Why The Indiana Pacers Do The Deal
As with many NBA trades, there’s a little fat to cut here before we get to the meat of the deal.
Danilo Gallinari is strictly a salary matcher here. As a veteran, he’s of no interest to Indiana. Moreover, even if he was, he’s expected to miss most of 2022-23 with an injury. He’s only involved in this transaction to make the money work.
Meanwhile, Sam Hauser simply hasn’t proven enough to be regarded as a serious part of this deal. In essence, the Pacers are flipping Turner for Grant Williams, Payton Pritchard and a lightly protected first-round pick.
That feels like great value for this club. Williams, at 24, is a particularly exciting addition to a rebuilding club. He’s a great defensive forward who can cover multiple positions and reliably stretch the floor on the other end of the floor. Meanwhile, Pritchard is a solid, game-managing floor general and borderline elite three-point shooter as well.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers & Boston Celtics Updates
Of course, the first-round pick doesn’t hurt the package either. It’s top-5 protected – Williams and Pritchard justify some light protection on the Celtics’ end. Still, it’s exceedingly likely to convey. Should Boston really part with it?
