Why The Indiana Pacers Do The Deal

There are several different ways to approach rebuilding in the NBA. This trade has the Utah Jazz going the most conventional route: scrap everything and start over.

Something tells us the Indiana Pacers won’t take that approach. By “something”, we mean team president Kevin Pritchard. He’s been clear that this organization is not interested in tanking.

If that’s the case, acquiring quality young players where they can is the most viable route. In fact, the Pacers already started down it by swapping Domantas Sabonis for Tyrese Haliburton at last year’s trade deadline.

Here, they’re landing a recent number one pick at the cost of 27-year-old Myles Turner. Granted, that’s a generous way to frame it: if Ayton was playing up to the standards of a number one pick, the Suns would have already retained him.

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Of course, that’s their fault for picking when they did. Ayton is still a high lottery-level talent. Adding him to their core would be a smart decision for the Indiana Pacers this summer.