing at an exceptional level. This trade doesn’t solve all of their problems, but it is a step in the right direction.
Given the season they just completed, that’s something they desperately need.
