The Indiana Pacers have no realistic hopes of making the NBA Finals this season. Those dreams were dashed last month, when All-Star guard Victor Oladipo was lost for the remainder of 2018-19 after suffering a ruptured quad tendon in his right leg. Instead of succumbing to the realities associated with his absence, though, the Pacers have made a concerted effort to improve their roster leading up to Thursday afternoon's trade deadline.

Who does general manager Kevin Pritchard have his eye on next? The same player all playoff teams in need of shooting, defense, and depth in the backcourt hope to sign after his seemingly imminent buyout, veteran guard Wes Matthews.

Matthews was acquired by the New York Knicks from the Dallas Mavericks as part of last week's blockbuster trade involving Kristaps Porzingis. The writing was on the wall for his time in New York even before the trade was officially completed: The Knicks have no interest in being competitive for the season's remainder as they hope for lottery luck, and Matthews, on the last year of $70 million contract, would surely sacrifice some cash to reach a buyout with his new team and hit the free-agent market.

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It makes sense that Indiana would be interested in signing him given the void in the backcourt created by Oladipo's injury. If Matthews prioritizes playing time over everything else, Indiana would be a good choice for him, too. But the 10-year veteran has never won a championship, and the opportunity to be a part of contending team's rotation could mean more to him in the long run than a playing slightly larger role for the Pacers.

Only time will tell. First thing's first, though: Matthews still must reach terms on a buyout with the Knicks.