Indiana Pacers Receive: C Steven Adams, 2023 First-Round Pick (MEM)

Memphis Grizzles Receive: C Myles Turner

As the NBA game continues to evolve, perhaps nobody has changed as much with it as the big man.

For a long time, bigs were largely expected to roam the paint on both ends of the floor. The logic was simple: if you’re one of the tallest players on the floor, you should try to score close to the basket.

Eventually, NBA teams realized that big men who could shoot threes stretched defenses out, creating easier driving lanes for their guards. From that realization came another development: big men who could defend the perimeter.

After all, their primary assignments were often operating from there. Jaren Jackson Jr. is the embodiment of the modern big: he’s a willing (if not always capable) three-point shooter, and he can defend inside and out at a high level.

LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Will Indiana Pacers, Myles Turner Get Contract Extension Done?

Turner does space the floor. Defensively, he’s an elite drop coverage big, and while he’s not as switchable as Jackson Jr., he’s competent in that area as well. Is he worth a first-round pick to the Grizzlies?