As the Indiana Pacers continue their regular season and push to the playoffs, the front office is worried about the upcoming offseason. Indiana has some big questions this summer, with the biggest one being the future of center Myles Turner.
Turner is scheduled to be a free agent this summer and many have speculated that he could leave the organization. While the two sides would love to stay together, money tends to talk when it comes to free agency.
But if Turner is going to leave the Pacers this summer, Indiana could look into the possibility of executing a sign-and-trade for him. This would allow the Pacers to get something in return for one of their more valuable assets.
In this new trade proposal from Eddie Bitar of Fadeaway World, Turner is dealt to the Atlanta Hawks. This proposed deal would give the Pacers a nice return, even with their star center departing.
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Myles Turner (Sign-and-Trade)
Indiana Pacers Receive: Onyeka Okongwu, Terance Mann, 2030 First-Round Pick (ATL)
"For the Pacers, getting Onyeka Okongwu back makes this deal interesting. Okongwu is younger, cheaper, and has shown flashes of being a switchable defender who can protect the rim. Terance Mann’s inclusion feels like a throw-in, but his toughness and playoff experience can’t be overlooked. The 2030 first-round pick gives Indiana some additional long-term flexibility, which is always a plus for a team that’s stuck in the middle."
Indiana would much rather keep Turner but this deal could be interesting if they executed it. The Pacers would receive a future first-round draft pick, giving them some extra capital down the line.
The team would also land an intriguing player in Okongwu who has stepped up his game heavily this season. For the year, Okongwu has averaged 12.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game.
Indiana would receive a decent package with this return, getting something rather than nothing for losing Turner. It remains to be seen how this will all shake out but the talk of Turner leaving won't end until he has a new deal from the Pacers.
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