Pacers trade rumors & speculation thread

[Pacers Forever]

Buddy is playing his way out of interest to contenders.

Eh, they know what he brings. And he’s historically always played well when he’s new somewhere.

Yeah. Something has happened to him this year, and it is a drastic change. Maybe being demoted to the bench is playing with his psyche? He just isn't himself this year.

Speaking of being off Klay Thompson tonight was 4-19 from the field and 2-13 from 3. He’s seemed to struggle shooting. Maybe it’s injury related. I saw this guy torch the Pacers for 44-48 points in Indy one year at a game we attended.

[Wizop]

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[Scoot McGroot]

Yeah, Okoro makes sense for Indy, but Obi Toppin makes infinitely less sense for Cleveland? They've already got Mobley, Allen, Niang, and Wade at the 4/5 positions for multiple years that they're likely going to just look for Tristan Thompson's and Damian Jones's of the world to backfill them?

Otherwise, Okoro seems like the next Nesmith, in a way. He's a tremendous defender, and is starting to shoot a good percentage from 3, though he's doing it on pretty low volume for a wing? I just think that Cleveland would be happy to ride out restricted free agency with him and hope to get him to sign a Nesmith like multi-year deal?

[Wizop]

Yeah, Okoro makes sense for Indy, but Obi Toppin makes infinitely less sense for Cleveland?

I can't see Obi for Okoro as we don't need to get smaller. the dollars do work though. Hield makes much more and a second player would need to be in the deal and I'm not seeing one in Cleveland.

[Scoot McGroot]

Yeah, Okoro makes sense for Indy, but Obi Toppin makes infinitely less sense for Cleveland?

I can't see Obi for Okoro as we don't need to get smaller. the dollars do work though. Hield makes much more and a second player would need to be in the deal and I'm not seeing one in Cleveland.

I also don't see Hield filling a hole there in Cleveland, as Merrill has played VERY well in the same type of role that Hield would fill.

If anything, seems like the only chances to work here are a 3 way? Otherwise, I'm sure Indy would have interest in Niang or Wade, along with Okoro in a Buddy package. But at what cost?

[JMaster5K]

Yeah, Okoro makes sense for Indy, but Obi Toppin makes infinitely less sense for Cleveland?

I can't see Obi for Okoro as we don't need to get smaller. the dollars do work though. Hield makes much more and a second player would need to be in the deal and I'm not seeing one in Cleveland.

I also don't see Hield filling a hole there in Cleveland, as Merrill has played VERY well in the same type of role that Hield would fill.

If anything, seems like the only chances to work here are a 3 way? Otherwise, I'm sure Indy would have interest in Niang or Wade, along with Okoro in a Buddy package. But at what cost?

If we were to trade for Okoro,... who would you put in front of him? Who would play behind him?....

[Pacers Forever]

I don’t understand how they could afford to bring Wiggins in as rumored ? 24 mil this season and thereafter an escalating contract by 2 mil a year? Would take more than Buddy to get him. Who’s starting spot does he take ?

[Wizop]

I don’t understand how they could afford to bring Wiggins in as rumored ? 24 mil this season and thereafter an escalating contract by 2 mil a year? Would take more than Buddy to get him. Who’s starting spot does he take ?

the checker says Buddy is enough. I think the new CBA is a bit more lenient on matching salaries. I suppose we'd start him at the 3 and start Nesmith at the 2.

[jarryd3107]

I’m flabbergasted by the Wiggins interest. You can’t take this big of a risk on a guy who looks as checked out and uninterested as he does. Thats basically the pacers cap locked in for 3-4 years.

[Pacers Forever]

I’m flabbergasted by the Wiggins interest. You can’t take this big of a risk on a guy who looks as checked out and uninterested as he does. Thats basically the pacers cap locked in for 3-4 years.

Hopefully just a rumor.

[Wizop]

I trust our players to advise the front office on chemistry

[jarryd3107]

Yeah, Okoro makes sense for Indy, but Obi Toppin makes infinitely less sense for Cleveland?

I can't see Obi for Okoro as we don't need to get smaller. the dollars do work though. Hield makes much more and a second player would need to be in the deal and I'm not seeing one in Cleveland.

Trade checker says it works with Jalen Smith straight up, he’s something a little different to their other bigs.

A three team trade with Obi going a third team is difficult to imagine because I’d expect most teams could prefer to take Okoro.

[Scoot McGroot]

I don’t understand how they could afford to bring Wiggins in as rumored ? 24 mil this season and thereafter an escalating contract by 2 mil a year? Would take more than Buddy to get him. Who’s starting spot does he take ?

the checker says Buddy is enough. I think the new CBA is a bit more lenient on matching salaries. I suppose we'd start him at the 3 and start Nesmith at the 2.

Yup. Buddy alone works for salary matching requirements.

I’m flabbergasted by the Wiggins interest. You can’t take this big of a risk on a guy who looks as checked out and uninterested as he does. Thats basically the pacers cap locked in for 3-4 years.

