OKC/IND

[MoneyTalks41890]

OKC out: Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, Nikola Topic, Dillon Jones
OKC in: Pascal Siakam

Thunder go all in and butt right up against the tax, probably dip it into it to fill the roster. So it’s not super realistic. But Siakam has been balling despite Indy’s relative struggles. His contract is tough, but he should still be moderately effective and movable with some assets later.

IND out: Pascal Siakam
IND in: Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, Nikola Topic, Dillon Jones

Pacers get out of the Siakam contract and get some smaller younger contracts. They acknowledge they aren’t at the top right now and get a little more flexibility. Would need to cut a number of mins and exps to do it. This might be best with a third team.

[Scoot McGroot]

OKC out: Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, Nikola Topic, Dillon Jones
OKC in: Pascal Siakam

Thunder go all in and butt right up against the tax, probably dip it into it to fill the roster. So it’s not super realistic. But Siakam has been balling despite Indy’s relative struggles. His contract is tough, but he should still be moderately effective and movable with some assets later.

IND out: Pascal Siakam
IND in: Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, Nikola Topic, Dillon Jones

Pacers get out of the Siakam contract and get some smaller younger contracts. They acknowledge they aren’t at the top right now and get a little more flexibility. Would need to cut a number of mins and exps to do it. This might be best with a third team.

I mean, no team can reasonably make a 1 for 5 trade in season.

But otherwise, no, Indy isn’t likely to mark a “give it all up” type trade. Even Topic isn’t a great incentive, as Indy is already loaded with ball handling lead guards. Indy would need something to hang their hat on with a Siakam trade, if they were even ever considering trading him. Which I doubt they are.

[Godaddycurse]

Keep in mind Indy dont own their 2026 1st (they would still be too good in the east to make top 4 in all likelihood) so it doesnt make much sense to take a step back now.

As a Raptors fan i approve of OP though

[brackdan70]

OKC out: Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, Nikola Topic, Dillon Jones
OKC in: Pascal Siakam

Thunder go all in and butt right up against the tax, probably dip it into it to fill the roster. So it’s not super realistic. But Siakam has been balling despite Indy’s relative struggles. His contract is tough, but he should still be moderately effective and movable with some assets later.

IND out: Pascal Siakam
IND in: Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, Nikola Topic, Dillon Jones

Pacers get out of the Siakam contract and get some smaller younger contracts. They acknowledge they aren’t at the top right now and get a little more flexibility. Would need to cut a number of mins and exps to do it. This might be best with a third team.

OKC needs to send some draft capital. Are the pacers looking to get out of PS contract? I don’t get the premise here.

[Ell Curry]

If this was gonna happen I think it would be something like:
Siakam + Turner + Mathurin for Hartenstein + Joe + Wiggins + Kenrich Williams

but OKC is like 16-1 with Hartenstein or something, so it won't happen.

But at least you could argue OKC has a better chance at the title:

Chet 19 - Myles Turner 29
Siakam 30 - Chet 14 - Jalen Williams 4
JalenWilliams 30 - Mathurin 18
Dort 28 - Caruso 20
SGA 36 - Cason Wallace 12

with 48 minutes of stretch 5 center play, Siakam as a veteran and former champ at the 4.

Indy gets a younger center locked in for 2 more years, I guess has Toppin and Jarace compete at the 4, frees up some money this summer to pay Isaiah Jackson and adds some wing depth.

I don't like this trade, but it was the best I could do.

Far more likely I think is OKC just giving up on Dieng and trading him for Nick Richards or something just to get another center in the building in case of a Chet or Hartenstein injury, or a deal with Portland for Toumani Camara or Timelord, presumably with Dieng and maybe Kenrich Williams (though I doubt they'd wanna move him, so maybe Camara makes more sense than Timelord.

They could also just wait, try to move up in the draft and grab a big they like, or maybe they move Joe or Wiggins + 1st rounder or 2 for say Deni Avdija or Herb Jones if they want a bigger wing.

[Scoot McGroot]

Indy gets a younger center locked in for 2 more years, I guess has Toppin and Jarace compete at the 4, frees up some money this summer to pay Isaiah Jackson and adds some wing depth.

With Isaiah Jackson coming off a torn achilles, does Indy need to free up money to pay him? Feels like he either gets a cheap long-term deal, or maybe takes a smaller one year deal to rehab and re enter free agency a year later when healthy? I don't know that he's going to get tendered a qualifying offer, as I assume his agent would have him sign it immediately?

