Indiana Pacers Receive: G Nickeil Alexander-Walker, F Juancho Hernangomez

Utah Jazz Receive: TJ Warren (via sign-and-trade)

The names in this deal don’t jump off of the screen – this isn’t a superstar trade, admittedly. However, this is a swap of players who have flashed legitimate potential, and could be a low-risk, high-reward move for both teams.

TJ Warren is an interesting player. The forward hasn’t stepped on an NBA floor since December 29th, 2020. Warren has spent his time ever since recovering from a foot injury. With so much time off, Warren is now fully healed, and reports indicated he could have made a return for Indiana this season, had the stakes warranted it.

Despite his long absence, Warren has flashed the ability to be a go-to scorer for a team. In the NBA’s bubble, Warren shined, averaging 31 points per game in the return-to-play games. Warren showed his potential as a volume shooter from three, while leveraging that threat to create shots inside the arc.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker, or NAW, as he has been referred to in his career, is another player who has shown flashes of scoring potential. NAW began his career in New Orleans, before being moved in their acquisition of CJ McCollum.

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NAW saw limited minutes in New Orleans, but frequently shined when given a starting opportunity. With only 35 career starts, NAW has 5 30+ point games to his name, a sign that he can score when given the chance.

Juancho Hernangomez has played for five teams in his six-year NBA career. No stranger to being traded, Hernangomez would be a quality roleplayer as an addition for Indiana.