Why The Indiana Pacers Make The Trade

Parting with two draft picks in the first summer of a rebuild defies conventional wisdom. It also feels like something the Indiana Pacers would consider.

As we’ve mentioned, they tend to resist long-term rebuilds. As a small-market team, they need butts in the seats. Player development doesn’t tend to put them there.

This deal helps the Pacers remain competitive. It should result in an instant turnover. Haliburton and Beal make for one of the most talented young backcourts in the NBA. With a little tinkering, the Pacers could put together a playoff-bound group just one year after triggering a rebuild.

Most observers probably don’t expect a deal like this. If Beal is traded, a popular sentiment probably lands him with the 76ers, Celtics, or another contender. Still, nothing precludes the Indiana Pacers from getting competitive again quickly.

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In fact, it’s probably what we should have predicted for them in the first place.