[jowglenn]

If this was gonna happen I think it would be something like:
Siakam + Turner + Mathurin for Hartenstein + Joe + Wiggins + Kenrich Williams

but OKC is like 16-1 with Hartenstein or something, so it won't happen.

Hmm I don't know... could the Pacers possibly add Haliburton, Nembhard, Jarace Walker, and some draft capital? To even things out? I mean, I don't think 3 starters is really enough to get superstar Isaiah Hartenstein

[Ell Curry]

Indy gets a younger center locked in for 2 more years, I guess has Toppin and Jarace compete at the 4, frees up some money this summer to pay Isaiah Jackson and adds some wing depth.

With Isaiah Jackson coming off a torn achilles, does Indy need to free up money to pay him? Feels like he either gets a cheap long-term deal, or maybe takes a smaller one year deal to rehab and re enter free agency a year later when healthy? I don't know that he's going to get tendered a qualifying offer, as I assume his agent would have him sign it immediately?

The ACL could nuke his value, I don't really have a strong grasp on injury stuff, but if you're a young, rebuilding/tanking team with cap space who wants a free agent centre this summer, and asked me to rank them in likelihood of being an average Poeltl/Zubac/Capela level centre in 2-3 years, even with the injury, I think you might have Jackson 2nd after Turner. Brook Lopez will be 37 this summer. Capela will be 31, his blocks and FG% are down and as a low skill guy you'd probably bet on him aging out of being a starting center fairly soon, like a DeAndre Jordan, and then he's just a solid backup centre.

Jackson consistently put up the kind of numbers that suggest he might become a low-level 20th-25th best starting center in his prime, and when I watched him I liked that he played hard, didn't do dumb DeAndre Ayton kinda stuff, seemed to play a little bigger than his slightly below average center size and he didn't have terminally slow feet. But I'll defer to Pacers fan on him, you've obviously seen a ton more of him. How did you rate him pre-injury?

I was definitely annoyed as a Raptors fan that he wasn't in the Siakam trade, as we need a backup center and a young one who could maybe replace Poeltl in a few years makes the most sense. Might have saved us probably using a first rounder in the next 2-3 years (maybe the one the Pacers gave us) on a young center.

If there was no ACL injury or teams aren't scared off by it, I could see him getting the non-tax MLE from someone. There aren't that many guys under 30 you'd wanna give it to.

But I genuinely have no idea if his injury is a huge deal or kind of a big deal or not a huge deal. I feel like medical/injury/rehab stuff has improved faster than my understanding of it.

[Scoot McGroot]

Indy gets a younger center locked in for 2 more years, I guess has Toppin and Jarace compete at the 4, frees up some money this summer to pay Isaiah Jackson and adds some wing depth.

With Isaiah Jackson coming off a torn achilles, does Indy need to free up money to pay him? Feels like he either gets a cheap long-term deal, or maybe takes a smaller one year deal to rehab and re enter free agency a year later when healthy? I don't know that he's going to get tendered a qualifying offer, as I assume his agent would have him sign it immediately?

The ACL could nuke his value, I don't really have a strong grasp on injury stuff, but if you're a young, rebuilding/tanking team with cap space who wants a free agent centre this summer, and asked me to rank them in likelihood of being an average Poeltl/Zubac/Capela level centre in 2-3 years, even with the injury, I think you might have Jackson 2nd after Turner. Brook Lopez will be 37 this summer. Capela will be 31, his blocks and FG% are down and as a low skill guy you'd probably bet on him aging out of being a starting center fairly soon, like a DeAndre Jordan, and then he's just a solid backup centre.

Jackson consistently put up the kind of numbers that suggest he might become a low-level 20th-25th best starting center in his prime, and when I watched him I liked that he played hard, didn't do dumb DeAndre Ayton kinda stuff, seemed to play a little bigger than his slightly below average center size and he didn't have terminally slow feet. But I'll defer to Pacers fan on him, you've obviously seen a ton more of him. How did you rate him pre-injury?

I was definitely annoyed as a Raptors fan that he wasn't in the Siakam trade, as we need a backup center and a young one who could maybe replace Poeltl in a few years makes the most sense. Might have saved us probably using a first rounder in the next 2-3 years (maybe the one the Pacers gave us) on a young center.

If there was no ACL injury or teams aren't scared off by it, I could see him getting the non-tax MLE from someone. There aren't that many guys under 30 you'd wanna give it to.

But I genuinely have no idea if his injury is a huge deal or kind of a big deal or not a huge deal. I feel like medical/injury/rehab stuff has improved faster than my understanding of it.

