The Indiana Pacers may be coming off a tremendous playoff campaign, even reaching the NBA Finals, but their outlook for the upcoming season seems bleak. With the likes of Tyrese Haliburton sidelined for the season and Myles Turner moving to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Pacers feature a significantly weakened roster.
The circumstances are poor. With the likelihood of a rebuild on the horizon, the team may be forced to part ways with some key players. As bad as this situation is, Indiana can still look to make the most of it.
We present a potential trade idea that allows the Pacers to bring back some talented developmental pieces for the future, while offloading a major contract. In a three-team trade idea with the San Antonio Spurs and the Brooklyn Nets, we explore how each team wins and gains an opportunity to succeed in the future.
Proposed Trade Details
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Pascal Siakam
Indiana Pacers Receive: Nic Claxton, Jeremy Sochan, 2026 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Devin Vassell, 2029 first-round pick
The San Antonio Spurs Form Their Big Three
The San Antonio Spurs have made some great additions to their team in the offseason. To an already talented roster, the Spurs have added young talent in the form of their rookies, Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant.
The Spurs are an impressive team. With a solid backcourt in place, San Antonio only needs to provide support to Victor Wembanyama in the frontcourt, and the addition of Pascal Siakam could do exactly that.
Siakam is coming off a terrific playoff run, having won the ECF MVP award as well. The forward's two-way ability has been reflected throughout his career, even helping him be a key role player during the Toronto Raptors' title charge.
In the event of this trade going through, Siakam would replace Harrison Barnes in the starting lineup. Siakam's averages of 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists overshadow Barnes' averages. While also considering that the forward had received an All-Star nod last season, San Antonio would find a lot of value in acquiring another star to complete their "Big Three".
Siakam's durability, championship experience, and veteran leadership would all be key intangible elements that would increase his value. With the Spurs on the verge of becoming a playoff side in the West, the addition of the forward could help them transcend into becoming title contenders.
The Indiana Pacers Remain Competitive
The Indiana Pacers are a debilitated side with two of their key players out of the roster, one of whom won't even return to the team. While this trade would guarantee that another star would leave, it would also allow the team to add some developmental pieces that would allow the team to remain competitive.
The addition of Nic Claxton and Jeremy Sochan is not to be underplayed. The two players could make for a solid frontcourt pairing in Indiana, especially when Haliburton is back with the team.
Claxton has garnered a lot of interest from teams this offseason, primarily due to his athleticism and rim-protection ability. His averages of 10.3 points and 7.4 assists to go with 1.4 blocks per game are bound to improve in a system like Indiana's, where he'd have more opportunities to be relevant.
Meanwhile, Sochan also boasts tremendous upside as a forward. His defensive ability has already been proven, but his gradual development as a threat on the offensive side of the ball could be worth investing in.
Last season, the 22-year-old recorded an average of 11.4 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 53.5% from the field and 30.8% from three-point range. His efficiency near the rim far overshadows his perimeter shooting, but the consistent improvement in his three-point shot could be of value in Indiana's system.
It is highly unlikely that these two players would be able to produce at the same clip as Siakam and Turner. To sweeten the deal a little more, the Pacers would thus receive two first-round picks from San Antonio, potentially top-10 protected. This would allow Indiana to build through the draft as well, adding key assets to surround Haliburton and become a competitive team again.
The Brooklyn Nets Acquire A Rising Star
This trade may not do much for the Brooklyn Nets in transforming them as a team, but it does give them some key assets to keep building for the future. One of these assets is Spurs guard Devin Vassell, who could be perceived as a rising star.
At 24 years old, Vassell has shown a lot of potential in developing into a legitimate offensive threat. Unfortunately, his stats don't reflect this, primarily owed to reduced playing time.
Last season, Vassell averaged 16.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. These are impressive figures when also considering his shooting splits of 44.3% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc.
With the Nets, the 24-year-old would have the opportunity to share the backcourt with an extremely talented offensive player in Cam Thomas.
The Nets' guard combo could make for a potent offensive threat against most defensive units in the league. When also considering that Brooklyn acquired Michael Porter Jr. via trade recently, the Nets certainly have some gifted offensive players.
In addition to the guard's arrival, the Nets would also receive a future first-round pick courtesy of the Spurs. When considering how Brooklyn made use of their picks in this year's draft, it is hard to determine how they would approach the same situation in the future. Regardless, the possession of draft assets is always beneficial in trade negotiations.
The Indiana Pacers Are Likely To Enter A Rebuild
The upcoming season is likely to be a bit of a shock to Indiana fans, especially those who jumped onto the bandwagon as the Pacers made their rise through the East.
A tumultuous series of events will likely see the Pacers in the bottom half of the league, at least with Haliburton out of the rotation. In many ways, next season will be a gap year for the team, one they'd prefer to forget or overlook.
Thus, focusing on a rebuild by taking stock of their resources and shoring up in weak areas would be advised. In a weakened Eastern Conference, however, anything is possible. Considering how well the team has performed even in adverse circumstances, it is truly difficult to count the Pacers out.
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