Yeah, it’s a tough pill to swallow, but it screams to me as possibly similar to the TJ Warren trade, but at a slightly higher percentage of cap? Both were productive wings that are weird locker room dudes (but not like cancers or toxic or anything, they’re literally just weird). And both would possibly be acquired while locked into multi year deals that are questionable at first, but if they returned to their normal level, would be decent to good values in a rising cap environment? Like, GS wouldn’t have won that championship without Wiggins and his play.

But again, why would GS want to deal that guy? They’d have to know something that would push them to want to deal a guy that is locked in long term and just helped them win a championship not too long ago? That’s weird, right?

I can't see Obi for Okoro as we don't need to get smaller. the dollars do work though. Hield makes much more and a second player would need to be in the deal and I'm not seeing one in Cleveland.

I also don't see Hield filling a hole there in Cleveland, as Merrill has played VERY well in the same type of role that Hield would fill.

If anything, seems like the only chances to work here are a 3 way? Otherwise, I'm sure Indy would have interest in Niang or Wade, along with Okoro in a Buddy package. But at what cost?

If we were to trade for Okoro,... who would you put in front of him? Who would play behind him?....

I think he’d be another defensive wing to throw out there off the bench. He might be better defensively than Nesmith, but worse offensively? I guess there’s just the theory that you can never have too many defensive wings that can provide point of attack defensive strength in this league. There’d probably be a lot of playoff games finished with Okoro/Nesmith lineups. Heck, you might even see a Haliburton/Nembhard/Okoro/Nesmith/Siakam closing lineup in the playoffs.

[Wizop]

Am I right in saying we play GA 4 hours after the deadline?

Perhaps new CBA has them wanting to shed salary with an expiring contract

[jarryd3107]

Yeah, it’s a tough pill to swallow, but it screams to me as possibly similar to the TJ Warren trade, but at a slightly higher percentage of cap? Both were productive wings that are weird locker room dudes (but not like cancers or toxic or anything, they’re literally just weird). And both would possibly be acquired while locked into multi year deals that are questionable at first, but if they returned to their normal level, would be decent to good values in a rising cap environment?

It could perhaps relate to that discussion we had earlier around salary slots and the offseason. Perhaps the Pacers do want to swap Buddy for a similarly priced but longer deal, knowing they can’t sign anyone this offseason or use cap to absorb deals. Perhaps Wiggins is (hopefully) one of a few players on that sort of money they have zeroed in on but it seems almost reckless.

I can accept I’m probably lower on Wiggins than most but he’s really only had 18 months of great basketball in the last 7 seasons. Let’s hope the Mavs outbid us.

[jarryd3107]

Carlisle in the presser after the hornets game was stressing how important rebounding is and actually sat Toppin, and yet we’re interested in Wiggins? Idk I’m not buying it

[Pacers Forever]

I’d prefer Okoro over Wiggins since Kuminga is off limits.

[JMaster5K]

I also don't see Hield filling a hole there in Cleveland, as Merrill has played VERY well in the same type of role that Hield would fill.

If anything, seems like the only chances to work here are a 3 way? Otherwise, I'm sure Indy would have interest in Niang or Wade, along with Okoro in a Buddy package. But at what cost?

If we were to trade for Okoro,... who would you put in front of him? Who would play behind him?....

I think he’d be another defensive wing to throw out there off the bench. He might be better defensively than Nesmith, but worse offensively? I guess there’s just the theory that you can never have too many defensive wings that can provide point of attack defensive strength in this league. There’d probably be a lot of playoff games finished with Okoro/Nesmith lineups. Heck, you might even see a Haliburton/Nembhard/Okoro/Nesmith/Siakam closing lineup in the playoffs.

As much as I would like the defensive focus of that group,... I seriously hope not. (LOL) That would be one small, small lineup. We would be ending games as small or smaller (without Myles) than we did last year. Okoro is significantly smaller than Nesmith. Though the idea of Okoro/Nesmith on the court together is really appealing.

So, do you think Okoro can be a more complete, 2 way player than the others on our roster? do you sacrifice Sheppard's time/development? Mathurin's? Nesmith's? Nemhard's?

Just wondering what you, or really anyone, think the rotation would look like?

I do actually like Okoro on our team. If we get go him, do we think he starts next to Hali with Nesmith at the 3?

I do agree, there is a belief that you can never have too many defensive wings. He is a restricted free agent, so you could at least match offers to keep him. As you pointed out, there just doesn't seem to be an 'available' Pacer that fits with Cleveland?
Unfortunately, the only Pacer that would seem to make sense for Cleveland, might be Stix? Personally, I would rather have Stix.

[boomershadow]

Count me out on Wiggins. No way.

[Tom White]

Count me out on Wiggins. No way.

Agreed. Even if he got back to his best level of play, I don't think the team can afford another contract like that.