Oh, non injury, I’d agree wholeheartedly with you. He’s an athletic young center than can defend in space and be a dangerous lob threat (but not much else offensively). But, he’s coming off a snapped Achilles, even worse than an ACL, and giving for an athletically focused player, is tough to bounce back.

With no injury, I absolutely had seen him offered the qualifying offer and getting an MLE type salary. But coming off the Achilles, I don’t know that he’s getting a multi year deal.

[Ell Curry]

With no injury, I absolutely had seen him offered the qualifying offer and getting an MLE type salary. But coming off the Achilles, I don’t know that he’s getting a multi year deal.

I feel like I keep reading that ACL injuries are fixable now, but who knows.

I think a team like the Pelicans, Wizards, Hornets or Nets might be good with paying Jackson and him taking next year to get healthy while they tank again, hopefully one last time but probably a second to last (or third to last) time for at least one or two of them. Raptors could use a backup 5 and we aren't winning the title next year. He might be my #2 target for the MLE if we can't get Nickeil Axelander-Walker. Kings need a backup 5. Bulls might move Vucevic at the deadline and need one.

I'm thinking a decent cash offer but at least a team option, or maybe some creative Jonathan Isaac/Zion kinda clauses. I don't understand the CBA well enough to know exactly how that works, but if that sort of thing can be swung, it would put Indy in a pickle.

[Scoot McGroot]

With no injury, I absolutely had seen him offered the qualifying offer and getting an MLE type salary. But coming off the Achilles, I don’t know that he’s getting a multi year deal.

I feel like I keep reading that ACL injuries are fixable now, but who knows.

I think a team like the Pelicans, Wizards, Hornets or Nets might be good with paying Jackson and him taking next year to get healthy while they tank again, hopefully one last time but probably a second to last (or third to last) time for at least one or two of them. Raptors could use a backup 5 and we aren't winning the title next year. He might be my #2 target for the MLE if we can't get Nickeil Axelander-Walker. Kings need a backup 5. Bulls might move Vucevic at the deadline and need one.

I'm thinking a decent cash offer but at least a team option, or maybe some creative Jonathan Isaac/Zion kinda clauses. I don't understand the CBA well enough to know exactly how that works, but if that sort of thing can be swung, it would put Indy in a pickle.

This is an achillles, not an acl. Very different.

But sure, teams could make difficult offers. However, if they offer a 3/36, they need to be ok with getting nothing in the first year and essentially paying Jackson $1 for two years of play. And if Jackson is getting very little in terms of guarantees, it probably benefits Jackson to stay with Indy and keep his Bird Rights continuing and keep avenues of sign and trades open.

I’m not assuming Jackson stays with Indy, or Indy gets a beneficial deal. I’m just assuming a lot of teams will be wary, and there is value for Jackson in rehabbing with doctors he knows (and hopefully trusts), and keeping his Bird Rights in continuation.

[Ell Curry]

With no injury, I absolutely had seen him offered the qualifying offer and getting an MLE type salary. But coming off the Achilles, I don’t know that he’s getting a multi year deal.

I feel like I keep reading that ACL injuries are fixable now, but who knows.

I think a team like the Pelicans, Wizards, Hornets or Nets might be good with paying Jackson and him taking next year to get healthy while they tank again, hopefully one last time but probably a second to last (or third to last) time for at least one or two of them. Raptors could use a backup 5 and we aren't winning the title next year. He might be my #2 target for the MLE if we can't get Nickeil Axelander-Walker. Kings need a backup 5. Bulls might move Vucevic at the deadline and need one.

I'm thinking a decent cash offer but at least a team option, or maybe some creative Jonathan Isaac/Zion kinda clauses. I don't understand the CBA well enough to know exactly how that works, but if that sort of thing can be swung, it would put Indy in a pickle.

This is an achillles, not an acl. Very different.

But sure, teams could make difficult offers. However, if they offer a 3/36, they need to be ok with getting nothing in the first year and essentially paying Jackson $1 for two years of play. And if Jackson is getting very little in terms of guarantees, it probably benefits Jackson to stay with Indy and keep his Bird Rights continuing and keep avenues of sign and trades open.

I’m not assuming Jackson stays with Indy, or Indy gets a beneficial deal. I’m just assuming a lot of teams will be wary, and there is value for Jackson in rehabbing with doctors he knows (and hopefully trusts), and keeping his Bird Rights in continuation.

