The Indiana Pacers have been one of the more pleasant surprises in the NBA during the 2023-24 regular season. They shocked everyone, going undefeated in pool play of the NBA In-Season Tournament and advancing to the championship, where they were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers.
With a 13-8 record, the Pacers are right in the thick of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Given the mix of youth and experience on the roster, they were a team that some people thought could vault up the standings this season.
To this point, they have certainly lived up to those expectations. But, if they want to remain one of the top teams in the conference, it wouldn’t hurt to seek out some upgrades for the roster. Indiana has a star in the making in the backcourt with point guard Tyrese Haliburton that they should be looking to build around.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: New York Knicks DeMar DeRozan, Tyrese Haliburton, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers Updates
Who could the team look to target? In the opinion of Michael Saenz of Sir Charles in Charge on the FanSided Network, DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls is someone that Indiana should consider.
“Even though it may not be a seamless fit, I don’t think it would be wise for the Indiana Pacers to completely count out the possibility of exploring a trade for DeMar DeRozan. If the Chicago Bulls do move forward with their rebuild, DeRozan is a player who is probably second in line to be traded behind Zach LaVine. While LaVine is certainly the bigger name at this point in his career, DeRozan may be the player that teams value more.
If the Pacers are looking for a professional scorer to come in and take some of the pressure off of Tyrese Haliburton, DeRozan could be a good candidate to help on that front. If the Pacers are looking for more of a rental situation in an attempt to get them to the offseason to make a potentially bigger deal, a move for DeRozan wouldn’t be that bad,” wrote Saenz.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: New York Knicks DeMar DeRozan, Tyrese Haliburton, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers Updates
Acquiring DeRozan would be a solid move for the Pacers as it would help them in the present. DeRozan is a proven scorer who can be the go-to guy on the wing but is also capable of being a complimentary player.
Given the spacing that center Myles Turner provides, the mid-range game of DeRozan shouldn’t clog things up too much. He also has experience playing power forward from his time with the San Antonio Spurs, providing head coach Rick Carlisle with another versatile chess piece should they opt to downsize and play small ball.
Despite the struggles of the Bulls this season, DeRozan is still having a solid campaign. He is averaging 22.6 points, 5.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.7 blocks in 35.9 minutes per game. His efficiency would certainly improve playing alongside a point guard of Haliburton’s caliber and being part of a potential playoff race could be rejuvenating after some tough stretches in Chicago.
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