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The Indiana Pacers are in a dire spot right now. They only have 12 wins in 28 games played, far from what was expected from this roster. This team has a lot of good pieces, but things are simply not working in their favor. Injuries, internal struggles, and the East becoming more competitive all contributed to the poor first quarter of the season for Indiana.
All of this culminated in reports by the Atheltic's Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz that the Pacers are willing to trade Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, and Caris LeVert. Here is who the Pacers must pursue before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.
Pacers trade targets
Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets)
This might be an optimistic one, but Irving might be the perfect trade target for the Pacers. Irving is out right now due to his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine that is currently mandated for all sporting events in the state of New York. After a lot of speculation, coach Steve Nash confirmed that Irving will not be with the team as long as he is not vaccinated, which includes away games in which he could feature. This has put a serious strain on the Nets championship hopes and devalued Irving in all possible trade talks.
That devaluation of Irving is the prime reason why the Pacers simply must chase Uncle Drew by all means. Rarely does a player of Irving's quality come up in trade talks, and it is unprecedented that he can be available for pennies on a dollar. The second biggest reason is that Irving would be the best player that Indiana can get in the entire NBA for the three players they made available. Simply said, all other teams will seriously undervalue all of their talent since they are now widely known to be available for trades.
Irving brings a lot of uncertainty, that part is true. However, the Pacers have a very stable culture and that is part of the reason why the recent report surprised many people. Not many damaging reports usually come out of the Pacers and they are usually seen as one of the most stable franchises in the league. An Irving trade might be a move that goes against that tradition in Indiana, but looking at the situation pragmatically, it is the only move that makes sense in terms of trade returns. Anything else simply brings them picks that might or might not pan out or players that would need work and time.
Additionally, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has always been able to make the most out of any situation. He could bring out the best in Irving, who clearly lacks guidance and a stern hand. Both Sean Marks and Steve Nash, with respect to both, do not have enough behind them in terms of front office and coaching experience to bring that out of Irving. Carlisle has a title with the Mavericks, and overall a rich resume that puts a lot of weight behind his actions and words. There is no doubt that Irving still has a lot in his tank and the Pacers can utilize that for a reduced cost.
De'Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings)
If the Pacers want to go the more secure route, Fox is the answer. Now, in Fox's place, you can place any of the guards in the Kings rotation. The Kings have three guards with All-Star potential in Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, and Buddy Hield, and they all want to be the first option. Even Davion Mitchell has flashed a ton of potential in the 26 games he featured in. One will have to go by the trade deadline, or at least by the start of next season. The Pacers should really go all out to target Fox.
Fox is now playing his fifth season in the league and while it has not materialized in any accolades, he has had a great NBA career. He is now averaging around 21 points and five assists per game, with shooting splits of 44.6/27.5/74.5. The splits do not look good, but they fail to show how much Fox can impact the game outside of pure shooting. He was never a good three-point shooter but Fox does many other things to compensate. The Pacers could use his blistering speed and ability to increase the pace of the game to their advantage.
Generally, the Pacers harbor a specific way of playing basketball and that is really unique in the NBA. Fox kind of goes against that, as he is more chaotic and fast, while the Pacers historically play a slower, more methodical brand of basketball. However, if they really want a reset, Fox is exactly the way to go. If the aim is to change up what is not working, he would be the best possible start for that.
Of course, as it was stated above, any of the guards mentioned would be great for the Pacers. Hield would bring an element of shooting and lead offensively in a manner more suited for the modern NBA, while Haliburton would be a prospect for the future who can bring stability now. However, Fox simply makes the most sense and he would finally be able to be coached in the proper way by a veteran coach with championship experience.