The money wouldn't really bother me if I was the Wizards and I can't get a better RFA or a UFA that I think can be turned into a first rounder via trade. They've got about 30M in space and 3 2nd rounders, so even if they get the #1 or #2 pick, they're looking at like 15M in cap room or so. And if they wanna operate over the cap by doing something like Cole Anthony + Jett Howard + Magic 1st for Brogdon + 2 2nds at the deadline (or they take on McCollum from the Pels or Gabe Vincent from the Lakers), they can use the non-tax MLE on Jackson.

But again I'll reiterate I have no idea if Jackson's injury is seen as one where he odds are he can be 95% of his old self like 7 out of 10 times, or it's dicier than that. Obviously if you think he's gonna be less impressive an athlete, you'd gamble on overpaying some other young guy from another team in a financially sticky situation like Alexander-Walker or Quentin Grimes or take on bad money for draft capital.

Is the expected Pacers plan:

A) Dump McConnell to stay under next year's tax and then dump Obi Toppin's to keep Mathurin and stay under the tax, keep Mathurin.

2) Ownership good with paying the tax once or twice in what we might as well call the Siakam era because that might be a 2nd Haliburton era if his body holds up, once Siakam is on the decline in say 3 years. Maybe dump one of Toppin or Siakam still next offseason.

3) Trade Mathurin before paying him

4) Something else I'm discounting?

I'm assuming Haliburton-Nembhard-Siakam-Turner are core fixtures from Pacers' fan comments on here, though I'd be real hesitant to lose Mathurin, he's only 22, might have a serious leap in him at some point in the next few seasons, seems to have the physical tools and shooting.

[basketballwacko2]

OKC out: Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, Nikola Topic, Dillon Jones
OKC in: Pascal Siakam

Thunder go all in and butt right up against the tax, probably dip it into it to fill the roster. So it’s not super realistic. But Siakam has been balling despite Indy’s relative struggles. His contract is tough, but he should still be moderately effective and movable with some assets later.

IND out: Pascal Siakam
IND in: Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, Nikola Topic, Dillon Jones

Pacers get out of the Siakam contract and get some smaller younger contracts. They acknowledge they aren’t at the top right now and get a little more flexibility. Would need to cut a number of mins and exps to do it. This might be best with a third team.

And how many #1 picks? You're offering 5 for 1, so the Pacers have to cut 4 guys to make the trade who are they cutting?

This is turrible!!

[basketballwacko2]

Indy gets a younger center locked in for 2 more years, I guess has Toppin and Jarace compete at the 4, frees up some money this summer to pay Isaiah Jackson and adds some wing depth.

With Isaiah Jackson coming off a torn achilles, does Indy need to free up money to pay him? Feels like he either gets a cheap long-term deal, or maybe takes a smaller one year deal to rehab and re enter free agency a year later when healthy? I don't know that he's going to get tendered a qualifying offer, as I assume his agent would have him sign it immediately?

The ACL could nuke his value, I don't really have a strong grasp on injury stuff, but if you're a young, rebuilding/tanking team with cap space who wants a free agent centre this summer, and asked me to rank them in likelihood of being an average Poeltl/Zubac/Capela level centre in 2-3 years, even with the injury, I think you might have Jackson 2nd after Turner. Brook Lopez will be 37 this summer. Capela will be 31, his blocks and FG% are down and as a low skill guy you'd probably bet on him aging out of being a starting center fairly soon, like a DeAndre Jordan, and then he's just a solid backup centre.

Whose ACL are you talking about?

[basketballwacko2]

I feel like I keep reading that ACL injuries are fixable now, but who knows.

I think a team like the Pelicans, Wizards, Hornets or Nets might be good with paying Jackson and him taking next year to get healthy while they tank again, hopefully one last time but probably a second to last (or third to last) time for at least one or two of them. Raptors could use a backup 5 and we aren't winning the title next year. He might be my #2 target for the MLE if we can't get Nickeil Axelander-Walker. Kings need a backup 5. Bulls might move Vucevic at the deadline and need one.

I'm thinking a decent cash offer but at least a team option, or maybe some creative Jonathan Isaac/Zion kinda clauses. I don't understand the CBA well enough to know exactly how that works, but if that sort of thing can be swung, it would put Indy in a pickle.

This is an achillles, not an acl. Very different.

But sure, teams could make difficult offers. However, if they offer a 3/36, they need to be ok with getting nothing in the first year and essentially paying Jackson $1 for two years of play. And if Jackson is getting very little in terms of guarantees, it probably benefits Jackson to stay with Indy and keep his Bird Rights continuing and keep avenues of sign and trades open.

