Given how few teams are projected to have cap space this upcoming offseason, we could see a ton of trades in the NBA. Trades will be the only avenue numerous teams have to upgrade their rosters so that we can see plenty of movement this summer.
One of the teams that people will be keeping a close eye on is the Indiana Pacers. Indiana was very active ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline and could be again this summer.
The team wants to rebuild the roster, but they won’t be going to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets’ lengths. Instead, they may look to swap out some older players for younger ones to slash some salary but remain competitive at the same time.
Buddy Hield is one of the players who could be on the move for Indiana this offseason. He was acquired along with Tyrese Haliburton and Tristan Thompson from the Sacramento Kings in the deal that sent Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, and Justin Holiday out west.
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Hield is one of the best high-volume 3-point shooters in the NBA, but there is a chance that he is on the move again this offseason. There was speculation that the Pacers could look to flip him again before the deadline, but nothing materialized. With Haliburton, Chris Duarte, and Malcolm Brogdon capable of holding down the backcourt, there may not be room for Hield, who is better suited as a shooting guard than a small forward.
One suggested landing spot for Hield this summer is the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota has had an incredible 2021-22 season and it has translated to early playoff success. After making it through the NBA play-in tournament, they hold a 1-0 series lead over the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round.
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In the proposed deal, Hield would head to the Minnesota Timberwolves and T.J. McConnell in exchange for Malik Beasley, Josh Okogie, and Jordan McLaughlin. This is a deal that could benefit both sides.
Minnesota is already the most prolific 3-point shooting team in the league, leading the NBA in makes and attempts per game. But, they were only 13th in 3-point percentage, which Hield would help improve. However, the most significant addition for Minnesota is McConnell, who could step right into the role Patrick Beverley has been holding down should he not re-sign this offseason.
McConnell is one of the best backup point guards in the NBA. Despite coming off the bench during his tenure with the Pacers, he has proven to be one of the best playmakers and a pest defensively, ranking near the top of the league in steals.
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They are saving money by trading Buddy Hield for the Indiana Pacers and are getting younger with Malik Beasley and Okogie on the wing. Beasley has shown that he can be a great spark plug as a scoring option, which Indiana could use more of. Okogie is an intriguing defensive-minded wing that would have a chance at more playing time in Indiana than he is receiving in Minnesota.
