Shams: Pacers Moving toward Rebuild; Receptive to Trade Talks

But sources predict the Wizards will encounter significant difficulties acquiring a high-impact player of Sabonis’ stature without giving up at least 21-year-old Avdija or 23-year-old Hachimura — or, perhaps, both, along with multiple draft picks. Indiana has pulled back on putting Sabonis front and center in trade talks, engaging teams more on center Myles Turner and wing Caris LeVert.

The clear consensus opinion among sources is that, apart from Beal, the rest of the Wizards’ veterans — Thomas Bryant, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Spencer Dinwiddie, Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma — don’t have enough value on their own to command major returns.
Speaking specifically about Bryant, Caldwell-Pope and Harrell, one opposing team executive said none move the needle. “For example, (Indiana’s) Justin Holiday is likely to have more value,” the executive said. “Would depend on what teams think about his $6.3 million (salary) next season. See, some think it’s valuable, others may not want the money.

Sources were split on whether a deal centered around Avdija and Hachimura would convince the Pacers to part with Sabonis.

Also talks about how Washington’s owing a future protected first to OKC makes it tough for Washington to include draft compensation, and they may not be able to include enoug draft compensation to intrigue Indy or Detroit.

Post #448 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed Feb 2, 2022 6:49 pm

Read on Twitter

?s=21

If the Wizards are in the market for someone to take creation pressure off of Beal, Sabonis certainly fits the bill. As mentioned in this space, Sabonis is one of the best high-post hubs in the NBA. He's averaging 5.0 assists this season, a top-five mark among big men this season, but it's less about that archaic number.

Not only can Sabonis hit cutters, he has a way of prying guys open with (off-ball) screens and handoffs. He's lead the NBA in screen assists in 2 of the last 3 seasons. His off-ball partnership with Justin Holiday has been the NBA's best this year; the Pacers are generating over 1.4 points per possession on direct hookups between the two, per Second Spectrum.

Post #449 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed Feb 2, 2022 8:36 pm

Quick number crunching, but just dealing Turner to SAC for Mitchell/Thompson, and also dealing Levert to Cleveland for Rubio/1st would leave Indy with almost $30m in possible cap space, without TJ Warren's cap hold ($19.95m before being dealt with). If you keep Warren at or over his number, the team would likely be operating "over the cap" and would use their MLE and BAE instead.

Granted, there's not a lot of pieces worth using cap space on this offseason, but it's an option. And then you enter the offseason able to possibly deal Brogdon (which would make several of you VERY happy

), and there's a lot of options there.

Tom White · Post #450 » by **Tom White** » Wed Feb 2, 2022 8:50 pm

Scoot McGroot wrote:Quick number crunching, but just dealing Turner to SAC for Mitchell/Thompson, and also dealing Levert to Cleveland for Rubio/1st would leave Indy with almost $30m in possible cap space....

I like where you're going with this, but my fear would be Pritchard turning around and using that money on an almost 32 yr. old and injury prone Gordon Hayward, or similar player. Which would be a "rinse and repeat" of where we are now.

If he were to use the space to help a team avoid the tax by taking their younger (not necessarily rookies), promising players with upside + draft capital, then it is a different story.

Wizop · Post #451 » by **Wizop** » Wed Feb 2, 2022 9:08 pm

Chad Ford and Jake Fischer have a podcast up on trade talks. I'm watching on YouTube.

Watch on YouTube

xBulletproof · Post #452 » by **xBulletproof** » Thu Feb 3, 2022 1:05 am

I have this horrible, horrible feeling we aren't going to do anything. Maybe it's PTSD.

Maybe Lamb for a TPE and a 2nd or something. I'm pretty much ready to let everyone but Sabonis/Jackson/Duarte to go on somewhere. Mainly because I view Brogdon/Sabonis as a bad pairing. They can't be your best 2 players. Both lack athleticism and length. Neither are shot creators. It's just an awful match for your best 2 players. But I understand Brogdon can't go anywhere yet.

But just start this **** over. I'm ready.

Post #453 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Thu Feb 3, 2022 1:43 am

xBulletproof wrote:I have this horrible, horrible feeling we aren't going to do anything. Maybe it's PTSD.

Maybe Lamb for a TPE and a 2nd or something. I'm pretty much ready to let everyone but Sabonis/Jackson/Duarte to go on somewhere. Mainly because I view Brogdon/Sabonis as a bad pairing. They can't be your best 2 players. Both lack athleticism and length. Neither are shot creators. It's just an awful match for your best 2 players. But I understand Brogdon can't go anywhere yet.

But just start this **** over. I'm ready.

It’s still insanely early, in the grand scheme of trade deadline stuff.

But also, To be fair, a lot of draft time trades happen because of discussions at the trade deadline. Sometimes, teams want to know where the draft picks slot in, or they want to wait until someone’s healthy, or they just want a little more time to “get over” their own guys. I wouldn’t look at the deadline as a sole thing, but rather, consider it as part of the whole with draft time and summer trades when rosters expand. I know, it’s not fun to wait, but sometimes, you just have to not rush.