I’m not assuming Jackson stays with Indy, or Indy gets a beneficial deal. I’m just assuming a lot of teams will be wary, and there is value for Jackson in rehabbing with doctors he knows (and hopefully trusts), and keeping his Bird Rights in continuation.

The money wouldn't really bother me if I was the Wizards and I can't get a better RFA or a UFA that I think can be turned into a first rounder via trade. They've got about 30M in space and 3 2nd rounders, so even if they get the #1 or #2 pick, they're looking at like 15M in cap room or so. And if they wanna operate over the cap by doing something like Cole Anthony + Jett Howard + Magic 1st for Brogdon + 2 2nds at the deadline (or they take on McCollum from the Pels or Gabe Vincent from the Lakers), they can use the non-tax MLE on Jackson.

But again I'll reiterate I have no idea if Jackson's injury is seen as one where he odds are he can be 95% of his old self like 7 out of 10 times, or it's dicier than that. Obviously if you think he's gonna be less impressive an athlete, you'd gamble on overpaying some other young guy from another team in a financially sticky situation like Alexander-Walker or Quentin Grimes or take on bad money for draft capital.

Is the expected Pacers plan:

A) Dump McConnell to stay under next year's tax and then dump Obi Toppin's to keep Mathurin and stay under the tax, keep Mathurin.

2) Ownership good with paying the tax once or twice in what we might as well call the Siakam era because that might be a 2nd Haliburton era if his body holds up, once Siakam is on the decline in say 3 years. Maybe dump one of Toppin or Siakam still next offseason.

3) Trade Mathurin before paying him

4) Something else I'm discounting?

I'm assuming Haliburton-Nembhard-Siakam-Turner are core fixtures from Pacers' fan comments on here, though I'd be real hesitant to lose Mathurin, he's only 22, might have a serious leap in him at some point in the next few seasons, seems to have the physical tools and shooting.

Well let's be glad you're not the GM of the Pacers if that's your idea's for dealing with this team, they're not tanking ahead of the 2026 draft since that pick is going to the Raptors.

[Scoot McGroot]

I feel like I keep reading that ACL injuries are fixable now, but who knows.

I think a team like the Pelicans, Wizards, Hornets or Nets might be good with paying Jackson and him taking next year to get healthy while they tank again, hopefully one last time but probably a second to last (or third to last) time for at least one or two of them. Raptors could use a backup 5 and we aren't winning the title next year. He might be my #2 target for the MLE if we can't get Nickeil Axelander-Walker. Kings need a backup 5. Bulls might move Vucevic at the deadline and need one.

I'm thinking a decent cash offer but at least a team option, or maybe some creative Jonathan Isaac/Zion kinda clauses. I don't understand the CBA well enough to know exactly how that works, but if that sort of thing can be swung, it would put Indy in a pickle.

This is an achillles, not an acl. Very different.

But sure, teams could make difficult offers. However, if they offer a 3/36, they need to be ok with getting nothing in the first year and essentially paying Jackson $1 for two years of play. And if Jackson is getting very little in terms of guarantees, it probably benefits Jackson to stay with Indy and keep his Bird Rights continuing and keep avenues of sign and trades open.

I’m not assuming Jackson stays with Indy, or Indy gets a beneficial deal. I’m just assuming a lot of teams will be wary, and there is value for Jackson in rehabbing with doctors he knows (and hopefully trusts), and keeping his Bird Rights in continuation.

The money wouldn't really bother me if I was the Wizards and I can't get a better RFA or a UFA that I think can be turned into a first rounder via trade. They've got about 30M in space and 3 2nd rounders, so even if they get the #1 or #2 pick, they're looking at like 15M in cap room or so. And if they wanna operate over the cap by doing something like Cole Anthony + Jett Howard + Magic 1st for Brogdon + 2 2nds at the deadline (or they take on McCollum from the Pels or Gabe Vincent from the Lakers), they can use the non-tax MLE on Jackson.

If teams are willing to throw crazy money after a player rehabbing an Achilles injury and get nothing for their money for a year, there’s nothing an Indy or anyone else can do.

But again I'll reiterate I have no idea if Jackson's injury is seen as one where he odds are he can be 95% of his old self like 7 out of 10 times, or it's dicier than that. Obviously if you think he's gonna be less impressive an athlete, you'd gamble on overpaying some other young guy from another team in a financially sticky situation like Alexander-Walker or Quentin Grimes or take on bad money for draft capital.

