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Time is running out for teams around the NBA to make trade moves as the NBA trade deadline is on Thursday at 3:00 PM ET. The Indiana Pacers made a move before the deadline as they are trading Buddy Field to the Philadelphia 76ers for Marcus Morris. With the deadline nearing, we knew that something would be coming, we just didn't know what the Pacers would do. Now we know, but there is still time for more to go down before the deadline hits this afternoon. Who knows if the Pacers will be involved in anything else, but there are still a lot of things that could affect them. Every trade move in the NBA has a ripple effect, and any team could be affected by it.
The Pacers are having a pretty good season so far as they are currently 29-23 on the season and right in the thick of the playoff conversation. If the season ended today, they would be the #6 seed in the Eastern Conference, and they would be in the playoffs. So, as the trade deadline and the All-Star break approaches, the Pacers want to be able to keep the key parts of their roster together, but they also don't want to see other contenders make any huge moves that drastically impacts the playoff race. Lastly, the Pacers want to stay healthy.
Our own Sonny Giuliano recently broke down the four things that the Pacers DO want to happen as the trade deadline approaches. Before we get into the nightmare scenario, let's take a look at what Indiana should be rooting for. The first of four scenarios is a healthy Tyrese Haliburton.
“Though this isn't necessarily a part of the “dream scenario” for the Pacers at the trade deadline, without a healthy Tyrese Haliburton, it doesn't matter what Indiana does over the course of the next four days. They could pull 1994 Reggie Miller out of a time machine and it wouldn't improve their standing anymore than a healthy Haliburton would. After suffering a scary-looking hamstring injury in a home loss to the Boston Celtics on January 8th, the Pacers All-Star point guard missed ten games. Only recently has Haliburton made a return to the court, on a minutes restriction that he has recently voiced his frustrations with. Even more frustrating for Haliburton and Pacers fans alike is that due to his absence, we've seen just a microscopic sample size of Haliburton and Siakam sharing the court together. Those two need to play as many minutes as possible together before Indiana gets to the Playoffs. Haliburton is averaging 22.8 points per game on 49-40-87 shooting splits, plus a league-leading 12.0 assists per game. He's been the catalyst of the Pacers playing at breakneck speed and putting forth the highest offensive rating in NBA history. It's impossible to overstate his importance to this team.”
Like we previously mentioned, the Pacers also don't want any other contenders making any big moves and creating a gap between them and Indiana.
“A successful trade deadline for the Pacers doesn't necessarily mean that Indiana has to make another potentially franchise altering deal in 2024. It could just mean that the teams above them in the standings — as of right now, those teams are Boston, Milwaukee, Cleveland, New York and Philadelphia — stand pat, failing to make a significant upgrade to their rosters. With the recent injuries to Joel Embiid and Julius Randle, it's possible that the 76ers and Knicks, both whom were rumored to be among the buyers at the trade deadline, will instead opt to play it more conservatively. Cleveland has playing well as of late, but with Donovan Mitchell's uncertain future lingering over the Cavaliers, my guess is they won't do anything all that significant either.The two best teams in the conference are Boston and Milwaukee — I should note that Indiana beat both the Celtics and the Bucks on their way to the In-Season Tournament Final — and in all likelihood, any roster upgrades for either of those two teams will come via the buyout market.”
The Pacers also needed to make one reasonable deal, and they already got that done with the Buddy Hield trade. Pacers fans can put a check next to that.
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“Among the players who have been rumored to be available leading up to the trade deadline, the deal that makes the most sense for Indiana comes in the form of a reunion with former Indiana Pacer, Bojan Bogdanovic. Bogdanovic has been toiling away, averaging 20 points per game for a miserable Detroit Pistons team. The 34-year-old doesn't fit their timeline at all, and even though he's not a perfect fit in Indiana in that regard, bringing Bogdanovic in for the remainder of his two-year deal could be a nice get for the Pacers.The salaries work for a hypothetical Buddy Hield for Bojan Bogdanovic deal, and for both sides, it seems to make sense. Indiana gets a bigger wing who, like Pascal Siakam, has legitimate postseason experience with Indiana, Washington and Utah. Additionally, Bogdanovic is shooting a career best 43% from three-point range, better than 31-year-old sharp-shooter Buddy Hield is this year. Why not add a little more firepower if you can? From the Pistons perspective, Hield's expiring contract will come off the books at season's end. If the Pacers have to throw in a couple of 2nd round picks to sweeten the deal in order make it happen, so be it. This is a winning move.”
Lastly, the Pacers could try to make a huge move, but this is a little bit less likely, especially after their recent trade.
“What if Indiana were to gauge Brooklyn's interest in a deal for Mikal Bridges? The Nets are in no-man's land, and they could get a bountiful haul for Bridges, the key piece that came back in the deal with the Suns that sent Kevin Durant to Phoenix.League sources have indicated that the Nets believe they could get as many as five first-round picks for Bridges. That's an absolutely insane price to pay for a guy who hasn't made an All-Star team. But just for poops and giggles, what if Indiana were to offer something along the lines of Buddy Hield's expiring contract, Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker, an unprotected 2028 1st round pick, and a top-five protected 2030 1st round pick for Bridges and Dorian Finney-Smith?”
Pacers' nightmare scenario
So, what is the nightmare scenario for the Pacers? The nightmare scenario for the Pacers would be for Haliburton to get re-injured before the trade deadline, or even the All-Star break, and a team ahead of them is the Eastern Conference is involved in a blockbuster trade that gives them another star and makes them better. Starting with Haliburton, as the All-Star break approaches, it's crucial for him to make it to that point healthy. He could then rest up for over a week and that would be a great opportunity for him to hit the reset button. The Pacers need him healthy.
In terms of another team being involved in a big trade, each team's dream/nightmare scenarios for the trade deadline don't always have to involve them. Like it was said earlier, every trade has a ripple effect, and the Pacers don't want to see the ones that are going to negatively impact them. There are just a few hours to go, but trades are starting to happen left and right. Will the Pacers survive until 3:00 and avoid a contender getting better?