Wizop · Post #454 » by **Wizop** » Thu Feb 3, 2022 3:01 am

xBulletproof wrote:I have this horrible, horrible feeling we aren't going to do anything.

There's no rush. This season is toast.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using RealGM mobile app

Topofthekey · Post #455 » by **Topofthekey** » Thu Feb 3, 2022 3:22 am

I'm ok with Hachimura + Avdija + 2022 FRP for Sabonis

If they're willing to throw in another future FRP (or two) even if it's distant, that's enough to seal the deal for me

Avdija feels like he can be our long term 3

Post #456 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Thu Feb 3, 2022 3:36 am

Topofthekey wrote:I'm ok with Hachimura + Avdija + 2022 FRP for Sabonis

If they're willing to throw in another future FRP (or two) even if it's distant, that's enough to seal the deal for me

Avdija feels like he can be our long term 3

Washington can’t deal their 2022 1st. They owe a protected 2023 1st to OKC, so earliest a pick could be conveyed is 2025, but maybe not until 2026 or 2027.

Topofthekey · Post #457 » by **Topofthekey** » Thu Feb 3, 2022 3:45 am

Scoot McGroot wrote:
Topofthekey wrote:I'm ok with Hachimura + Avdija + 2022 FRP for Sabonis

If they're willing to throw in another future FRP (or two) even if it's distant, that's enough to seal the deal for me

Avdija feels like he can be our long term 3

Washington can’t deal their 2022 1st. They owe a protected 2023 1st to OKC, so earliest a pick could be conveyed is 2025, but maybe not until 2026 or 2027.

Can NBA teams structure a trade in two parts?

We trade Sabonis for Rui + Deni now. They draft the player we want and trade him to us for a 2RP later

Post #458 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Thu Feb 3, 2022 3:48 am

Topofthekey wrote:
Scoot McGroot wrote:
Topofthekey wrote:I'm ok with Hachimura + Avdija + 2022 FRP for Sabonis

If they're willing to throw in another future FRP (or two) even if it's distant, that's enough to seal the deal for me

Avdija feels like he can be our long term 3

Washington can’t deal their 2022 1st. They owe a protected 2023 1st to OKC, so earliest a pick could be conveyed is 2025, but maybe not until 2026 or 2027.

Can NBA teams structure a trade in two parts?

We trade Sabonis for Rui + Deni now. They draft the player we want and trade him to us for a 2RP later

No. No future considerations either. Trade must be spelled out 100% at the time of the trade call. And any trade made must be able to stand on its own, so no “later they trade us a 1st for a 2nd”.

basketballwacko2 · Post #459 » by **basketballwacko2** » Thu Feb 3, 2022 5:17 am

Topofthekey wrote:I'm ok with Hachimura + Avdija + 2022 FRP for Sabonis

If they're willing to throw in another future FRP (or two) even if it's distant, that's enough to seal the deal for me

Avdija feels like he can be our long term 3

They can't do that because Wiz owe their 22 #1 to OKC top 14 protected if it doesn't convey they could drag it out to as far as 2026.

I don't see any combo of stuff from Washington to near equal value for Dom. I liked Hachimura in the draft but he's been a big nothing in the NBA. Avdija might come around with enough playing time but he's not shown much either. I don't see a deal with them without 2 #1 picks attached.

xBulletproof · Post #460 » by **xBulletproof** » Thu Feb 3, 2022 6:41 am

Scoot McGroot wrote:
xBulletproof wrote:I have this horrible, horrible feeling we aren't going to do anything. Maybe it's PTSD.

Maybe Lamb for a TPE and a 2nd or something. I'm pretty much ready to let everyone but Sabonis/Jackson/Duarte to go on somewhere. Mainly because I view Brogdon/Sabonis as a bad pairing. They can't be your best 2 players. Both lack athleticism and length. Neither are shot creators. It's just an awful match for your best 2 players. But I understand Brogdon can't go anywhere yet.

But just start this **** over. I'm ready.

It’s still insanely early, in the grand scheme of trade deadline stuff.

But also, To be fair, a lot of draft time trades happen because of discussions at the trade deadline. Sometimes, teams want to know where the draft picks slot in, or they want to wait until someone’s healthy, or they just want a little more time to “get over” their own guys. I wouldn’t look at the deadline as a sole thing, but rather, consider it as part of the whole with draft time and summer trades when rosters expand. I know, it’s not fun to wait, but sometimes, you just have to not rush.

Problem is I knew this roster was mismatched and not right at the trade deadline last year. I went into last offseason thinking that. Surely they'll do something now. Then we were in the rumors for Ben Simmons and I was like hell yeah, at least we are trying to shake it up. I'm all for it. Yet, here we are all that time later with the same mismatched roster. My patience has been over.