Is the expected Pacers plan:

A) Dump McConnell to stay under next year's tax and then dump Obi Toppin's to keep Mathurin and stay under the tax, keep Mathurin.

Maybe the Obi part. Less likely the McConnell part (essentially completely unlikely)? Too far out on the Mathurin part to dump guys yet to clear money for a couple years.

2) Ownership good with paying the tax once or twice in what we might as well call the Siakam era because that might be a 2nd Haliburton era if his body holds up, once Siakam is on the decline in say 3 years. Maybe dump one of Toppin or Siakam still next offseason.

Don’t know. Indy has historically not paid the tax since Reggie retired, so I assume they won’t going forward. But, Simon is OLD and says he’d be willing to pay it for a winner. But even then, if teams like Phoenix and Boston keep running up tax payments that funnel a $20+m tax payment to non tax paying teams, then it’s much less likely that Indy pays the tax.

3) Trade Mathurin before paying him

4) Something else I'm discounting?

I'm assuming Haliburton-Nembhard-Siakam-Turner are core fixtures from Pacers' fan comments on here, though I'd be real hesitant to lose Mathurin, he's only 22, might have a serious leap in him at some point in the next few seasons, seems to have the physical tools and shooting.

Mostly just discounting that Indy can wait a while before having to make something super drastic. And still have to see what happens in the market at large the next year or two as the new CBA continues to make its impact known.

[jayjaysee]

I think OKC should have easily outbid Indy a year ago, beat Dallas and who knows from there.

But now, I don’t know what Indy would ask for. Their team is really well balanced and their young star is ready. Dont see Indy doing the OP and think Pascal’s value -demand (Indy’s) is probably higher than last year. Not only because he is locked up, but because he’s on a team that feels they can win..

OKC shouldn’t go over the tax this season though. If you’re bringing in Pascal and making a trade this big, think you just move on from one of Dort or IH. (Understanding how amazing Hart has been and how connected Dort is with SGA)

Think this idea is just a year late for OKC and no longer works.

[Wizop]

fantasy basketball

[MoneyTalks41890]

I think OKC should have easily outbid Indy a year ago, beat Dallas and who knows from there.

But now, I don’t know what Indy would ask for. Their team is really well balanced and their young star is ready. Dont see Indy doing the OP and think Pascal’s value -demand (Indy’s) is probably higher than last year. Not only because he is locked up, but because he’s on a team that feels they can win..

OKC shouldn’t go over the tax this season though. If you’re bringing in Pascal and making a trade this big, think you just move on from one of Dort or IH. (Understanding how amazing Hart has been and how connected Dort is with SGA)

Think this idea is just a year late for OKC and no longer works.

Yeah this was a stinker of an idea too. I’m not so sure what Siakam’s value is with the back end of that contract even with his stellar play but if Indy doesn’t want to trade him it doesn’t really matter.

I just personally see this Indy team in need of a shake up. I don’t think the current iteration has a high enough ceiling.

[Scoot McGroot]

I think OKC should have easily outbid Indy a year ago, beat Dallas and who knows from there.

But now, I don’t know what Indy would ask for. Their team is really well balanced and their young star is ready. Dont see Indy doing the OP and think Pascal’s value -demand (Indy’s) is probably higher than last year. Not only because he is locked up, but because he’s on a team that feels they can win..

OKC shouldn’t go over the tax this season though. If you’re bringing in Pascal and making a trade this big, think you just move on from one of Dort or IH. (Understanding how amazing Hart has been and how connected Dort is with SGA)

Think this idea is just a year late for OKC and no longer works.

Yeah this was a stinker of an idea too. I’m not so sure what Siakam’s value is with the back end of that contract even with his stellar play but if Indy doesn’t want to trade him it doesn’t really matter.

I just personally see this Indy team in need of a shake up. I don’t think the current iteration has a high enough ceiling.

So far this year, we've seen the Indy team that played short handed and with a ton of injuries. Haliburton was still recovering from his back issues, and Nembhard and Nesmith have been out. Mathurin and Walker have been learning to play with Siakam and the rest of the roster. But with Nembhard's return, we've seen them play 8-4 ball over the last 12 games. And Nesmith still isn't back. There's still room for continued improvement.

I think there's still a lot of "figuring out what this team's ceiling" is. I don't think we can even accurately predict it. If Haliburton returns to last year's interstellar play, it's not hard to think this current team could be a solid contender for a championship. Absolute favorite? Nope. But get into the ECF and play Boston tough? Absolutely a possibility. And if you can beat Boston, you can win the championship.