The Indiana Pacers have been one of the breakout teams of the NBA this season. They forced their way into the NBA national lexicon with Tyrese Haliburton's sheer brilliance and their success in the In-Season Tournament. But things have been shaky since then. The Pacers are only 3-6 in their last nine games after starting the season 13-8.

The reason for that? Defense.

Indiana boasts the NBA's most potent offense this season, scoring at a blistering 121.8 points per 100 possessions. But they give it nearly all back on the other end, with a defensive rating of 121. They're tied for second-to-last in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets and trails only the Washington Wizards.

The Pacers really need help on that end at the trade deadline and should absolutely look for it. The question then becomes, who can the Pacers realistically acquire that will help on that front? A few predictions are to be made on that front.

The Indiana Pacers don't trade for Pascal Siakam

Pascal Siakam in Pacers jersey

The Pacers have shown interest in both Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors, via Shams Charania of The Athletic. The Pacers need help defending on the wing more than anything, so it would make sense that they'd be after these two.

But Pascal Siakam might not make as much sense for the Pacers. Siakam can defend, but that is not exactly where his bread is buttered. Siakam's best known for his shot creation on offense.

While he could make for a nice fit next to Tyrese Haliburton and could potentially be deployed as a role man more frequently than he is in Toronto, it might not be best for the Pacers to package their goods for someone who may not solve their most glaring need. Siakam could certainly help and thrive in Indiana, but he doesn't seem like the move for the Pacers to make at this moment in time.

The Indiana Pacers do trade for OG Anunoby

If the Pacers decide to go all out and make a big trade, OG Anunoby is the player they should target. He would be a seamless fit anywhere, but especially so in Indiana. Anunoby is a career 37.5% shooter from deep; for comparison's sake, Siakam shoots just 32.1%. Anunoby is not the scorer or shot creator that Siakam is, but he does have a strong slashing game that could be a nice complement to the pace-and-space style that Indiana deploys.

Anunoby fixes a lot of problems for the Pacers defensively. He is one of the best wing defenders in the NBA and has the credentials to back it up. Last season, he was named to the All-Defensive Second-Team and was also the steals leader. Not only is he sturdy at 6-7 240-pounds but he is nimble on his feet, which allows him to guard just about anybody on the floor.

The Pacers have all of their draft picks to their disposal as well as the least favorable first-round pick between the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, or Utah Jazz. They also have rookie Jarace Walker, who could develop into that wing-stopper the Pacers need but isn't there yet. The Pacers have the goods to make a big trade happen. Anunoby is the one they should do it for.